Compare the2023 Ford Escape PHEVVS 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape PHEV have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Escape PHEV has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Escape PHEV offers optional Reverse Brake Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Escape PHEV’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Escape PHEV has standard 911 Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer a GPS response system, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Escape PHEV and the Outlander PHEV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the general design of front seat head restraints for their ability to protect front seat occupants from whiplash injuries. The IIHS also performs a dynamic test on those seats with “good” or “acceptable” geometry. In these ratings, the Escape PHEV is safer than the Outlander PHEV:

	Escape PHEV	Outlander PHEV
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Restraint Design	GOOD	GOOD
Distance from Back of Head	8 mm	48 mm
Dynamic Test Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Seat Design	Pass	Fail
Torso Acceleration	10 g’s	10.3 g’s
Neck Force Rating	Low	Low
Max Neck Shearing Force	0	47
Max Neck Tension	294	488

(Lower numerical results are better in all tests.)

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Escape PHEV the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 175 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Outlander PHEV is not a “Top Safety Pick.”

Warranty

The Escape PHEV’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Outlander PHEV’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are over 9 times as many Ford dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escape PHEV’s warranty.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Escape PHEV’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Outlander PHEV’s camshafts. If the Outlander PHEV’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

The Escape PHEV has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 59 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is rated below average.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Escape PHEV running on electricity gets better mileage than the Outlander PHEV running on electricity (117 city/93 hwy vs. 77 city/71 hwy MPGe).

On the EPA test cycle the Escape PHEV running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the Outlander PHEV running its gasoline engine (43 city/38 hwy vs. 26 city/26 hwy).

The Escape PHEV can travel with zero emissions on electricity, only, on a full charge for 37 miles. The Outlander PHEV has to start its internal combustion engine after only 24 miles.

The Escape PHEV has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Escape PHEV’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Outlander PHEV:

	Escape PHEV	Outlander PHEV
Front Rotors	13 inches	11.6 inches

Tires and Wheels

The Escape PHEV has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Outlander PHEV; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The Escape PHEV has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Outlander PHEV’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Escape PHEV has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Escape PHEV’s wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer than on the Outlander PHEV (106.7 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Escape PHEV is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than on the Outlander PHEV.

Chassis

The Ford Escape PHEV may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 pounds less than the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

The Escape PHEV is 4.3 inches shorter than the Outlander PHEV, making the Escape PHEV easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Escape PHEV uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Escape PHEV has 1.5 inches more front legroom, 2.6 inches more front hip room, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom, 1 inch more rear legroom and 1.4 inches more rear hip room than the Outlander PHEV.

Cargo Capacity

The Escape PHEV has a much larger cargo volume than the Outlander PHEV with its rear seat up (34.4 vs. 30.4 cubic feet).

Towing

The Escape PHEV can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Escape PHEV can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Outlander PHEV can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Escape PHEV uses the AdvanceTrac® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

When three different drivers share the Escape PHEV, the optional memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Escape PHEV’s optional easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Escape PHEV offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the Escape PHEV and the Outlander PHEV have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Escape PHEV is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Outlander PHEV prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Escape PHEV’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Outlander PHEV’s standard power locks don’t automatically lock the doors. The Escape PHEV’s standard doors lock when a certain speed is reached. This is an important feature for occupant safety. Locked doors are proven to open less often in collisions, and they are also effective in preventing crime at traffic lights.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Escape PHEV has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Outlander PHEV only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Escape PHEV’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Outlander PHEV’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Escape PHEV has standard extendable sun visors. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Escape PHEV has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Outlander PHEV GT.

To direct the driver from any location to a given street address, a GPS navigation system is standard on the Escape PHEV. The Escape PHEV’s navigation system also has a real-time traffic update feature that offers alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer a navigation system.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Ford Escape PHEV offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Escape PHEV’s optional Active Park Assist 2.0 can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Escape PHEV owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Escape PHEV will cost $320 to $1700 less than the Outlander PHEV over a five-year period.

The Escape PHEV will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Escape PHEV will retain 48.6% to 48.86% of its original price after five years, while the Outlander PHEV only retains 47.25% to 47.53%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Ford Escape PHEV will be $7457 to $8282 less than for the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Ford Escape PHEV, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Ford Escape outsold the Mitsubishi Outlander by over three to one during 2022.