Compare the2023 Hyundai TucsonVS 2023 Ford Escape

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

Safety

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When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Tucson \’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Escape doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Tucson has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Cross Traffic Braking costs extra on the Escape and isn't offered on the Escape Base.

Both the Tucson and the Escape have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Tucson is safer than the Ford Escape:

	Tucson	Escape
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	35%	36.3%
Neck Stress	125 lbs.	181 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	51/13 lbs.	220/169 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Tucson is safer than the Ford Escape:

	Tucson	Escape
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	71	197
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	37	97
Hip Force	751 lbs.	816 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	332	344

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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 standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Tucson its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 127 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Escape is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Warranty

The Tucson comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Escape’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Tucson 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Ford covers the Escape. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Escape ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Tucson’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Escape’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tucson for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Escape.

Reliability

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

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Tucson’s reliability 16 points higher than the Escape.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 40 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 16th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 5 places higher in reliability than Ford.

Engine

The Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 6 more horsepower (187 vs. 181) than the Escape’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Tucson uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Escape with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Tucson has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver the fuel filler door is not lockable on the Escape. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Hyundai Tucson higher (7 out of 10) than the Ford Escape (5 to 7). This means the Tucson produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Escape every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Tucson stops much shorter than the Escape:

	Tucson	Escape
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	131 feet	137 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Tucson has larger tires than the Escape (235/65R17 vs. 225/65R17).

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Tucson’s wheelbase is 1.8 inches longer than on the Escape (108.5 inches vs. 106.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Tucson is 1.3 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Escape.

The Tucson Limited AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Escape AWD pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Tucson Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Escape (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The Tucson has 4.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Escape (108.2 vs. 104).

The Tucson has .1 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more rear headroom, .6 inches more rear legroom and .6 inches more rear hip room than the Escape.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Tucson’s rear seats recline. The Escape’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Escape with its rear seat up (38.7 vs. 37.5 cubic feet). The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Escape with its rear seat folded (80.3 vs. 65.4 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Tucson’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Escape doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Tucson’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Escape doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

On a hot day the Tucson’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Escape can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Tucson’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Escape’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

Both the Tucson and the Escape offer available heated front seats. The Tucson Limited also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Escape.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Tucson Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Escape doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Tucson has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Escape S doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Tucson has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Escape S doesn’t offer rear vents.

The Tucson Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Escape Elite/Platinum’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Economic Advantages

The Tucson will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Tucson will retain 53.76% to 54.61% of its original price after five years, while the Escape only retains 49.35% to 49.88%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Tucson will be $1239 to $1598 less than for the Ford Escape.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Tucson, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Ford Escape isn't recommended.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Tucson third among compact suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Escape isn’t in the top three.

The Hyundai Tucson outsold the Ford Escape by 28% during 2022.