Compare the2023 Honda CR-V HybridVS 2023 Ford Escape FHEV

The Honda CR-V Hybrid has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-V Hybrid deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-V Hybrid’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Escape FHEV’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the CR-V Hybrid and the Escape FHEV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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 rear parking sensors.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the CR-V Hybrid for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Escape FHEV.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 17 places higher in reliability than Ford.

The CR-V Hybrid’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 4 more horsepower (204 vs. 200) than the Escape FHEV’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda CR-V Hybrid is faster than the Ford Escape FHEV:

For better traction, the CR-V Hybrid has larger tires than the Escape FHEV (235/60R18 vs. 225/65R17).

The CR-V Hybrid’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escape FHEV’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CR-V Hybrid has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Escape FHEV.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CR-V Hybrid is .9 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Escape FHEV.

The CR-V Hybrid Sport Touring AWD handles at .79 G’s, while the Escape FHEV AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CR-V Hybrid uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The CR-V Hybrid has .4 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more front shoulder room and 1.5 inches more rear legroom than the Escape FHEV.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the CR-V Hybrid’s rear seats recline. The Escape FHEV’s rear seats don’t recline.

The CR-V Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Escape FHEV with its rear seat up (39.3 vs. 34.4 cubic feet). The CR-V Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Escape FHEV with its rear seat folded (76.5 vs. 60.8 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the CR-V Hybrid easier. The CR-V Hybrid’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26 inches, while the Escape FHEV’s liftover is 27.9 inches.

The CR-V Hybrid’s cargo area is larger than the Escape FHEV’s in almost every dimension:

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the CR-V Hybrid. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the CR-V Hybrid’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The CR-V Hybrid uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Escape FHEV uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The CR-V Hybrid’s standard front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Escape FHEV’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. The CR-V Hybrid Sport Touring’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches.

On a hot day the CR-V Hybrid’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance with the keyless remote or at the outside door handle. The driver of the Escape FHEV can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CR-V Hybrid’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford charges extra for heated mirrors on the Escape FHEV.

The CR-V was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” for 3 of the last 21 years. The Escape FHEV has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The Escape FHEV has never been chosen.

The Honda CR-V outsold the Ford Escape by 75% during the 2022 model year.