Compare the2023 Ford Escape FHEVVS 2023 Jeep Cherokee

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape FHEV 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 Jeep Cherokee doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Escape FHEV 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 Cherokee 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.

The Escape FHEV offers an optional 360-Degree Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Cherokee only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Escape FHEV and Cherokee have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Escape FHEV offers optional Cross Traffic Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Cherokee’s Rear Cross-Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.

The Escape FHEV’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 Cherokee doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Escape FHEV and the Cherokee 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 all wheel drive.

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

	Escape FHEV	Cherokee
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	143	204
Neck Injury Risk	22.5%	38.2%
Neck Stress	185 lbs.	408 lbs.
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	41 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	188/315 lbs.	368/516 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	102	166
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	36.3%	37%
Neck Stress	181 lbs.	218 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	220/169 lbs.	241/259 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 Ford Escape FHEV is safer than the Jeep Cherokee:

	Escape FHEV	Cherokee
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	240 lbs.	363 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	97	264
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	53 G’s
Hip Force	816 lbs.	938 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	14 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	462 lbs.	490 lbs.

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 available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Escape FHEV the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 177 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Cherokee has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

There are over 25 percent more Ford dealers than there are Jeep dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Escape FHEV’s warranty.

Reliability

The Escape FHEV 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 Cherokee 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 Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 32 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in long-term dependability. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Jeep is rated below average.

Engine

The Escape FHEV’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 20 more horsepower (200 vs. 180) than the Cherokee’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Ford Escape FHEV is faster than the Jeep Cherokee 4 cyl.:

	Escape FHEV	Cherokee
Zero to 30 MPH	3.5 sec	3.9 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	10.9 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.9 sec	7 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	18.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90 MPH	78.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Escape FHEV gets better mileage than the Cherokee:

			MPG
Escape FHEV
	FWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	42 city/36 hwy
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	42 city/36 hwy
Cherokee
	AWD	2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/26 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Escape FHEV’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Cherokee doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Escape FHEV uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Cherokee Trailhawk requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Escape FHEV has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Cherokee. 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 Ford Escape FHEV higher (8 out of 10) than the Jeep Cherokee (5 to 6). This means the Escape FHEV produces up to 13.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Cherokee every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Escape FHEV has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Cherokee doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Escape FHEV stops much shorter than the Cherokee:

	Escape FHEV	Cherokee
60 to 0 MPH	128 feet	138 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	153 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Escape FHEV’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Cherokee Altitude LUX’s optional 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Escape FHEV offers optional 19-inch wheels. The Cherokee’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

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

For better maneuverability, the Escape FHEV’s turning circle is .5 feet tighter than the Cherokee’s (37.2 feet vs. 37.7 feet). The Escape FHEV’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Cherokee Trailhawk’s (37.2 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

Chassis

The Ford Escape FHEV may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 600 pounds less than the Jeep Cherokee.

Passenger Space

The Escape FHEV has .6 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front legroom, 1.4 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more rear headroom, 3.4 inches more rear hip room and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cherokee.

Cargo Capacity

The Escape FHEV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Cherokee with its rear seat up (34.4 vs. 27.6 cubic feet). The Escape FHEV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Cherokee with its rear seat folded (60.8 vs. 54.7 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Escape FHEV easier. The Escape FHEV’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.9 inches, while the Cherokee’s liftover is 30.9 inches.

The Escape FHEV’s cargo area is larger than the Cherokee’s in every dimension:

	Escape FHEV	Cherokee
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	36.7”/68.3”	33.9”/67.6”
Max Width	57.3”	49.2”
Min Width	41.4”	39.4”
Height	32.8”	28.8”

Towing

All models of the Escape FHEV can be flat towed on all four wheels, allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Escape FHEV can be unhitched and driven around locally. Only the Cherokee 4x4 can be dinghy towed and it requires equipment that is not standard.

Ergonomics

The Escape FHEV Elite/Platinum 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 Cherokee doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Escape FHEV’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Cherokee doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its SiriusXM Guardian can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

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

The Escape FHEV Elite/Platinum’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 Cherokee’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Model Availability

The Escape FHEV is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Cherokee doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Recommendations

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

The Ford Escape outsold the Jeep Cherokee by over three to one during 2022.