Compare the2023 Ford Escape FHEVVS 2023 Toyota Prius

The Ford Escape FHEV has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Prius doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Both the Escape FHEV and the Prius have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, 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.

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 Prius has not been tested, yet.

There are over 2 times as many Ford dealers as there are Toyota dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escape FHEV’s warranty.

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 Prius doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the car’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 Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated lower.

The Escape FHEV’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 6 more horsepower (200 vs. 194) than the Prius’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Escape FHEV’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 4 more horsepower (200 vs. 196) than the Prius’ optional 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Escape FHEV’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. The Prius doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Escape FHEV has 3.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Prius AWD’s standard fuel tank (14.3 vs. 10.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Escape FHEV has 3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Prius FWD’s standard fuel tank (14.3 vs. 11.3 gallons).

The Escape FHEV 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 Prius doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Ford Escape FHEV higher (8 out of 10) than the Toyota Prius (7). This means the Escape FHEV produces up to 5.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Prius every 15,000 miles.

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

For better traction, the Escape FHEV has larger tires than the Prius (225/65R17 vs. 195/60R17).

The Escape FHEV has 11 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Prius (102.2 vs. 91.2).

The Escape FHEV has 2 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front hip room, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room, 2.9 inches more rear headroom, 4.1 inches more rear legroom, 1.6 inches more rear hip room and 3.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Prius.

The Escape FHEV has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Prius has no towing capacity.

The Escape FHEV 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 FHEV can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Prius can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Escape FHEV 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 Prius doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

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 Prius 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 Prius doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Escape FHEV has a standard rear wiper. The Prius doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Escape FHEV has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The Prius has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the XLE/Limited.

The Escape FHEV’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Prius doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Escape FHEV and the Prius offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Escape FHEV offers optional rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Prius doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

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

The Ford Escape outsold the Toyota Prius by almost four to one during 2022.