Compare the2024 Honda HR-VVS 2023 Ford Escape FHEV

The Honda HR-V 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.

Both the HR-V 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda HR-V is much safer than the Escape FHEV:

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the HR-V its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 30 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Escape FHEV last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the HR-V for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Escape FHEV.

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 HR-V’s reliability 28 points higher than the Escape FHEV.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 11 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 13 places higher in reliability than Ford.

The HR-V’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 handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the HR-V is .2 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than on the Escape FHEV.

The HR-V EX-L AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Escape FHEV AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the HR-V’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Escape FHEV’s (35.1 feet vs. 37.2 feet). The HR-V Sport’s turning circle is .2 feet tighter than the Escape FHEV’s (37 feet vs. 37.2 feet).

The Honda HR-V may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 400 pounds less than the Ford Escape FHEV.

The HR-V 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 HR-V’s standard driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths. The Escape FHEV’s standard driver’s power window switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully.

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

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda HR-V and the Ford Escape FHEV, based on reliability, safety and performance.