Compare the2024 Subaru CrosstrekVS 2023 Ford Escape

The Crosstrek has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Escape doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Crosstrek. But it costs extra on the Escape.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Crosstrek’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Escape doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the Crosstrek and the Escape have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 blind spot warning systems 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 Subaru Crosstrek is safer than the Escape:

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Crosstrek the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 80 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Escape last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2022.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Crosstrek’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.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 11 places higher in reliability than Ford.

As tested in Motor Trend the Crosstrek Sport/Limited/Wilderness 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder is faster than the Ford Escape turbo 3 cyl.:

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Crosstrek lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Escape doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the Crosstrek gets better mileage than the Escape:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Crosstrek 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 Crosstrek has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Escape FWD’s standard fuel tank (16.6 vs. 14.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Crosstrek has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the Escape AWD’s standard fuel tank (16.6 vs. 15.7 gallons).

The Crosstrek has a standard locking fuel door. 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.

The Crosstrek 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 Escape doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Crosstrek’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Escape are solid, not vented.

The Crosstrek stops shorter than the Escape:

The Crosstrek’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’s standard 65 series tires.

The Crosstrek handles at .81 G’s, while the Escape AWD pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Crosstrek Wilderness’ turning circle is 2.4 feet tighter than the Escape’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.2 feet). The Crosstrek’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the Escape’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.2 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Crosstrek has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Escape (8.7 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Crosstrek to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Crosstrek Wilderness’ minimum ground clearance is 2 inches higher than on the Escape (9.3 vs. 7.3 inches).

The Crosstrek is 3.7 inches shorter than the Escape, making the Crosstrek easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Crosstrek Limited is quieter than the Escape AWD (69 vs. 70 dB).

The Crosstrek has .5 inches more front legroom and 1.9 inches more rear hip room than the Escape.

The engine in the Crosstrek is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Escape. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The Crosstrek’s 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’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

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 Crosstrek’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Escape’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Crosstrek has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Escape doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Crosstrek’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Escape offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Crosstrek has a 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. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Escape Active/ST-Line/Platinum.

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

The Subaru Crosstrek outsold the Ford Escape by 13% during 2022.