Compare the2024 Lexus UXVS 2023 Ford Escape PHEV

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Lexus UX 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 PHEV doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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

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

The UX offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the UX and the Escape PHEV 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, 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 and available rear parking sensors.

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 Lexus UX is safer than the Ford Escape PHEV:

	UX	Escape PHEV
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	52	197
Chest Movement	.8 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	149 lbs.	191 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	96	97
Hip Force	633 lbs.	816 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	292	344

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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 Lexus UX is much safer than the Escape PHEV:

	UX	Escape PHEV
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	166	391
Head Peak Forces	no contact	93 G’s
Neck Tension	223 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.83 in	1.1 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.02 in	1.77 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	892 lbs.	1160 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	150	168
Neck Tension	112 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Max Deflection	1.46 in	1.5 in
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	1049 lbs.	1093 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the UX is 3.4% less likely to roll over than the Escape PHEV.

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 UX its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Escape PHEV last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

The UX comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Escape PHEV’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the UX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Ford covers the Escape PHEV. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Escape PHEV ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The UX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Escape PHEV’s (6 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

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 UX’s reliability 22 points higher than the Escape PHEV.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the UX second among small premium suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Escape PHEV isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford 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 Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Ford is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 18th.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the UX 250h FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Escape PHEV running its gasoline engine (43 city/41 hwy vs. 43 city/38 hwy).

Tires and Wheels

The UX’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escape PHEV’s standard 60 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the UX can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the UX’s turning circle is 3 feet tighter than the Escape PHEV’s (34.2 feet vs. 37.2 feet).

Chassis

The Lexus UX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 400 pounds less than the Ford Escape PHEV.

The UX is 3.5 inches shorter than the Escape PHEV, making the UX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

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

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

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Ford. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 59% lower rating, Ford is ranked 22nd.

Ergonomics

If the windows are left open on the UX the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Lexus service department.) The driver of the Escape PHEV can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The UX offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the UX offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer cornering lights. The UX F Sport also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

When the UX F Sport Handling is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Escape PHEV’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The UX’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 PHEV offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the UX (except Base) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Lexus UX and the Ford Escape PHEV, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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