Compare the2024 Nissan LeafVS 2023 Ford Escape PHEV

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Recommendations

Safety

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The Nissan Leaf 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.

The Leaf has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Leaf 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available daytime running lights, around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

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

	Leaf	Escape PHEV
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	11 lbs.	23 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 Nissan Leaf is safer than the Ford Escape PHEV:

	Leaf	Escape PHEV
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	131	197
Chest Movement	.8 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	137 lbs.	191 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	158	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 Nissan Leaf is safer than the Escape PHEV:

	Leaf	Escape PHEV
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	211	391
Head Peak Forces	no contact	93 G’s
Neck Tension	201 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Torso Max Deflection	1.1 in	1.77 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	1093 lbs.	1160 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	158	168
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Force	335 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.38 in	1.5 in
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	937 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 Leaf is 6.7% less likely to roll over than the Escape PHEV.

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 Leaf’s reliability 11 points higher than the Escape PHEV.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 3 places higher in reliability than Ford.

Engine

As tested in Car and Driver the Nissan Leaf is faster than the Ford Escape PHEV:

	Leaf 0.0	Leaf PLUS	Escape PHEV
Zero to 60 MPH	7.4 sec	6.7 sec	7.7 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	7.3 sec	n/a	7.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.8 sec	15.4 sec	16 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Leaf gets better mileage than the Escape PHEV running on electricity:

		MPGe
Leaf
	Electric Motor	123 city/99 hwy
	SV PLUS Electric Motor	121 city/98 hwy
Escape PHEV
	Electric Motor	117 city/93 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the Leaf gets better mileage than the Escape PHEV running its gasoline engine:

		MPGe
Leaf
	Electric Motor	123 city/99 hwy
	SV PLUS Electric Motor	121 city/98 hwy
Escape PHEV
		MPG
	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	43 city/38 hwy

The Leaf can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 149 to 212 miles. The Escape PHEV has to start its internal combustion engine after only 37 miles.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Nissan Leaf higher (10 out of 10) than the Ford Escape PHEV (7). This means the Leaf produces up to 11.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Escape PHEV every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Leaf’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 PHEV are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

The Leaf S’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escape PHEV’s standard 60 series tires. The Leaf SV PLUS’ tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Escape PHEV’s 60 series tires.

The Leaf has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Leaf handles at .79 G’s, while the Escape PHEV SEL pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Leaf S’ turning circle is 2.4 feet tighter than the Escape PHEV’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.2 feet). The Leaf SV PLUS’ turning circle is 1.1 feet tighter than the Escape PHEV’s (36.1 feet vs. 37.2 feet).

Chassis

The Nissan Leaf may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 350 pounds less than the Ford Escape PHEV.

The Leaf is 4.1 inches shorter than the Escape PHEV, making the Leaf easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Nissan Leaf as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.