Compare the2024 Mitsubishi Outlander SportVS 2023 Ford Escape

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

Both the Outlander Sport 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, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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, results indicate that the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is safer than the Ford Escape:

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

The Outlander Sport comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Escape’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Mitsubishi’s powertrain warranty covers the Outlander Sport 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Ford covers the Escape. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Escape ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Outlander Sport’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Escape’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Mitsubishi pays for scheduled maintenance on the Outlander Sport for 2 years and 30,000 miles. Mitsubishi will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 3 visits). Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Escape.

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

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 Outlander Sport’s reliability 17 points higher than the Escape.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mitsubishi vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. With 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mitsubishi higher than Ford.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mitsubishi vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mitsubishi above average in long-term dependability. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Ford is rated lower.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 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 Outlander Sport has a gallon more fuel capacity than the Escape FWD’s standard fuel tank (15.8 vs. 14.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Outlander Sport 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 Outlander Sport 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 Outlander Sport stops shorter than the Escape:

The Outlander Sport SE handles at .77 G’s, while the Escape AWD pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Outlander Sport’s turning circle is 2.4 feet tighter than the Escape’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.2 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Outlander Sport has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Escape (8.5 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Outlander Sport to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Outlander Sport is 8.2 inches shorter than the Escape, making the Outlander Sport easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Outlander Sport’s 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’s standard driver’s power window switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully.

The Outlander Sport’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Escape’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Outlander Sport’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Heated mirrors cost extra on the Escape and aren’t offered on the Escape Base.

The Outlander Sport has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Escape S doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

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

Insurance will cost less for the Outlander Sport owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Outlander Sport with a number “1” insurance rate while the Escape is rated higher at a number “5” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Outlander Sport is less expensive to operate than the Escape because typical repairs cost much less on the Outlander Sport than the Escape, including $1197 less for a muffler, $13 less for front brake pads and $562 less for a timing belt/chain.