Compare the2024 Kia Sportage PHEVVS 2023 Ford Escape PHEV

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

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Sportage PHEV’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Sportage PHEV has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Cross Traffic Braking costs extra on the Escape PHEV.

Both the Sportage PHEV and the Escape PHEV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

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 Kia Sportage PHEV is much safer 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 Sportage PHEV its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 58 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Escape PHEV last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

The Sportage PHEV comes with a full 5-year/60,000-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 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sportage PHEV 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Ford covers the Escape PHEV. 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 PHEV ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 31 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 statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 43 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 16th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 9 places higher in reliability than Ford.

The Sportage PHEV’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 40 more horsepower (261 vs. 221) than the Escape PHEV’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Kia Sportage PHEV is faster than the Ford Escape PHEV:

The Sportage PHEV stops shorter than the Escape PHEV:

For better traction, the Sportage PHEV has larger tires than the Escape PHEV (235/55R19 vs. 225/60R18).

The Sportage PHEV’s 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.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sportage PHEV has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 18-inch wheels are available on the Escape PHEV.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sportage PHEV’s wheelbase is 1.8 inches longer than on the Escape PHEV (108.5 inches vs. 106.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Sportage PHEV is 1.2 inches wider in the front and 2.1 inches wider in the rear than on the Escape PHEV.

The Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige handles at .84 G’s, while the Escape PHEV SEL pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Sportage PHEV has .6 inches more rear legroom and .1 inches more rear hip room than the Escape PHEV.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Sportage PHEV’s rear seats recline. The Escape PHEV’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Sportage PHEV has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Escape PHEV with its rear seat folded (65.4 vs. 60.8 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Sportage PHEV’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind 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.

The Sportage PHEV’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Escape PHEV’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds).

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

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

When the Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige 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.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige 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.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Sportage PHEV has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Escape PHEV.

The Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Escape PHEV’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.