Compare the2024 Mitsubishi OutlanderVS 2024 Ford Escape FHEV

The Mitsubishi Outlander 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 FHEV doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Outlander has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Outlander and the Escape FHEV 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and 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 Mitsubishi Outlander is much safer than the Escape FHEV:

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 Outlander the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 98 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Escape FHEV last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2022.

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

Mitsubishi’s powertrain warranty covers the Outlander 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Ford covers the Escape FHEV. 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 FHEV ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

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

Mitsubishi pays for scheduled maintenance on the Outlander 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 FHEV.

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’s reliability 27 points higher than the Escape FHEV.

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.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mitsubishi Outlander is faster than the Ford Escape FHEV:

For better stopping power the Outlander’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Escape FHEV:

The Outlander’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 FHEV are solid, not vented.

The Outlander stops shorter than the Escape FHEV:

For better traction, the Outlander has larger standard tires than the Escape FHEV (235/60R18 vs. 225/65R17). The Outlander SE/Black Edition/SEL’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Escape FHEV (255/45R20 vs. 225/65R17).

The Outlander ES’ 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 FHEV’s standard 65 series tires. The Outlander SE/Black Edition/SEL’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Escape FHEV’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Outlander ES has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Escape FHEV. The Outlander SE/Black Edition/SEL’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Escape FHEV.

The Outlander 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 FHEV doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Outlander is .3 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than on the Escape FHEV.

The Outlander SEL AWC handles at .87 G’s, while the Escape FHEV AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Outlander SEL AWC executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Escape FHEV AWD (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Outlander’s turning circle is 1.1 feet tighter than the Escape FHEV’s (36.1 feet vs. 37.2 feet).

The Outlander has standard seating for 7 passengers; the Escape FHEV can only carry 5.

The Outlander has 23.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Escape FHEV (125.5 vs. 102.2).

The Outlander has .6 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front shoulder room and 1 inch more rear legroom than the Escape FHEV.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Outlander’s middle and third row seats recline. The Escape FHEV’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Outlander’s cargo area provides more volume than the Escape FHEV.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Outlander’s second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

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

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

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

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 Outlander’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Escape FHEV’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 Outlander S-AWC has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Outlander to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Outlander SEL 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 FHEV’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Outlander and the Escape FHEV offer available heated front seats. The Outlander SEL also has standard heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Escape FHEV.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Mitsubishi Outlander and the Ford Escape FHEV, based on reliability, safety and performance.