Compare the2025 Kia SportageVS 2025 Ford Escape

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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

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

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

	Sportage	Escape
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	14 lbs.	23 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	48/154 lbs.	188/315 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	30.9%	36.3%
Neck Stress	177 lbs.	181 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 Kia Sportage is safer than the Ford Escape:

	Sportage	Escape
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	70	197
Chest Movement	.9 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	162 lbs.	191 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	82	97
Hip Force	581 lbs.	816 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	270	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 Kia Sportage is much safer than the Escape:

	Sportage	Escape
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	121	391
Head Peak Forces	no contact	93 G’s
Neck Tension	223 lbs.	379 lbs.
Neck Compression	-45 lbs.	22 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Torso Max Deflection	1.34 in	1.77 in
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	759 lbs.	1160 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	116	168
Neck Tension	45 lbs.	201 lbs.
Neck Compression	-134 lbs.	45 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.1 in	1.54 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.38 in	1.5 in
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	669 lbs.	1093 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Warranty

The Sportage 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.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sportage 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.

Reliability

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

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 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 fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 9th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Ford is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 4 places higher in reliability than Ford.

Engine

The Sportage’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 7 more horsepower (187 vs. 180) than the Escape’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sportage 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 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Sportage has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. 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.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Sportage	Escape
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	12.1 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Sportage has larger tires than the Escape (235/65R17 vs. 225/65R17).

Suspension and Handling

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

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sportage is 1.3 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Escape.

The Sportage X-Pro Prestige handles at .84 G’s, while the Escape ST-Line Elite AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Sportage has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Escape (8.3 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Sportage to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Sportage X-Pro Prestige is quieter than the Escape ST-Line Elite AWD:

	Sportage	Escape
At idle	37 dB	41 dB
Full-Throttle	74 dB	75 dB
70 MPH Cruising	68 dB	71 dB

Passenger Space

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

Cargo Capacity

The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Escape with its rear seat up (39.6 vs. 37.5 cubic feet). The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Escape with its rear seat folded (74.1 vs. 65.4 cubic feet).

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

Towing

The Sportage’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Escape’s (2500 vs. 2000 pounds).

Ergonomics

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

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

When the Sportage SX/Prestige/X-Pro 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’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Sportage Prestige keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Escape doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Sportage and the Ford Escape, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sportage third among compact suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Escape isn’t in the top three.

The Kia Sportage outsold the Ford Escape by 7% during 2024.

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