Compare the2025 Ford EscapeVS 2025 Subaru Crosstrek

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Subaru Crosstrek doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Ford Escape achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Subaru Crosstrek has not been tested.

The Escape has standard Post-Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Escape Select/Elite/Platinum offers an optional 360-Degree Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Crosstrek only offers a rear monitor.

The Escape has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Crosstrek’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Escape has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Crosstrek and its not available on the Base and the Crosstrek’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Both the Escape and the Crosstrek have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 and available all wheel drive.

There are almost 5 times as many Ford dealers as there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escape’s warranty.

The Escape has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is rated lower.

The Escape’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder produces 28 more horsepower (180 vs. 152) and 54 lbs.-ft. more torque (199 vs. 145) than the Crosstrek’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Escape’s 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder produces 21 lbs.-ft. more torque (199 vs. 178) than the Crosstrek Premium/Sport/Limited/Wilderness’ standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Escape’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 68 more horsepower (250 vs. 182) and 102 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 178) than the Crosstrek Premium/Sport/Limited/Wilderness’ standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Ford Escape turbo 3 cyl. is faster than the Subaru Crosstrek 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder:

As tested in Motor Trend the Ford Escape 2.0 is faster than the Crosstrek Premium/Sport/Limited/Wilderness 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder:

On the EPA test cycle the Escape gets better mileage than the Crosstrek:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Escape 1.5 Turbo’s fuel efficiency. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Escape has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Escape stops much shorter than the Crosstrek:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Escape offers optional 19-inch wheels. The Crosstrek’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The Escape has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Escape’s wheelbase is 1.8 inches longer than on the Crosstrek (106.7 inches vs. 104.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Escape is 1.4 inches wider in the front and .8 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Crosstrek.

The Escape AWD handles at .87 G’s, while the Crosstrek Limited pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Escape ST-Line Elite AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Crosstrek Limited (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

The Escape has 3.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Crosstrek (104 vs. 100.5).

The Escape has .2 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 4.2 inches more rear legroom and .7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Crosstrek.

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

The Escape has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Crosstrek with its rear seat up (37.5 vs. 19.9 cubic feet). The Escape has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Crosstrek with its rear seat folded (65.4 vs. 54.7 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Escape easier. The Escape’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.1 inches, while the Crosstrek’s liftover is 30.7 inches.

The Escape’s cargo area is larger than the Crosstrek’s in almost every dimension:

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Escape offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

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

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Escape uses the AdvanceTrac® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Escape offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

When three different drivers share the Escape, the optional memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Escape’s optional Easy Entry and Exit glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Escape Elite/Platinum offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Escape Select/Elite/Platinum’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Crosstrek’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Escape’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its STARLINK Safety and Security can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Escape has standard Intelligent Access that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Crosstrek Premium/Sport/Limited/Wilderness offers Keyless Access and Start.

The Escape’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Crosstrek’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Escape Elite/Platinum’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

On extremely cold winter days, the Escape’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Both the Escape and the Crosstrek offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Escape offers optional rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Escape is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

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