Compare the2024 Toyota Corolla CrossVS 2023 Ford Escape

Both the Corolla Cross and the Escape 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, 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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla Cross is safer than the Ford Escape:

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 Toyota Corolla Cross is safer than the Escape:

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 Corolla Cross the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 72 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Escape last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2022.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Corolla Cross for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Escape.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Corolla Cross’ 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 Corolla Cross’ reliability 63 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 Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. With 7 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Toyota 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 Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Ford is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 18th.

On the EPA test cycle the Corolla Cross gets better mileage than the Escape:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross stops shorter than the Escape:

The Corolla Cross XLE AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Escape AWD pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Corolla Cross’ turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the Escape’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.2 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Corolla Cross has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Escape (8.1 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Corolla Cross to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Corolla Cross is 4.5 inches shorter than the Escape, making the Corolla Cross easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Corolla Cross’ 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 Escape’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Corolla Cross the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Escape can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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 Corolla Cross’ headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Escape’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Corolla Cross XLE offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Escape doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Corolla Cross’ 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.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Corolla Cross has standard rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Escape S doesn’t offer rear vents.

The Toyota Corolla comes in sedan, four door hatchback and four door bodystyles; the Ford Escape isn’t available as a sedan or four door hatchback.

Consumer Reports® chose the Toyota Corolla Cross as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Ford Escape isn't recommended.

The Toyota Corolla outsold the Ford Escape by over two to one during 2022.