Compare the2025 Ford Escape FHEVVS 2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Ford Escape FHEV 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 Toyota Highlander Hybrid has not been tested.

The Ford Escape FHEV’s optional360-Degree Camera is equipped with washers for its front and rear cameras, ensuring crystal-clear visibility in any weather condition. Conversely, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid only offers a rear camera washer, which may not provide the same level of all-weather performance.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Escape FHEV has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert with Rear Cross Traffic Braking, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Only the Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum offers Parking Support Brake.

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

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

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 Ford Escape FHEV is safer than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

There are over 2 times as many Ford dealers as there are Toyota dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escape FHEV’s warranty.

The Escape FHEV 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 Highlander Hybrid 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 Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated lower.

As tested in Motor Trend the Ford Escape FHEV is faster than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid:

On the EPA test cycle the Escape FHEV gets better mileage than the Highlander Hybrid:

The Escape FHEV 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 Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Escape FHEV stops much shorter than the Highlander Hybrid:

The Escape FHEV’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Highlander Hybrid XLE’s standard 65 series tires.

The Escape FHEV 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 Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Escape FHEV ST-Line Elite AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Highlander Hybrid Platinum pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Ford Escape FHEV may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 950 to 1000 pounds less than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

The Escape FHEV is 1 foot, 2.8 inches shorter than the Highlander Hybrid, making the Escape FHEV easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Escape FHEV has .4 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front legroom and .2 inches more rear legroom than the Highlander Hybrid.

The Escape FHEV has a much larger cargo volume than the Highlander Hybrid with its rear seat up (34.4 vs. 16 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Escape FHEV easier. The Escape FHEV’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.9 inches, while the Highlander Hybrid’s liftover is 31.2 inches.

The Escape FHEV can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Escape FHEV can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Highlander Hybrid can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Escape FHEV’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 Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Escape FHEV’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Escape FHEV’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 Highlander Hybrid’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Escape FHEV Elite/Platinum’s optional Active Park Assist 2.0 can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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

The Ford Escape outsold the Toyota Highlander by 58% during 2024.