Ford Escape vs Toyota RAV4

Escape vs RAV4 Engine Performance

When choosing an engine, Ford gives you options. In fact, there are three powerful choices when it comes to what’s under the hood. 

To start, there’s a 1.5L EcoBoost® and a 2.0L EcoBoost® engine for you to pick from. The 1.5L EcoBoost® engine is both powerful and capable, allowing the base Escape model to exert up to 181 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque.

The most powerful Escape engine, the 2.0L EcoBoost®, provides a more energetic and exciting drive. Press down on the accelerator and experience an engine that produces 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. The 2020 RAV4 offers just one lone engine, a 4-cylinder that generates 203 horsepower.

If you are looking for a more efficient and eco-friendly ride, both vehicles also come with hybrid powertrains. 

The Escape offers a 2.5L Atkinson-cycle I-4 engine, made specifically to go with the hybrid trims, which earned an EPA-estimated combined fuel economy rating of 41 MPG for FWD (front-wheel drive) models. The RAV4 offers the same standard engine with an electric motor and only earned a combined rating of 40 MPG.

Escape vs RAV 4 Design and Comfort

While both the 2020 Escape and 2020 RAV4 are 5-passenger SUVs, you’ll find that the Escape provides more wiggle room for you and your passengers. Overall, the Ford Escape has 104 cubic feet of passenger volume, while the RAV4 only has 98.9 cubic feet of passenger volume.

Front-row passengers in the Escape have up to 40 inches of headroom and 42.4 inches of legroom. The RAV4’s front row is a bit smaller, with just 37.7 inches of headroom and 41 inches of legroom. When you want space to stretch out on long drives, you’ll find the room to do it in the 2020 Ford Escape.

Additionally, both vehicles have available features, like a heated steering wheel or leather interior. While both have available memory features designed to remember your driver’s seat configuration, the Ford also offers a memory function for your outside mirrors. Therefore, you won’t have to readjust everything after someone else drives your vehicle. 

Heroic Safety System

The safety and driver assistance features you’ll find in either vehicle are sure to give you extra peace of mind every time you hit the road. 

The Ford Escape will come standard with the Ford Co-Pilot360™ suite of safety technology, whereas the Toyota RAV4 has Toyota Safety Sense™ 2.0 and the Star Safety System™. Whichever you choose, you’ll have useful safety features, such as:

• Traction Control
• Pre-Collison Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking
• Lane-Keeping System 
• Auto High-Beam Headlamps
• Rear View Camera

If you are looking for something to help you keep an eye on your blind spot, the Ford’s standard BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross-Traffic Alert will have your back. While the Toyota also has a blind spot monitoring system, this feature isn’t standard across all models. 

Available safety systems for these vehicles are designed to add to that blanket of protection and convenience. However, the Ford Escape offers a unique capability with the available Active Park Assist 2.0. This feature can help you find a parking space and squeeze into even the trickiest spot. To have your vehicle park for you, all you have to do is get into position, shift into Neutral, and press the Active Park Assist button.