Toyota RAV4 vs Ford Escape
What are you looking for in your next vehicle? A crossover certainly has a lot to offer, including generous interior space and enhanced drivability. Quite a few drivers in the Kendall, Miami, Doral, and Hialeah areas have already made the switch, but you deserve something more than an average crossover.
Narrowing down the crossover competition takes time with so many incredible choices. Two of the most impressive are the 2019 Toyota RAV4 and the Ford Escape. Find out which would work better for your needs in this comparison by the Doral Toyota team.
Toyota RAV4 vs Ford Escape: Performance Specs
One of the big differences between these two crossovers is performance. Both will certainly get you where you need to go, but the RAV4 tends to be much more efficient about it.
The top fuel economy in the Escape, which is achieved with its optional 1.5L EcoBoost® 4-cylinder engine, is an EPA-estimated 30 MPG highway and 23 MPG city. This is decent for the crossover class, but falls well below the competitor.
The Toyota RAV4 achieves maximum fuel economy in its standard trim. Here, you’ll have an EPA-estimated 35 MPG highway and 26 MPG city.1 The extra miles this nets you add up over a single tank, making for far longer periods between stops.
Added fuel economy doesn’t detract from sheer muscle, however. That same standard engine that helps you to save on gas in the RAV4 also produces 203 horsepower. With only 168 standard horsepower in comparison, the Escape ends up eating dust.
Sheer Crossover Drivability
During a long drive, comfort is key, and while comfort often stems from interior amenities, it stems from overall drive feel, too.
Fortunately, drivers will find that the RAV4 is a bit easier to maneuver, thanks to its remarkably efficient turning diameter. The 38.8-foot turning diameter in the Escape is certainly impressive, but the RAV4 offers a turning diameter as small as 34.8 feet, which few other crossovers of any kind can come close to. The Escape is still nimble, but you’ll have a better time winding through city streets with the RAV4.
The Toyota offering also has a unique all-wheel drive (AWD) system you won’t find just anywhere. Available Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD with Multi-terrain Select and a Rear Driveline makes for a comprehensive system that can read road conditions and react accordingly.
The Intelligent 4-Wheel Drive system available in the Escape is also capable of reading roads. However, it does suffer a bit from the lack of the rear driveline.
A More Comfortable Interior
Aside from drivability, it takes a slew of interior creature comforts to keep you satisfied when in the car for hours at a time.
When it comes to interior comforts, few crossovers of this class can compete with the RAV4. With its available SofTex® materials, you’ll be hard-pressed to find more comfortable seating. In terms of sheer dimensions, however, these crossovers are virtually the same, offering satisfactory legroom and headroom in the front and the back.
While the passenger space is generally the same, there are some striking differences when it comes to cargo capacity. The Escape offers up to 68 cubic feet of space, which is plenty enough for most people’s needs. If you need to push it further, however, the RAV4 ramps things up with 69.8 cubic feet of maximum cargo room.
RAV4 vs Ford Escape: Infotainment Technology
As the miles mount and the many hours of road-tripping pass, a solid entertainment array can make a huge difference.
The 2019 Toyota RAV4 has the Entune™ 3.0 Audio system, which offers many add-ons to keep you and your passengers pleasantly occupied. For example, the addition of Wi-Fi Connect® Powered by Verizon can help everyone stay connected to social media while on the move.
The 2019 Escape does have the available SYNC® 3 system with voice recognition and the ability to pull up certain apps on your touchscreen. However, this suite lacks the same standard offerings, such as Wi-Fi Connect®, to stay connected with your phone.
Overall, those apps may be lacking a little extra oomph with the audio system found in the Escape. Its top choice is the available 10-speaker system from Sony®. While loud, it lacks the clarity and power of the available JBL® system with Clari-Fi™ technology found in the RAV4. Not only does this boost volume with 11 speakers, the built-in Clari-Fi™ technology even scrubs audio files clean of impurities.
Standard Safety Features
No matter what your daily driving looks like or where you’re headed, you’re probably looking for safety. Passenger protection tends to be the great equalizer in the automotive world.
It’s clear that these two crossovers prioritize their safety differently. Just take the RAV4, for instance, which holds passenger protection in such high esteem that it makes its driver assisting Toyota Safety Sense™ 2.0 system standard tech in every trim level.
This system includes features such as the Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, and more. Using sensors, the car knows when a hazard is imminent. It will send you warnings to avoid them, or in the case of Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, even act autonomously to help keep you safe.
The Escape offers standard safety features such as the Rear View Camera and AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control™ (which can be found in the competitor in similar iterations). Unfortunately, to get smart driver assisting tech, you’ll have to upgrade to a much higher trim level.
Toyota RAV4 vs Ford Escape: Verdict
Our Toyota RAV4 vs. Ford Escape comparison was close, but the Toyota RAV4 tends to perform better overall. It offers more safety, performance power, comfort, plus a bevy of additional unique features.
You can test out this smart crossover for yourself at Doral Toyota serving Kendall, Hialeah, Doral, and Miami. Get in touch with our friendly team today, and we’ll help you schedule a test drive.
12019 EPA-estimated 26 city/35 highway/30 combined mpg for RAV4 LE FWD, XLE FWD, XLE Premium FWD and Limited FWD; 27 city/34 hwy/30 combined mpg for LE AWD; 25 city/33 hwy/28 combined mpg for XLE AWD, XLE Premium AWD, Adventure and Limited AWD; and 41 city/38 hwy/40 combined mpg for RAV4 LE Hybrid, XLE Hybrid, XSE Hybrid and Limited Hybrid. Actual mileage will vary.