Compare the2025 Honda HR-VVS 2025 Ford Escape

The Honda HR-V has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Escape doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Honda HR-V achieved an “Acceptable” rating for its forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, outperforming the Ford Escape which scored only a “Marginal” in these critical safety features.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the HR-V’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Escape doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the HR-V 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, 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.

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 Honda HR-V is much safer than the Escape:

The Honda HR-V has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Escape is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the HR-V’s 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.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Ford With 33 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Honda higher than Ford.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 13th.

On the EPA test cycle the HR-V AWD gets better fuel mileage than the Escape 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder (25 city/30 hwy vs. 23 city/31 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda HR-V 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 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The HR-V has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. 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.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda HR-V higher (7 out of 10) than the Ford Escape (6). This means the HR-V produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Escape every 15,000 miles.

The HR-V 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.

For better stopping power the HR-V’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Escape:

The HR-V stops shorter than the Escape:

The HR-V’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 Escape’s standard 65 series tires.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the HR-V is .2 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than on the Escape.

The HR-V EX-L AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Escape AWD pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the HR-V’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Escape’s (35.1 feet vs. 37.2 feet). The HR-V Sport’s turning circle is .2 feet tighter than the Escape’s (37 feet vs. 37.2 feet).

The HR-V uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Escape doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than Ford. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 20% lower rating, Ford is ranked 22nd.

The HR-V’s standard driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths. The Escape’s standard driver’s power window switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully.

On a hot day the HR-V’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance with the keyless remote or at the outside door handle. The driver of the Escape can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The HR-V will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the HR-V will retain 58.09% to 59.84% of its original price after five years, while the Escape only retains 51.82% to 53.93%.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda HR-V and the Ford Escape, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Honda HR-V outsold the Ford Escape by 1659 units during 2024.