Subaru Forester vs. Ford Escape: Which Is Better?
A 2022 Subaru Forester or the 2022 Ford Escape? Find out which one reigns supreme with super app Jerry!
Written by Amber Reed
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
The Subaru Forester wins handily in a head-to-head comparison with the Ford Escape, despite the lack of an available hybrid powertrain.
If you’re shopping for a compact SUV or crossover, your eyes have likely glazed over with the bewildering number of options. Here to help keep it simple is
Jerry
, the trustworthy super app
that’s way more than just the best way to save money on your car insurance
.Come along as we dig into the differences between the 2022 Subaru Forester and the 2022 Ford Escape to find out which one is the best. Let’s get started!
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Subaru Forester vs. Ford Escape: which is more expensive?
The Subaru Forester is available in six trim levels. The Ford Escape is available in four trim levels, but three of them come in gas, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid(PHEV) versions. Let's take a look at their prices:
Model | Starting MSRP | Model | Starting MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|
Forester Base | $27,070 | Escape S | $28,660 |
Forester Premium | $29,320 | Escape SE gasoline/hybrid/PHEV | $29,995/$31,660/$36,930 |
Forester Sport | $30,890 | Escape SEL gasoline/hybrid/PHEV | $32,370/$34,025/$39,665 |
Forester Limited | $33,000 | Escape Titanium gas/hybrid/PHEV | $38,325/$36,515/$42,120 |
Forester Wilderness | $33,945 | ||
Forester Touring | $36,420 |
There are a lot of digits in this table, so here’s the upshot: depending on trim level and powertrain, the Ford Escape is anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $5,700 more than an equivalent trim level of the Subaru Forester.
Ownership costs
But there’s more to the cost of a car than just what you pay at the dealership. To get a more complete picture, let’s take a look at Edmunds’ five-year cost to own. This takes into account fuel, repairs, insurance, etc., and is a
handy tool
when thinking about a new car purchase. Edmunds calculates the five-year cost to own the 2022 base-level Subaru Forester at around $35,071, which is $6,684 more than the total cash price of $28,387. For the Ford Escape S, Edmunds figures a five-year cost to own at $37,967—which is $7,225 more than their estimated cash price of $30,742.
So at this trim level, the long-term cost of an Escape is more than the Forester, and they increase by roughly the same amount over five years.
That being said, the hybrid and PHEV versions of the Escape have a five-year cost to own that’s much closer to the purchase price. The Escape SEL PHEV has a five-year cost to own of $41,281, which is just over $1,000 more than its cash price.
Overall, the Forester is the cheapest option upfront and in the long run. However, if you’re looking for something that will have better long-lasting value, you might want to consider a hybrid or a PHEV Escape.
MORE:
Subaru tune-up cost
Insurance costs
How about insurance costs? Let’s take a peek and see how
Subaru Forester insurance costs
stack up against Ford Escape insurance costs
. Generally, a Subaru Forester costs around $2,076 annually to insure while a Ford Escape will cost about $2,440, which is a difference of $364 a year—or an extra dollar a day!
Your insurance costs will vary greatly depending on where you live, your driving record, and your demographic, but one thing that won’t change? You’ll get the best deal possible on your car insurance when you shop with super app
Jerry
!Winner: Subaru Forester
If you’re just looking at the price tags, then the winner here is the Subaru Forester. But depending on what you want, the extra money for a Ford Escape might be worth it!
To sort out the differences between the two, let’s take a closer look at some of the details and see how the Forester and the Escape measure up.
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Subaru Forester vs. Ford Escape: a closer look
Body style and size
Both of these are in the compact SUV/crossover categories, and they both have the ubiquitous exterior styling that goes with that. The Escape is a little more rounded and unassuming, while the Forester has a more boxy profile that looks a bit truck-like.
By the numbers, they’re pretty close in size. Both can seat a maximum of five people, though front-seat passengers will find about an inch more room in the Forester.
The most interesting distinction here comes when we look at cargo space. While the Forester has more maximum cargo space with seats down, the Escape offers more starting cargo room behind the back seats.
Dimensions | 2022 Subaru Forester | 2022 Ford Escape |
|---|---|---|
Length | 182.7 inches | 181.3 inches |
Wheelbase | 105.1 inches | 106.7 inches |
Passenger volume | 111.6 cubic feet | 104 cubic feet |
Headroom (front/rear) | 41.2/39.6 inches | 40/39.3 inches |
Legroom (front/rear) | 43.3/39.4 inches | 42.4/40.7 inches |
Cargo volume w/seats up | 28.9 cubic feet | 37.5 cubic feet |
Cargo volume w/seats down | 74.2 cubic feet | 65.4 cubic feet |
Ground clearance | 8.7 to 9.2 inches | 6.8 to 7.3 inches |
Base curb weight | 3454 lbs | 3298 lbs |
Engine and performance
This is where a big difference lies: there’s only one powertrain available with the Forester, while the Escape has multiple powertrain options and combinations.
The Forester comes standard with automatic transmission and
Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel drive (AWD)
. The sole engine available is a 2.5-liter, flat four-cylinder engine that kicks out 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque. The off-road-ready Wilderness trim can tow up to 3,000 pounds, but all other trim levels have a maximum towing capacity of 1,500 pounds. The Ford Escape comes with front-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive is available for an extra $1,500 on hybrid and gasoline powertrains—but not the PHEV ones. Automatic transmission is standard. Here are your choices if you want a gasoline powertrain:
- 1.5-liter turbocharged inline three-cylinder with 181 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque
- 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder with 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque
Both forms of the hybrid powertrain come with a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors. This combo yields 165 horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque. Towing capacity for the Escape also ranges from 1,500 to 3,000 pounds, depending on how it’s equipped.
If you want the most power, then you’ll get it with the 2.0-liter gasoline engine on the Escape. If you want the one that’s best prepared for outdoor adventuring, then you want the Forester. It’s got standard all-wheel drive and a healthy 8.7 to 9.2 inches of ground clearance, while the Escape only has standard front-wheel drive and 6.8 to 7.3 inches of ground clearance.
Fuel economy
The hybrid and PHEV powertrains on the Escape will obviously get better fuel economy, but the gasoline-only versions of the Escape also stack up just a bit better compared to the Forester.
The Forester gets respectable fuel economy, with an EPA rating of 26 city/33 highway/29 combined mpg. The Wilderness trim in the Forester brings a small decrease in those numbers, but not by much.
The gasoline-only versions of the Escape have comparable fuel economy when compared to the Forester, with an EPA rating of around 28/34/30 mpg in city/highway/combined driving. The hybrids do better with a rating of 43/37/40 city/highway/combined mpg, and the EPA reports a combined MPGe of 105 for the PHEV Escape.
Safety
Subaru takes safety seriously and is well-known as a maker of some of the safest cars on the road. The 2022 Forester got a perfect five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and was named a Top Safety Pick+ selection by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The 2022 Ford Escape also got a perfect five stars from the NHTSA. But while there were no recalls listed for the Forester, the NHTSA shows four recalls for the Ford Escape for things like engine fires, loss of braking power, and high voltage battery failure.
The IIHS rated the Escape a Top Safety Pick (no plus), which is good. But where the Forester garnered almost all top-tier “Good” ratings, the Escape’s report card had a few more blemishes, with a “Moderate” rating for updated side impact and a “Poor” for seat belt reminders.
The bottom line here? If you want the safest of the two, choose the Forester over the Escape.
Tech
The Forester offers much more standard tech. The Escape’s best features only come standard with the top trim level.
The tech on the Forester begins with a 6.5-inch touchscreen or an 8-inch version on the two highest trim levels. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the board, and Wifi comes with all but the base level. Navigation is available on all trim levels. Two USB ports are in the front, with an optional two in the back for rear seat charging needs.
The infotainment on the S trim level on the Escape has a 4.2-inch radio display and an AM/FM radio, and that’s it. The higher trim levels bring you back into the modern era with an 8-inch touchscreen, Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. If you want all the top tech on the Escape, you’ll have to get the Titanium trim. There you’ll find a ten-speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system, in-dash navigation, and a 12.3-inch digital gauge display.
Both the Forester and the Escape come with a nice suite of driver assistance features standard thanks to Subaru’s Eyesight or Ford’s Co-Pilot360 systems. Included on all levels of both vehicles you’ll find standard frontal collision warnings, automatic emergency braking, and standard lane departure warnings with lane keeping assist. Adaptive cruise control is standard on all Foresters, but only makes an appearance in the top trim level in the Escape.
Interior and comfort
Both of these SUVs seat five, but front seat occupants of the Forester will have about an inch more head and leg room.
Both of the base trim levels come with standard cloth seats, power windows, and single-zone climate control. Things like heated and power-adjustable seats show up earlier in the Forester trim levels, while in the Escape you’ll have to move up to at least the SEL trim.
Overall, you get more comfort features at a lower trim level with the Forester—things like heated rear seats and leatherette upholstery. If you want all the goodies on the Ford, you’ll have to spring for the top Titanium trim.
Winner: Subaru Forester
The winner here is the Subaru Forester. You’ll get more features for your money, better safety ratings, and better off-road performance. Subaru has said that it plans to offer a hybrid version of the Forester in the next few years, but if you can’t wait for that there are frankly far better compact hybrid SUVs to choose from than the Ford Escape. Sorry, Blue Oval fans.
How to save on your SUV insurance costs
Be it Ford or Subaru, hybrid or gasoline, the best way to save money on insuring any SUV is with
Jerry
, the comparison shopping super app! Just download the app, answer a few questions, and you’ll be browsing a customized selection of competitive car insurance policies chosen just for you n a matter of seconds. You make your pick, and Jerry takes care of the rest! No phone calls or massive amounts of paperwork are needed. And to top it all off, the typical Jerry user saves over $800 on their car insurance costs.
“After signing up withJerry, I went from $199/month to $97/month for my car insurance. My 2019 Subaru Forester now has full coverage for a great price!” —Rhonda H.
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