2023 Ford Escape vs 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

The 2023 Ford Escape showcased a departure from its earlier rugged, boxy design, embracing a more European aesthetic. This shift was evident in its refreshed front end, which replaced the previous grille with a more traditional design, featuring the Ford blue oval logo and a stylish LED light bar. Despite being the smallest in Ford's SUV lineup alongside the Bronco Sport, the Escape managed to present an upscale appearance, especially in the ST-Line Elite trim with its 19-inch wheels and sleek body-colour accents. Inside, the Escape offered diamond-stitched leather upholstery, which, while visually appealing, felt somewhat hard and plasticky. The interior was dominated by plastic materials, some of which felt cost-cutting, but the seats were comfortable and supportive, making it a pleasant vehicle for long drives.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, built on the TNGA-K platform, was a true crossover, offering a spacious interior thanks to its impressive length and wheelbase. Its design was more conservative and blockier compared to the smaller Highlander, drawing inspiration from rugged vehicles like the 4Runner. The Grand Highlander was available in three trims, with the higher trims offering real leather upholstery and additional comfort features like heated and ventilated seats. The interior was well-built, with a focus on comfort and practicality, making it an excellent choice for road trips. The Grand Highlander also boasted a significant amount of cargo space, providing a viable alternative to minivans for those needing ample storage.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered multiple powertrain options, including a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, available with either FWD or AWD. The higher trims featured a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine delivering 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, exclusively with AWD. While the Escape's suspension was soft and compliant, making it comfortable on rough roads, it lacked the performance tuning of a genuine performance crossover. The brakes were predictable and linear, and the steering was well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness seen in some competitors.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander offered three engine options, starting with a 2.4-litre turbo four-cylinder engine producing 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. A 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid option provided 245 combined net horsepower, while the top-tier Hybrid Max powertrain delivered an impressive 362 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. All powertrains came with AWD, and the Hybrid Max offered notable acceleration with a zero-to-60 time of 6.3 seconds. The Grand Highlander featured three drive modes—Sport, Eco, and Normal—with additional off-road modes for the gas-only and Hybrid Max models. While the steering felt a bit numb, the brakes were solid, and the overall performance was adequate for a vehicle of its size.

The 2023 Ford Escape provided a comfortable driving experience with supportive seats and excellent ergonomics. However, it fell short in cargo space compared to segment leaders, offering 1,061 litres behind the second row and 1,851 litres with the seats folded. Passenger space was also slightly less than competitors, though headroom was impressive, and the front-seat backs were designed to maximize rear-seat legroom.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander excelled in interior space, being larger than most of its rivals. It offered a total cargo capacity of 2,761 litres, with 1,640 litres behind the second row and 583 litres with all seats up. The spacious interior provided ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room across all rows, making it comfortable for adults even in the third row. The Grand Highlander's design prioritized comfort and practicality, with features like standard second-row sunshades and a removable centre console.

The 2023 Ford Escape featured the Sync 4 infotainment system, with an optional 13.2-inch touchscreen that enhanced the cabin's look. The system was intuitive, with easy navigation between applications like Android Auto and the native navigation system. A wi-fi hotspot was available with a subscription, and a Bang & Olufsen sound system was optional on higher trims. Despite minor annoyances like the placement of the volume knob, the tech features were impressive overall.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering a visually stunning interface. An intelligent assistant and cloud-based navigation were available through a connected-services subscription. Standard features included dual-device Bluetooth connectivity and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 11-speaker JBL stereo, standard on higher trims, provided a balanced audio experience. While Toyota's tech had improved significantly, careful consideration of subscription options was recommended.

The 2023 Ford Escape received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with top scores in most tests except for a Marginal rating in the IIHS's updated side-impact test. Standard safety features included Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite, with options to upgrade to Co-Pilot360 2.0 for additional driver-assist technologies like adaptive cruise control and lane-centring.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander had not yet been crash-tested, but it came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 as standard. This suite included features like automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert, and adaptive cruise control. The Platinum grade offered additional features like traffic jam assist and a head-up display, enhancing the vehicle's safety profile.