2022 Toyota Highlander vs 2021 Ford Escape

The 2021 Ford Escape, a fourth-generation model, balanced the line between SUV and hatchback. Its curved snout and sleek roofline made it resemble an enlarged Focus, yet it maintained the tall ride height of a proper SUV. This design gave the Escape a less truck-like appearance compared to the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, or Toyota RAV4, but it also resulted in a more generic look than the Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage. For 2021, the Escape introduced new appearance packages for three of its four trim levels, including the SE Sport Appearance Package, SEL Stealth AWD Package, and Titanium Elite Package, which featured upgrades like 19-inch alloy wheels, ActiveX upholstery, and leather-wrapped steering wheels.

Inside, the Escape's design choices were less cohesive. The angular instrument cluster clashed with the exterior's smooth lines, and the interior materials felt low-rent. Even the top-tier Titanium model lacked standard leather upholstery, although it did offer ambient lighting. Dual-zone automatic climate control was only available starting from the SEL trim level.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander featured a modern, somewhat aggressive front-end design. Its flared fender arches and the upward kick of the third-row window made the spacious Highlander appear smaller. Inside, it offered ample cabin space and clever storage solutions for items like iPads and juice boxes. The XSE trim stood out with its bold red optional leather package, unique exterior styling, ambient interior lighting, and sport-tuned suspension. The Highlander’s trim levels ranged from L to Platinum, each adding more features and luxury.

The base L trim included 18-inch alloy wheels, pushbutton start, and a three-zone climate control system. Higher trims like the XLE and XSE added features such as synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a power moonroof. The Limited and Platinum trims offered even more luxury with genuine leather upholstery, a hands-free power liftgate, and advanced tech features like a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 360-degree parking camera.

The 2021 Ford Escape offered two gasoline powertrains, along with hybrid and plug-in hybrid options. The base engine was a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder producing 181 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Buyers could opt for front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The more powerful 2.0-liter turbo-four engine delivered 250 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, available only with AWD. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid models used a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric assist, producing a combined 200 hp. The plug-in hybrid could drive significant distances on electric power alone but was FWD only.

Despite the small engine size, the three-cylinder engine performed adequately. The hybrid models offered a smooth transition between electric and gasoline propulsion. However, the chassis tuning left much to be desired, with sloppy suspension and steering making the Escape feel like a chore to drive. The 2.0-liter engine models could tow up to 3,500 pounds, but towing figures for the hybrid and plug-in hybrid were not provided.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It offered standard FWD and optional AWD, with a tap-shift function and steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters on certain trims. The drive-mode button allowed for Sport, Normal, and Eco modes, while the AWD system had Mud/Sand, Rock, and Normal modes.

The V6 engine provided better pickup once the Highlander was moving, with plenty of power for highway overtakes and a throaty exhaust note. The XSE trim's sport-tuned suspension reduced body roll while maintaining a comfortable ride. The Highlander could tow up to 5,000 pounds and had a max payload of 1,685 pounds in the FWD L and LE trims.

The 2021 Ford Escape offered competitive interior space despite its car-like styling. It featured near-top-of-segment headroom and legroom in both rows, with a standard sliding rear seat to adjust legroom or cargo space. Non-hybrid models provided 40.7 inches of rear legroom, while hybrid and plug-in hybrid models had slightly less due to battery placement. Cargo space in gasoline models was 33.5 cubic feet with the rear seat up, expandable to 37.5 cubic feet by sliding the seat forward. Folding the rear seat increased cargo space to 65.4 cubic feet. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid models had slightly less cargo space.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander offered up to 84.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the second- and third-row seats folded. With the second-row seats in use, it provided 48.4 cubic feet, and with all seats deployed, it offered 16 cubic feet behind the third row. The seats were easy to lower and lift, thanks to quick-release latches and pull-straps. Trims above the base L included a power liftgate, with Limited and Platinum trims featuring a hands-free power liftgate.

The Highlander's interior was designed for convenience, with an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and deep cargo pockets in the front doors. The center dash and console compartments offered ample storage space. The XSE trim featured second-row captain’s chairs, providing a center aisle to the third row and additional space between occupants. While the second-row seats were spacious for adults, the third row was only suitable for short trips.

The 2021 Ford Escape used the older Sync 3 infotainment system, with the base S model featuring a 4.2-inch touchscreen. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Upgrading to the SE trim added an 8-inch touchscreen with pinch-and-zoom capability and SiriusXM satellite radio. The Titanium trim included a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. While Sync 3 was user-friendly, it lacked the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available with the newer Sync 4 system.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with a WiFi hotspot, five USB ports, and an 8-inch touchscreen supporting Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The infotainment system had a straightforward layout with hard buttons for easy use. The XSE trim featured a wireless charging pad and a combination of USB and USB-C ports. A larger 12.3-inch touchscreen was available, along with a digital instrument panel screen and an 11-speaker JBL premium stereo system.

The 2021 Ford Escape received a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), with top scores in all crash tests and for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. It also earned high marks for front-crash prevention tech but had mixed ratings for headlights. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Escape a five-star overall safety rating. Standard safety features included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. The optional Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package added adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, park assist, and Evasive Steering Assist.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with the Toyota Safety Sense suite, including forward collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, and automatic high beams. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a surround-view parking monitor, a head-up display, and adaptive headlights. The lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist systems were very active, sometimes overly so, especially on certain highways and back roads.