2023 Ford Escape vs 2023 Toyota Venza

The 2023 Ford Escape presented a departure from its earlier, more rugged design, embracing a European-inspired aesthetic. The refreshed model featured a traditional front end with a central Ford blue oval logo and a stylish LED light bar, replacing the previous grille design. The ST-Line Elite trim, which we tested, showcased 19-inch wheels and body-color mirror caps, giving it an upscale appearance akin to a Mazda CX-5. Inside, the Escape's diamond-stitched leather upholstery looked appealing but felt somewhat hard and plasticky. Despite this, the seats were comfortable, and the 10-way power adjustable driver's seat allowed for easy customization. However, the interior was dominated by plastic materials, some of which felt cost-cutting.

In contrast, the 2023 Toyota Venza boasted a sleek and sculpted design, reminiscent of a Lexus. Its contoured body and tapering rear roofline gave it a unique and elegant appearance. The Venza's interior borrowed elements from the Toyota RAV4 but elevated them with higher-quality materials and details. The climate-control panel featured integrated buttons instead of large dials, and the cabin had more soft-touch surfaces, approaching a Lexus-like level of luxury. Overall, the Venza was one of the most attractively styled vehicles in Toyota's lineup, offering a cohesive and graceful design both inside and out.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered multiple powertrain options, including a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque. This engine could be paired with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite trims featured a more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, exclusively with all-wheel drive. While the Escape's suspension was soft and compliant, making it comfortable for everyday driving, it lacked the performance tuning of a genuine performance crossover. The brakes provided predictable stopping power, and the steering was well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness found in some competitors.

The 2023 Toyota Venza, on the other hand, was powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid system, producing a combined 219 horsepower. The hybrid system included electric motor/generators and a 1.6-kilowatt-hour nickel metal hydride battery pack. The Venza's acceleration was smooth, with the electric motors providing initial power before the gasoline engine seamlessly joined in. It reached 60 mph in 7.5 seconds, a respectable time for its class. The Venza prioritized ride comfort over sporty handling, with light steering effort and adequate handling. Its ride quality was smoother than the RAV4 Hybrid's, absorbing most road imperfections while maintaining a comfortable cabin environment.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered comfortable seating with excellent ergonomics. The front seats were soft and supportive, and the steering wheel felt great to hold. However, the Escape fell short in cargo space, providing up to 37.5 cubic feet behind the second row and 65.4 cubic feet with the second row folded. This was less than some competitors like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Rear-seat legroom was also slightly less than many rivals, but the back seat's headroom and scalloped front-seat backs helped maximize space for taller passengers.

The 2023 Toyota Venza's front seats provided ample space for taller occupants, enhanced by large windows and a panoramic sunroof. The Star Gaze panoramic roof could turn opaque at the touch of a button, adding a luxury touch. Rear visibility was limited, but the rear seats offered sufficient space for average adults, with abundant legroom and foot room. The Venza's cargo capacity was limited to 28.8 cubic feet, significantly less than competitors like the Honda Passport and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. However, the Venza excelled in holding smaller personal items, with a wireless phone charger, well-sized cupholders, and a deep center armrest bin.

The 2023 Ford Escape featured the Sync 4 infotainment system, offering an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims and a larger 13.2-inch screen on higher trims like the ST-Line Elite and Platinum. The 13.2-inch screen enhanced the cabin's look and provided easy navigation through features like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. While Sync 4 was generally intuitive, it was occasionally slow to respond, and the volume knob's placement was inconvenient. Despite these minor issues, the system's feature set and layout were impressive.

The 2023 Toyota Venza came equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a wireless charging pad. The base LE trim featured an 8-inch touchscreen, while higher trims like the XLE and Limited offered a 12.3-inch multimedia display. The new infotainment system delivered sharp graphics and quick responses, improving upon previous Toyota systems. A Wi-Fi connection was available for a trial period, and the top Limited trim included a one-year subscription to Drive Connect services. The base audio system had six speakers, while a nine-speaker JBL premium audio system was available on higher trims.

The 2023 Ford Escape received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in the rollover test. The IIHS awarded it a "Good" rating in most tests but noted a "Marginal" score in the updated side-impact test. The Escape came standard with Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite of advanced driver assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring. The optional Co-Pilot360 2.0 added features like adaptive cruise control and a surround-view camera.

The 2023 Toyota Venza also earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with four stars in frontal and rollover protection. The IIHS awarded it a "Good" rating in most tests and named it a Top Safety Pick. The Venza came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+, which included adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keep assist. Higher trims added features like parking proximity sensors, a surround-view camera, and a digital rearview mirror. The Venza's safety features functioned smoothly, with no false alarms reported.