2021 Ford Escape vs Toyota RAV4

Your next SUV needs to fit into your exciting lifestyle. With a range of advanced handling features and interior accommodations, the 2021 Ford Escape and the Toyota RAV4 are both impressive options, but you can only choose one for your next ride.

The team at Andy Mohr Ford created this handy comparison, so drivers in Plainfield, Indianapolis, and Brownsburg, Indiana, can see how these vehicles stack up against each other. Read through to see all that these adventurous SUVs have to offer, and which car will come out on top as the right match for you.

Impressive Performance

Let’s start by taking a look under the hood! The RAV4 is equipped with a 2.5-liter Dynamic Force 4-cylinder engine with 203 horsepower. The Escape, however, has two different gas engine options, so you can choose your blend of power and efficiency.

If you’re looking to take power and performance up a notch, opt for the 2.0-liter twin-scroll EcoBoost® engine in the Escape. It has a 250 horsepower output, noticeably above that of the RAV4.

Both the 2021 Ford Escape and the Toyota RAV4 also offer hybrid engine options if you’re looking to maximize your fuel tank. While both hybrid powertrains boast impressive efficiency, you may prefer the performance of the two options in the Escape. The RAV4 earns an EPA-estimated 41 MPG city, but the Escape makes the most out of your fuel tank with an EPA-estimated 44 MPG city, helping you explore for longer.

2021 Ford Escape vs Toyota RAV4: Safety

Safety is key when it comes to handling the unpredictable road. These two SUVS are very similar when it comes to safety technology. Both feature the following available tech designed to monitor the road around you and alert you to detrimental situations:

• Lane-Keeping System: Stay on track with this feature that warns when you begin to stray from your intended lane. If needed, it’ll also apply gentle steering corrections to help you stay out of harm’s way.
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go: Maintains a preset following speed and distance between you and the car ahead to create a more relaxing drive. If traffic grinds to a halt, so will your SUV, restarting when movement resumes.
• Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking: Measures the distance between you and the car ahead, warning when you get too close. If necessary, this system can even apply the brakes for you to help avoid a frontal collision.
• BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross-Traffic Alert: Keeps an eye on your side blind zones and lets you know when another vehicle is detected, so you can change lanes safely. When backing out of a parking spot, it also detects other approaching vehicles, so you can leave a busy parking area with ease.

The Ford Escape does offer a safety technology that the RAV4 doesn’t, however. Active Park Assist 2.0 is a suite of advanced parking assistance technologies designed to aid in parking in a variety of different situations.

It can scan for an appropriate parallel parking spot and help you steer into the space. Park Out Assist will then provide helpful instructions for shifting and moving backward and forward when you’re steering into that tight spot. Unfortunately, with the RAV4, you’ll need to park the old-fashioned way.

Do I Want the Ford Escape or Toyota Rav4?

The 2021 Ford Escape and the Toyota RAV4 are neck and neck in a lot of areas. When it comes to added safety features and improved performance, though, the Ford Escape wins out over the competition.

After reading this comparison, you probably want to get behind the wheel of the winning vehicle. You can take a spin in the Escape at Andy Mohr Ford today. Schedule a test drive to see all these features in action. We look forward to seeing our neighbors from Plainfield, Indianapolis, and Brownsburg, IN, soon!