Ford Escape vs Subaru Forester (2026)
Price gap, MSRP + destination
$400
- Escape: 1 mpg better, 1.3 in more rear legroom.
- Forester: 9.0 cu ft more cargo, 0.9 in more front legroom.
- Escape wins 6 of 13 measures.
- Price: about the same.
| Measure | Escape | Forester | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSRP + destination | $31,845 | $31,445 | About the same |
| Horsepower | 180 hp | 180 hp | About the same |
| Torque | 199 lb-ft | 178 lb-ft | Escape |
| MPG combined | 30 mpg | 29 mpg | Escape |
| Cargo, max | 65.4 cu ft | 74.4 cu ft | Forester |
| Cargo, seats up | 37.5 cu ft | 29.6 cu ft | Escape |
| Rear legroom | 40.7 in | 39.4 in | Escape |
| Front legroom | 42.4 in | 43.3 in | Forester |
| Length | 180.5 in | 183.3 in | Not scored |
| Width | 74.1 in | 72.0 in | Not scored |
| Curb weight | 3,283 lb | 3,510 lb | Not scored |
| Towing | 2,000 lb | 1,500 lb | Escape |
| Seats | 5 | 5 | About the same |
| Ground clearance | 7.5 in | 8.7 in | Forester |
| 0-60 mph | 7.8 s estimate | 8.6 s published | Escape |
| Basic warranty | 3 yr / 36,000 mi | 3 yr / 36,000 mi | About the same |
Not scored: length, width, curb weight. N/A rows are not counted.
Nearest trims by price
| Trim | Nearest in price | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| Escape Active FWD $30,350 | Forester AWD $29,995 | $355 |
| Forester AWD $29,995 | Escape Active FWD $30,350 | $355 |
Hybrid vs hybrid
| Measure | Escape | Forester | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSRP + destination | $35,385 | $36,180 | Escape |
| Horsepower | 192 hp | 194 hp | About the same |
| Torque | 154 lb-ft | 154 lb-ft | About the same |
| MPG combined | 39 mpg | 35 mpg | Escape |
| Cargo, max | 60.8 cu ft | 69.1 cu ft | Forester |
| Cargo, seats up | 34.4 cu ft | 27.5 cu ft | Escape |
| Rear legroom | 38.9 in | 39.4 in | Forester |
| Front legroom | 42.4 in | 43.3 in | Forester |
| Towing | 1,500 lb | 1,500 lb | About the same |
| Seats | 5 | 5 | About the same |
| Ground clearance | 6.9 in | 8.7 in | Forester |
| 0-60 mph | 7.3 s estimate | 7.5 s estimate | Escape |
| Basic warranty | 3 yr / 36,000 mi | 3 yr / 36,000 mi | About the same |
Each wins 4 of 13 measures.
Cost to run
About the same over 6 years.
12,000 miles a year. Gas $3.20. Electricity 17 cents per kWh.
| Cost | Escape | Forester |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP + destination | $31,845 | $31,445 |
| Fuel or charging, 1 year | $1,280 | $1,324 |
| Fuel or charging, 6 years | $7,680 | $7,945 |
| Total, 6 years | $39,525 | $39,390 |
Which is better for me?
Weight each group from 0 to 10. MPG uses fuel or charging cost.
Equal weights: Escape wins.
Forester wins if Towing weight is 1 or less.
| Group | Ahead | By |
|---|---|---|
| Price | About the same | |
| MPG | Escape | 3% |
| Power | About the same | |
| Space | Forester | 12% |
| Towing | Escape | 25% |
Other years
What this cannot tell you
Your price and mpg will differ.
Reliability and safety are not included.
- 2 or more sources
- 1 source
- Model-level, rule or estimate
- Sources disagree