There’s little doubt that Toyota is at the top of everyone’s mind when it comes to hybrid technology, but it wasn’t the first to get a hybrid vehicle to market in North America. That milestone was achieved by Honda with the first-generation Insight, a quirky little science project of a two-door runabout. Meanwhile, Ford’s first hybrid offering was perhaps even more forward-looking: the Ford Escape hybrid launched in 2004 as one of the first hybrid crossovers on the road. Today, the RAV4 Hybrid is still top of the sales charts and the RAV4 Prime is too popular for its own good, but hybrid versions of the CR-V and Escape are gunning for its spot.
First up, the 2024 Ford Escape PHEV, which comes to us as a plug-in hybrid with front-wheel-drive only. It’s possible to get an ST-Line Escape with a 190-hp hybrid powertrain, just one step up from the basic model, but here Ford streamlines things a bit with the plug-in Escape being a standalone model, with an MSRP starting at $43,999 plus $2,195 Freight & PDI.
Next, the 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid, here in EX-L trim. Honda does its hybrid offerings for the CR-V slightly differently than Ford, with the hybrid powertrain reserved for the EX-L or Touring models, the two top trims for the badge. MSRP for this 2024 EX-L example is $46,775 and $2,000 Freight & PDI.
Honda CR-V Hybrid vs Ford Escape PHEV Powertrains
- 2024 Ford Escape PHEV FWD powertrain: 2.5L I-4 + electric motor w/14.4-kWh battery, net 210 hp
- 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid powertrain: 2.0L I-4 & 135-kW motor w/1.4-kWh battery, net 204 hp, 247 lb-ft
The plug-in Escape gets a little more oomph under the hood than the normal hybrid; total power when combined with the 2.5L four-cylinder combustion engine is 210 hp at 6,250 rpm. The Escape PHEV also boasts approximately 60 km of electric-only range thanks to a 14.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. As is commonplace with hybrid vehicles, the transmission is continuously variable.
Honda’s CR-V is only just behind, with its 2.0L hybridized engine and electric motor combining for a total of 204 hp. Peak torque of 247 lb-ft is rated at just 2,000 rpm, making for what should be sufficient shove when driving around town. It’s also equipped with a continuously variable transmission.
CR-V Hybrid vs Escape PHEV Efficiency
- 2024 Ford Escape PHEV FWD efficiency: 5.6 / 6.3 / 5.9 Le/100 km City / Highway / Combined
- 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid efficiency: 6.0 / 6.9 / 6.4 L/100 km City / Highway / Combined
There’s a slight apples and oranges flavour to this comparison, as the Ford’s Escape plug-in capability comes with a traction trade-off. Honda doesn’t offer the CR-V Hybrid in a plug-in variant, and only sells it in Canada in all-wheel-drive. Depending on what winter is like where you live, that might be the first hurdle to clear.
With that out of the way, the Escape’s ability to run on battery-only power for a claimed 60 kilometres is extremely useful. For those looking for a small family vehicle that can handle urban driving duties while burning almost no fuel, the Escape plug-in lets you handle the school run or the daily commute fully on electrons, then plug in overnight at even a standard outlet and be ready to go again for tomorrow’s duties.
Compare Ford Escape PHEV and Honda CR-V Hybrid Specs
Should you run down that battery on a long road trip or similar, the Escape returns a claimed 5.6L/100 km city mileage and 6.3 L/100 km on the highway. Observed mileage was right on the money here, though in practice most of the week tended to be using the plug-in battery pack. The real question is when are we going to get this powertrain in the Maverick, as it would make Ford’s compact truck an even better friend to the DIY crowd.
The CR-V, in typical Honda fashion, doesn’t require much thought about its powertrain. No need to remember to plug it in (perhaps you’re parking on the street anyway), just a dependable 6.0 L/100 km city mileage and 6.9L/100 km highway. These numbers don’t look as impressive as those of the Escape Hybrid, but note that all-wheel-drive does ding the mileage a little. Still, non-plug-in versions of the Escape are rated at 6.0 L/100 km combined, so the CR-V is a little behind in efficiency.
Honda CR-V vs Ford Escape Practicality
The reason the original Insight never really caught on was because people mostly didn’t want a commuter-oriented vehicle that came with enough practicality drawbacks to require a second car for the family. Happily, both these crossovers are usefully sized for everyday activities.
Both are so close on passenger space as to be a draw. Both have big forward bins for storing your smartphone, both have plenty of storage cubbies up front, and both offer split folding rear seats. The CR-V has the luggage space advantage with 1028 litres to the Escape’s 974 L of room, but it’s again not a profound difference. Towing capability for the Escape (when properly equipped) is 1500 pounds compared to the CR-V’s 1000 lb., so things even out there too.
Competition in this market segment is about as fierce as it gets, and the pressure means that rivalries are closely matched.
Honda CR-V Hybrid vs Ford Escape PHEV Ride and Handling
If we can’t divide these two on pragmatic reasons, we can on personality. Basically, the Escape doesn’t have one.
This might sound harsh, but it can be taken as a compliment. With the Bronco Sport and aforementioned Maverick riding on this same platform, the Escape is free to be a little more bland to broaden its appeal. Ford will also let you sharpen it up a little with the ST-Line trims, though not for the plug-in hybrid.
As it is, the Escape is smooth, quiet, and unremarkable. It’s very comfortable, even with 18-inch wheels as standard, and you’d only notice the lack of all-wheel-drive in particularly poor driving conditions. Handling is likewise unremarkable but competent – driving satisfaction here comes mostly from knowing that you’re saving at the pump.
The CR-V, on the other hand, is a Honda. It’s not really any quicker than the Escape, and is not quite as engaging as something with a Mazda badge up front, but you do feel the DNA of a company that built the Accord and the Civic. Even if you ignore the sportier trims those two sedans came in, there was a basic goodness to the way they drove, and so it is with the CR-V.
It’s still comfortable of course, and still feels fresh in this sixth generation. The powertrain can be a bit noisy when you’re pushing it on an onramp, but overall the CR-V is composed, enjoyable to drive, and nearly as quiet as the Escape.
Honda CR-V vs Ford Escape Technology
For most buyers, the fact that both the CR-V and the Escape come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be all the tech features worth caring about. There is, however, a little more worth digging in on here.
Honda’s infotainment system isn’t quite as slick as Ford’s, either in looks or operation. The Escape’s 13.2-inch touchscreen is both bigger than the CR-V’s nine-inch screen, and it looks more modern. The flipside, however, is that the CR-V’s dashboard relies more on conventional physical controls. In all likelihood, the Honda layout is more likely to be the better choice in the long term.
CR-V Hybrid vs Escape PHEV Safety
As both these crossovers are going to be cross-shopped by family buyers, safety considerations carry extra weight here. Surprisingly, the crash-test results from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) show some disparity between these two.
The CR-V scores well across the board, apart from the IIHS’s updated small overlap test, where it scored poorly for rear seat passengers. The Escape, on the other hand, outperformed the Honda in the updated small overlap, but underperformed it with a marginal result in the updated side impact test.
The CR-V does get the official nod for IIHS Top Safety Pick, and both vehicles performed well, but IIHS crash tests are getting harder to pass, putting pressure on manufacturers to improve safety even more.
2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid vs 2024 Ford Escape PHEV Final Thoughts
With its smooth and satisfying ride, thrifty plug-in powertrain, and well polished infotainment, the plug-in 2024 Escape Hybrid PHEV is a solid offering. One that I’d rather have as a Maverick pickup for the flexibility and the personality.
Honda’s CR-V Hybrid, on the other hand, is still managing to pull off what the nameplate has since the beginning, namely, being an excellent all-rounder that’s just that little bit better to drive than it needs to be. There’s a reason that the CR-V is second banana only to the Toyota RAV4 in the sales charts, and if Honda could up its allocation and maybe provide a hybrid offering in one of its lower trims, it might well be able to catch Toyota. The Insight couldn’t outcompete the Prius, but when it comes to hybrid crossovers, the CR-V has a shot.
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