Exterior - Ford Dealer serving Maquoketa IA

Both the 2023 Ford Escape and 2023 Toyota RAV4 are compact crossover SUVs with four doors and a rear liftgate. The Escape has a 6.9-inch minimum ground clearance, a 106.7-inch wheelbase and a 180.5-inch overall length, which is a hair more than 15 feet. The RAV4, on the other hand, has an 8.6-inch minimum ground clearance, a 105.9-inch wheelbase and a 181.5-inch overall length. The higher ground clearance is nice to have if you intend to take your crossover off-road, but we think the Escape strikes a better balance for the average driver as you get good clearance but also better handling. In both cases, LED headlamps and 17-inch wheels are standard, and options include 18- and 19-inch wheels, roof rails, a power liftgate and LED fog lamps. Both automakers offer appearance packages, such as with the Adventure and TRD Off-Road in the case of Toyota and all of the ST models in the case of Ford.

Ford Escape Mechanical specs

An important note when comparing the 2023 Ford Escape vs 2023 Toyota RAV4 is that we’re going to limit the comparison to the main powertrains. The reason for this is that Ford offers a range of powertrains, and Toyota maintains its hybrids separately from the core models. The base Escape has an eight-speed automatic transmission mated to a turbocharged three-cylinder. Front-wheel drive is standard. All-wheel drive is optional with all trim levels. The Toyota also opts for an eight-speed automatic but a four-cylinder and performance and fuel performance are comparable. Toyota also gives you the choice of all-wheel drive and includes it with its off-road-oriented models.