Chevrolet Silverado vs Ford Escape

What's the difference?

This is a serious truck with load-carrying and towing capabilities far beyond Australia’s ubiquitous Ranger/HiLux-sized one-tonne utes. However, those vehicles thrive in urban use due to their relatively compact dimensions so, in that context, this pick-up is simply too large to be a practical alternative. However, if you have more specialised work and recreational requirements, like GCMs as high as 12 tonnes with spacious comfort for a crew of five, this big American would be tough to top.

The Ford Escape PHEV is a good option for a customer who knows they’ll live within the parameters set by the car. That’s the case with any plug-in hybrid, really, so in that regard, this new model is hardly a standout.

And it isn’t particularly outstanding in any other way either. I personally would have appreciated it if Ford had decided to add the plug-in powertrain to the Vignale flagship model instead - that model is more about luxury than sportiness, and would better fit the character of this powertrain in my opinion.

It’s a decent addition to the brand’s SUV range, and a welcome one to the segment, though it won’t be on its own for long.

MY24 brings a freshened front-end appearance with new fascia, headlights, body-coloured bumpers and grille garnish, black body highlights and more.

With a traditional ladder-frame truck chassis and sprawling 4036mm wheelbase, this behemoth measures almost 6.4 metres in length (6387mm) and more than 2.2 metres in width (2263mm).

It also stands more than 2.0 metres tall (2039mm) and has a vast 16.1-metre turning circle. So, multi-storey car parks, drive-thru takeaways etc are best avoided. And domestic driveways (if wide and long enough to accommodate it) may suffer under its weight over time.

It rides on 20-inch high-gloss black alloys with LT275/65 R20 Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tyres and carries a full-size spare.

New Z71 off-road suspension includes skid plates and Rancho twin-tube dampers, offering 251mm of ground clearance and 28.5 degrees approach/19 degrees ramp breakover/23.6 degrees departure angles.

However, its 4x4 capabilities would be better suited to accessing rugged worksites, pulling a large caravan out of a boggy campground or towing a large boat trailer up a slimy boat ramp, than hardcore bush-bashing on narrow tracks.

The Silverado’s extensive remanufacturing to RHD, performed on a dedicated production line in Melbourne, exudes OEM standards of fit and finish. The dashboard module is particularly impressive, in providing a mirror image of the LHD original in appearance and function.

The leather-appointed cabin is a highlight, offering palatial space and comfort for all. It features a tasteful blend of contrasting materials and surface treatments, including silver-grey woodgrain inserts on the doors, dash and centre console plus exposed stitching along seams and subtle splashes of chrome.

The entry pathway to the rear seat is expansive, thanks to wide-opening doors and a flat floor with no transmission hump to straddle. There’s executive-lounge rear head and legroom, even for tall people, combined with enough shoulder room to ensure a crew of five can travel in comfort.

I haven’t really warmed to the “I wish I was a hatchback” styling of the Escape, which has a softer-edged look to it than most of its rivals. I mean, compared to a Hyundai Tucson or Toyota RAV4, the Escape looks like a blob.

That mightn’t be an issue for you, and it’s hardly a reason not to buy the car, but I was also a bit disappointed that there’s no real specific highlights to make you realise you’re buying the PHEV model, which - at $15,000 more than the equivalent petrol version - should have something to differentiate it other than the addition of a small badge and the additional filler cap on the front quarter panel for the plug.

Even a different set of wheels would have sufficed. Alas, it’s an identical looking Escape to the petrol. That means the ST-Line trimmings, such as black highlights on the grille and bumper, side skirts, a rear spoiler, and those 18-inch wheels and lowered sports suspension.

The interior, as mentioned in the pricing section, does have a few changes over the petrol version, but they’re hardly game-changing additions.

With its towering 3762kg kerb weight, the 2500 HD offers a choice of ADR load ratings (NB1 or NB2) which must be specified by the customer at the time of ordering (at no extra cost) to ensure the correct certification for vehicle registration.

The NB1 category allows up to 4500kg GVM/733kg payload, which can be driven by car licence holders. NB2 allows up to 5148kg GVM/1386kg of payload, but requires a truck licence. Our test vehicle is certified for the lower NB1 rating.

The 2500 HD is rated to tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer with a 50mm ball and up to 4500kg with a 70mm ball. These trailer weights are well within its capabilities, given that its GCM rating (how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) is an eye-popping 12474kg.

Yep, that’s more than 12 tonnes, which allows for trailers weighing more than 4500kg using heavy-duty connections like pintle hooks, goosenecks/fifth-wheel turntables installed and certified by specialist aftermarket suppliers.

The enormous load tub offers almost 2.0 cubic metres of cargo volume and has large external steps front and rear for easier access. The load floor is 2089mm long, 1814mm wide and 533mm deep, with 1317mm between the rear wheel-housings allowing Aussie or Euro pallets to be carried.

It’s protected by a tough spray-on liner, plus there are 12 load-anchorage points, LED lighting, power tailgate and a camera to keep an eye on loads when driving. Our test vehicle was also fitted with adjustable and removable load-dividers, which are part of the GMSV accessories range.

Cabin storage for driver and front passenger includes two bottle/cupholders and a large bin in each door plus a single glove box. The centre console has a large open tray up front, two bottle/cupholders in the centre and an Esky-sized box at the back with padded lid that doubles as a plush elbow rest.

Rear seat passengers get a bottle/cupholder and bin in each door plus two more bottle/cupholders in the rear of the centre console and another two in the fold-down centre armrest. There are also large storage pockets on both front seat backrests and compartments cleverly hidden behind hinged upper backrest cushions.

The 60/40 split rear seat base can swing up and be stored vertically if more internal load space is required. This also provides access to the under-seat storage accessory fitted to our test vehicle. You’d seriously struggle to run out of cabin storage!

The Ford Escape looks like it has all the bits to make a midsize SUV buyer happy. And while a fair few of the boxes are ticked, there are some elements that could be better. 

The big party trick is that the second row is on rails, so you can slide it forwards or backwards to improve the space for receipt occupants or improve your boot space. The maximised cargo area is 556 litres to the ceiling, while if prioritise second-row occupant space there is easily enough room for a 182cm / 6’0” adult to fit behind someone of a similar size.

In the boot there are remote levers for the second row seats to fold down, a 12 V outlet, and a soft parcel shelf which is easy to remove, too.

During my time with the car I had the seats slid back as far as they go to maximise cabin space, though I did test out whether it was worth having them forward and the boot space was appreciably better especially for a pram and some baby stuff.

The second-row is a 60:40 split for the backrest, with the smaller portion on the driver’s side. That may sound trivial, but we had our baby seat set up behind the passenger, and had to move it to the driver’s side when we picked up a large parcel as it wouldn’t fit with the smaller portion folded down. There are dual ISOFIX child seat anchor points for the outboard positions, and three top-tether hooks.

The boot space is good too, considering it has some extra hardware to contend with under the body, there is also a space-saver spare wheel under there which is nice. However, there is no dedicated hidey hole for the charge cable, and it doesn’t come in a nice stowable bag either - just a plastic ziplock thing. 

Perhaps the biggest letdown of the interior is the fact that you still get the tiny little tablet-style 8.0-inch touchscreen media display, despite there being a big 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The two screens almost look at odds with one another, and what’s even more frustrating is that the driver information screen cannot be configured to include the energy flow screen that you see on the smaller tablet style unit. 

That means you can’t watch what’s happening between engine, electric motor and battery, or a combination where you might expect to see that - instead it can only be seen in illustrative form on the smaller central screen. Big issue? Maybe not, but if you’re an eco-conscious customer who wants to know what their car’s high-tech powertrain is doing, while also wanting to use sat nav, or Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, or change the radio station… Well, you’re out of luck.

There is a much more basic and rudimentary display on the driver info screen that shows a small icon of an engine and battery and illuminates them when each part is in use, but really, Ford should have used the real-estate of the big driver info screen better. Toyota, Kia and Hyundai know how to do it better.

The material quality is okay, but it certainly doesn’t feel like a very special environment.There are rubberised liners on the doors which don’t look terrific or feel fantastic, and why there are soft plastic elbow pads, and up high on the dashboard, it is not of the most pristine quality. 

Storage is pretty good. There are bottle holders in the doors and two cupholders in the centre console, and the storage nook in front of the shift dial houses a wireless phone charger and two USB ports, plus a 12-volt plug. There is a strange little shelf section in front of the centre console bin, which is not fantastic in terms of size. There are rear bottle holders in the doors, map pockets and a flip-down arm-rest with cup holders.

That rotary dial shifter which does take a little bit of getting used to. Unlike some others, there is no ‘P’ for park button - instead you have to dial it all the way left. 

It’s hard to consider the Ford Escape ST-Line PHEV to be tremendous value with a price tag of $53,440 (MSRP), especially considering it attracts a circa-$15k premium over the equivalent petrol-powered ST-Line version of the Escape. And that price will rise once more from July 1, to $54,440, as Ford says it will increase the ask due to “continued material and freight cost increases”. 

But it does offer a few little extras over that petrol model in terms of standard gear, including partial-leather seat trim, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a 10-speaker sound system. That’s in addition to the standard kit you’d find on any ST-Line Escape, which includes 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, sporty-looking front and rear bumpers, lower suspension, keyless entry and push-button start, wireless phone charging, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, flat-bottom steering wheel, Ford’s 8.0-inch touchscreen media system with sat nav, digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and also a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors.

There are plenty of other safety inclusions that you’d expect at this price point - check the safety breakdown below for more info.

If you need additional gear to make your ST-Line feel even more special, you can choose the ST-Line Pack option, which adds a power tailgate, heated front seats and matrix-style adaptive LED headlights. That pack costs $1950. Really, it shouldn’t be an option on this top-dollar Escape.

Other plug-in hybrid models close to the Escape PHEV include the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Plug-in Hybrid EV (starting from $46,990), but it’s a fair bit smaller, and so is the Kia Niro PHEV (from $46,590). 

In the same size bracket as the Escape, there’s only the still-to-arrive Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (likely to be $60,000 or more) and the MG HS Plus EV, which kicks off at $46,990 drive-away. Soon there’ll be the Mazda CX-60 PHEV, but it’ll likely play closer to the Kia Sorento PHEV (which kicks off at $80,330).

In short, there’s not too much competition, and that could play to the Escape’s advantage. But does it deliver real-world fuel economy savings that you can’t get with, say, a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (from $36,900)? More on that below.

If your curious about colours, there are three no-cost options - Frozen White, Blazer Blue and Agate Black - while the optional premium paint options include Blue Metallic, Magnetic grey, Solar Silver, White Platinum and Rapid Red, as seen in this review, all of which will add $650 to the bill.

The 6.6-litre Duramax turbo-diesel V8, with driver-switchable exhaust brake, is tailored for heavy-hauling with an external engine oil cooler and functional bonnet scoop feeding fresh air to the engine’s intake system.

In the latest MY24 specification, it produces 350kW at 2800rpm and 1322Nm of torque at 1600rpm. That’s 18kW and 98Nm more than the previous model.

The refined 10-speed torque converter automatic with column-shifter is also fitted with an external oil cooler, while closer gear ratios and revised final-drive ratios for MY24 enhance all-round performance.

A dual-range transfer case offers a choice of four drive modes comprising 2WD, 4WD high-range, 4WD low-range and Auto (traction-sensing full-time 4WD). Also new is an automatic-locking rear differential.

Its armoury of advanced towing hardware and technology includes a 4500kg tow-bar with 12-pin wiring harness and integrated trailer brake controller.

Plus, there’s a rear-view camera with hitch guidance, automated trailer lighting test, in-vehicle trailering app with trailer profiles, trailer theft alert, trailer tyre pressure/temperature monitoring and lots more.

New MY24 features include adaptive cruise control which can be used when towing (detecting the additional weight behind the vehicle to automatically increase braking distances). Others are 'Trailer Side Blind Zone Alert' (TSBZA), which extends the blind zone area when towing, plus 'Gross Combination Mass Alert' (GCMA) which alerts if you exceed the GCM.

The Escape PHEV is the only model in the range to get a 2.5-litre petrol engine, which runs on the more efficient Atkinson cycle, and has a continuously variable transmission feeding power to the front wheels - that’s right, this Escape is 2WD/FWD.

The tricky bit is that it also houses a clever electric motor and generator, which is teamed to a 14.4kWh battery pack - which is big for a plug-in hybrid car. 

The electric motor is capable of 96kW of power, while the petrol engine can produce up to 112kW. All told, the combined system output is pegged at 167kW, though there is no peak torque output figure. Even so, that amount of power is a sizeable number for any midsize SUV, even if this particular one weighs in at more than 1800kg.

Speaking of weight, the PHEV is the least capable towing vehicle in the Escape range. It has a maximum braked towing capacity of 1200kg, where all the others can tow up to 1800kg. Unbraked capacity is unchanged, at 750kg.

The dash readout was claiming 17.5L/100km at the end of our 351km test, which comprised mostly city and suburban driving plus some highway running with a full payload.

Our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, came in slightly lower at 16.8, which is decent economy for a vehicle weighing more than 3.7 tonnes unladen in ‘real world’ driving.

So, based on our figures, you could expect a realistic driving range of around 800km from its big 136-litre tank.

Beware the PHEV fuel consumption figure. That’s a great thing to keep in mind if you’re shopping for one of these cars.

That’s because the combined cycle official figure only takes into account a mix of conditions across 100km of driving. That’s right - only the first 100km. So the best case scenario, for a car that is designed to use its battery to run emissions free until it runs out, before sparingly using the petrol engine to keep going.

As such, it is no surprise that the official combined cycle fuel consumption is just 1.5 litres per 100 kilometres, with CO2 emissions claimed at just 33g/km. That takes into account the WLTP battery range of 56 kilometres stated on Ford’s website.

For reference, I completed my test of the car with a total of 462.7 kilometres travelled, of which, the trip computer stated 292.3km was fully electric. Meaning the remaining 170.4km was driving using petrol.

The indicated energy efficiency was 20.0kWh/100km, which isn’t great against a claimed EV driving efficiency figure supplied by Ford, of 14.8kWh/100km to 15.6kWh/100km. 

While the indicated fuel consumption average was 3.1L/100km, so more than double the windscreen sticker’s indicated economy. 

However, when I did the maths, I used a real-world average of 3.9L/100km of petrol ($36.15 worth of petrol) and 43.2kWh of electricity (meaning a cost of $9.82 based on the NSW average energy price of $0.2274c/kWh).

So, to do 462.7km I paid $45.97. I think that’s okay, but bear in mind I included several longer trips (Sydney to Glenbrook, Glenbrook to the Southern Highlands and back, and Glenbrook to Sydney and back). 

As is always the case, if your intended operation for a PHEV is to use it primarily for urban running within its EV range capabilities, you will be better off than if you push it beyond and use the petrol engine excessively.

For reference, the fuel tank size is 45 litres, which is 12L less than the petrol-only versions. It can run on E10, but only if you can find E10 that is also 95RON premium unleaded.

If you wish, there’s also an app called Ford Pass Connect, which allows you to monitor your car’s state of charge, adjust its start and finish times for recharging and even works as a key for the car to allow remote access, too.

Worth noting the maximum charge rate on a 10-amp plug at home is 2.3kW, while on public charging (which typically runs a higher amperage rate) the max rate is 3.7kW.

Side-steps and large handles on the A- (and B-) pillars assist climbing aboard. It’s a very comfortable driving position, given the multiple seat and steering wheel adjustments along with plush elbow rests on both sides.

The large door mirrors, combined with numerous camera angles including the central rear view mirror's pin-sharp image, provide commanding all-around vision.

The steering is nicely weighted and surprisingly communicative for such a giant, providing good feel and response at all speeds.

The suspension tuning is supple enough to provide a smooth ride, yet retains enough firmness to minimise the ponderous feel inherent in vehicles of this size and weight.

Braking response is also reassuringly strong, without requiring huge pressure on the brake pedal to achieve it.

The 6.6-litre turbo-diesel V8 and 10-speed auto provide effortless performance. With maximum torque tapped at just 1600rpm, the engine is barely ticking over at city and suburban speeds.

And it requires less than 1500rpm to quietly maintain 110km/h on the highway, which combined with its low tyre and wind noise results in a supremely relaxed long-haul cruiser.

With its NB1 GVM rating, we loaded more than half a tonne into the load tub, which combined with our crew of two was just under its 733kg payload limit.

It simply didn’t notice the added weight, storming up our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km-long set climb with acceleration unmatched by any loaded vehicle we’ve tested on this ascent.

Its engine-braking on the way down using the exhaust brake also set a new benchmark, never exceeding 50km/h and 2000rpm on overrun without once touching the brake pedal.

Being the ST-Line grade, you - like it or not - have to deal with the lowered ride and sportier suspension, which makes this car ride a bit more firmly than you might want.

I found the suspension to be the biggest detracting element in terms of the drive experience – the suspension picked up a lot of the small inconsistencies in the road surface and transmitted them into the cabin. It was fidgety a lot of the time, and on road surfaces with very poor quality, it could be a bit uncomfortable.

The steering was also bit too tuned for sportiness for a car that doesn’t really need to be quite so aggressively angled that way. It took a bit of getting used to – it was somehow both twitchy on centre but not quite as responsive across the radius of lock to lock as I’d thought it might be, given the initial steering response.

Having said all that, I threw it through a couple of twisty corners and there was a nice handling balance from the chassis and decent grip from the tyres, but I did notice that - being front-wheel drive, with all that power going through the front tyres, there were some instances of it scrabbling for traction, notably on wet roads and looser surfaces but also out of offset driveways.

Other gripes included brake pedal response that was quite abrupt and very sensitive to stopping inputs.

Now, let’s consider the driving modes.

There are different drivetrain setups depending on what you plan to do. EV Auto does the thinking for you, dipping between EV, hybrid and petrol modes. EV Now prioritises electric driving. EV Later saves your battery charge for when you think you’ll need it. And EV Charge means you’ll use petrol power to drive, and also to replenish the battery pack.

The throttle response was decent in EV mode, and in hybrid mode it is nice and quiet, and it drives in a very smooth way unless you really plant your foot hard, then it can be a bit vocal - but less raucous than a RAV4 under full throttle. 

The transition between the different drive modes was relatively seamless, as it will readily go between petrol or electric as required, and the four-cylinder is mostly hushed enough so that you won’t hear it too much, especially if you’re driving at higher speeds when it does.

Indeed it was relatively quiet for the most part, though the tyre noise was quite excessive at higher speeds on very coarse-chip surfaces. And in those instances I noticed I could feel the road surface through the steering wheel and the suspension, as it was quite jittery at times.

There is a low speed warning sound that is omitted below about 25km/h and it was quite handy while driving in enclosed car parks - no more accusations of creeping around silently at the shops.

Further, there are multiple drive modes, including Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, and Snow/Sand Assist, all of which are designed to make different situations easier to deal with. They will adjust engine transmission and steering response as well as stability and traction control limitations. I kept it in Normal, though a dabble in Sport showed that you’re allowed a bit more aggression from the powertrain in terms of acceleration.

Standard safety equipment for the Escape PHEV is on par with the majority of rivals in the class.

It has front autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection (not cyclist detection, though), adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, driver fatigue monitoring, traffic sign recognition and a rear-seat occupant reminder system that’ll chime in to tell you to check the back seat before you get out.

There are six airbags - dual front, front side and full-length curtain airbags, but unlike some newer rivals there is no front centre airbag to prevent head clashes.

The Silverado is covered by a three year/100,000km warranty with three years roadside assist.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/12,000km, whichever occurs first, and there's no capped-price servicing. This ownership package falls short compared to rivals like Ford's RHD F-150.

As with the rest of the Ford range, you get a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty on the car, while the battery pack has its own eight-year/160,000km warranty plan.

And just like most other models in Ford’s range, there is a lifetime capped-price servicing plan, with the first four maintenance visits (due every 12 months/15,000km, whichever occurs first) incurring a $299 fee, which is cheap for the class.

You also get up to seven years of roadside assist if you service your car with Ford’s dealers.