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Ford Escape vs Mazda CX-8

What's the difference?

VS
Ford Escape
Ford Escape

$29,990 - $55,555

2022 price

Mazda CX-8
Mazda CX-8

$38,990 - $78,755

2023 price

Summary

2022 Ford Escape
2023 Mazda CX-8
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Turbo 4, 2.5L

Diesel Twin Turbo 4, 2.2L
Fuel Type
Premium Unleaded/Electric

Diesel
Fuel Efficiency
1.5L/100km (combined)

6.0L/100km (combined)
Seating
5

7
Dislikes
  • Why ST-Line spec?
  • Make sure your use case fits the limitations
  • A lot more expensive than petrol-only ST-Line

  • Misses out on a 360-degree view camera system
  • Expensive compared to similarly specified rivals
  • Low number of airbags for family SUV
2022 Ford Escape Summary

We might have been excited to see the new generation Ford Ranger and Ford Everest models in 2022, but the real star of the show for the Blue Oval brand could well be this - its first electrified model to make it to Australia, the new Ford Escape PHEV.

If you’ve seen the letters PHEV before and not understood what it meant, don’t stress - you’re not alone. It stands for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. And what that means is that this car comes with a battery bank and electric motor, a port to plug it in and recharge it to drive on EV power only, and it also has a petrol engine to make sure you’re not stuck when you run out of charge.

I’ll run through all the details on the drivetrain below, but think of it this way - if you want a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid but want the possibility to drive on dedicated electric power for up to (and in excess of) 50 kilometres on a charge, this could be the right car for you…

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2023 Mazda CX-8 Summary

Mazda has a tendency to have a lot of similar looking horses in the stable; blink and you'll miss the (very) subtle differences between the CX-8 and the CX-9 but if you're not super keen on the bulk of the CX-9 and you've outgrown the space of the CX-5... this one's for you.

Especially, if you've been considering its competition - the Hyundai Santa Fe Elite CRDi AWD and Toyota Kluger GXL AWD. Both of which have become known for their features and space.

So, how does it compare? The CX-8 GT SP diesel all-wheel drive seats seven, has a decent boot space (albeit, when the third row isn't in use) and handles like a dream.

Perfect combination? Maybe. I've been driving it for the last week with my family to find out for you.

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Deep dive comparison

2022 Ford Escape 2023 Mazda CX-8

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