Ford Escape vs Toyota BZ4X

What's the difference?

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.

When the bZ4X first launched it was already late to the game and blended into the background too much. However, this update has dramatically improved its appeal.

Despite this, the electric mid-size SUV segment is incredibly fierce and it’s hard to not get caught up in glitzier rivals like the BYD Sealion 7, Tesla Model Y and Zeekr 7X.

It’ll be interesting to see whether the Australian public reacts to this update and if it draws in more punters.

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.

The exterior design of the bZ4X never really blew me away. It’s just sensible and not too out there. In saying that though, being sensible is no bad thing and can be seen as a positive for some buyers.

This facelift has brought Toyota’s new corporate look, including the hammerhead shark-like LED lighting signature. It already features on models like the C-HR, Camry and RAV4. In fact this update has made the bZ4X look more like an electric RAV4 than ever before.

I like the C-shaped daytime running lights but I’m not a fan of how the main headlight section is now separate. I prefer how they looked before.

The black wheel arch cladding is now also glossy and not matte. Sure, this looks great right now, but it likely won’t be long until it unfortunately gets scratched.

Inside, if you covered up the Toyota badge you could likely fool me into thinking this is a Lexus. The new 14.0-inch touchscreen is virtually identical to the one in models like the Lexus NX, RX and GX.

There are also plenty of premium-feeling soft-touch materials around the cabin. I’m not a huge fan of the grey and white two-tone interior, at least from a family-friendly standpoint, but thankfully you can get an all-black interior instead.

Another major design change with the interior is the new centre console. It now features two wireless chargers and a revised button layout. I particularly like it because it’s no longer covered in glossy piano black.

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. 

The front seats in the bZ4X are deliciously comfortable and supportive. They make long trips a breeze, plus the ventilation that’s standard on the AWD trim works well in the heat.

Despite this, I’m still not a huge fan of the driving position. You need to look over the steering wheel in order to view the almost windscreen-mounted digital instrument cluster. It’s a similar set-up to what Peugeot employs and is intended to reduce the amount you need to stray your eyes from the road.

I appreciate this but it just doesn’t work for everyone. Personally I need to jack the seat up more than I’d like in order to see the screen fully. When I do this my knees get in the way of the steering wheel no matter how I position it, which isn’t ideal.

The set-up in the related Solterra is a little better as it has a squared-off steering wheel instead of a traditional round steering wheel.

Going back to the digital instrument cluster, the content display on this is still rather limited. Thankfully, critical information like your current speed is displayed clearly, but having added customisation through more informative displays to toggle through or more themes would be a nice extra touch.

Moving across the larger touchscreen multimedia system is a welcome addition, but I didn’t think there was anything wrong with the old one. The user interface is still basic in a good way, meaning it’s hard to get lost.

A difference is the climate control features are now fully integrated into the touchscreen, save two physical dials that change the dual-zone climate control temperature.

While this means you need to press on the touchscreen to change certain climate control-related features now, a lot of these in the pre-update were touch-sensitive buttons on a panel under the touchscreen. Really, it makes no difference.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are still standard and work flawlessly with my iPhone 15 Pro Max. There are now also two wireless chargers, which is great if you want to charge your phone and your passenger’s phone.

However, they don’t work properly as they don’t offer any ventilation. They regularly make my phone overheat and stop charging, even on shorter trips. If you want to reliably top your phone’s battery up, it’s best to just plug into a USB port with a cable.

Looking elsewhere around the cabin, there is an adequate amount of storage, though some more would be nice. There are two decently sized cupholders, a small shelf under the centre console and a side-hinging centre console box. Like the pre-update version, there is still no proper glove box.

In the second row there’s plenty of legroom available for adults behind adults, though due to the placement of the high-voltage battery this leaves you with a knees-up feeling. This is common in a number of EVs, even some that are based on dedicated electric architectures, like the bZ4X.

Headroom also isn’t fantastic as the roof starts to taper back where your head is located. You wouldn’t want to be much taller than 180-odd centimetres back there. It’s also made worse when you recline the seat backrest.

Second-row amenities include air vents, heated outboard rear seats, USB-C ports, seatback map pockets, as well as a fold-down armrest with some cupholders and a tablet holder.

At the back there is a hands-free power tailgate which is rather slow to open and close and makes plenty of beeping while doing so. It's a classic Toyota on this front.

The bZ4X AWD offers 410L of boot space with the rear seats upright which is slightly less than the 2WD due to the added rear electric motor.

It’s a decent space but doesn’t stand out from the crowd. There’s some extra underfloor storage which is large enough to fit some cables and that’s about it. Unfortunately there’s no front boot.

Boot-related amenities include a cargo blind, a variety of hooks, as well as vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability using 220V/1500W AC inverter and a single household power socket. The latter allows you to power household appliances using the vehicle’s high-voltage battery.

Disappointingly there is no spare wheel, but this isn’t uncommon for EVs. You have to make do with a tyre repair kit, which is fine if you have a small air leak but pointless if you have a proper puncture.

There are still only two trim levels in the bZ4X line-up – 2WD and AWD, the latter on test here.

Compared to the pre-update version, pricing has been slashed by up to $10,000, depending on the variant.

The line-up now starts at $55,990, before on-road costs, for the 2WD and extends to $67,990, before on-road costs, for the AWD.

This top-spec bZ4X AWD now undercuts the corresponding Subaru Solterra AWD Touring by $2000. These two cars are twins under the skin and are built in the same Japanese facility.

It also undercuts the top-selling Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD by $1000, which is a major feat. However, certain rivals like the BYD Sealion 7 Performance and Zeekr 7X Long Range are still cheaper but not all of them offer all-wheel drive.

With this update there’s now a larger 14.0-inch multimedia touchscreen, two wireless phone chargers, vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, plus a hands-free power tailgate and heated steering wheel standard across the line-up.

This is above and beyond the standard LED headlights, roof rails, dual-zone climate control and heated front seats with electric adjustment in the 2WD.

The AWD brings larger 20-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic glass sunroof, a nine-speaker JBL sound system, digital rear-view mirror and ventilated front seats.

This is a lot of standard equipment and you can’t really complain because you’re getting all of this for less than before.

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.

While there have been a number of spec changes or additions with this update, even more tweaks have happened under the skin.

All versions of the bZ4X now make more power and torque. The AWD’s dual electric motor set-up now has a total system output of 252kW (+92kW) and 438Nm (+101Nm).

Like the pre-update version, the bZ4X AWD offers 'X-Mode' off-road drive modes, crawl control, as well as downhill assist control. However with 20-inch alloy wheels as standard, I doubt these will be taken off the beaten track very often, if at all.

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.

Another big under-the-skin change with this update is Toyota has fitted the bZ4X line-up with a larger 74.7kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

As a result this EV has more range. The AWD now offers up to 517km of WLTP claimed range (up from 411km) with an official energy consumption figure of 16.0kWh/100km.

During my largely urban testing over the Christmas break I saw an average energy consumption of 14.4kWh/100km. In fact, on one particular trip into the city with minimal traffic I saw an average energy consumption of 10.5kWh/100km. This is incredibly low for an all-wheel drive EV and almost Tesla-like.

Using my as-tested energy consumption figure, the bZ4X AWD has a theoretical total range of 518km.

The Type 2/CCS combination charge port remains on the left-hand front wheel arch which is fine because it’s kerbside, but at some public charging stations it can be hard to connect the cable without having it run up against the front bumper.

Speaking of charging, the maximum AC charging rate has now been upped all the way from 11kW to 22kW, which is a fantastic update. This now allows for a 10 to 100 per cent charge in 3.5 hours.

While peak DC fast-charging unfortunately is still capped at 150kW, Toyota claims it can remain at a higher charge rate for longer now thanks to reworked battery thermal technology.

A fast charge from 10 to 80 per cent is now meant to take 45 minutes. It would be good to see quicker charging because many of this car’s rivals are faster and this can make a world of a difference during long road trips.

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.

The bZ4X AWD was never a slow car to begin with but the added oomph is welcome.

While it's not overtly noticeable in everyday driving, when you mash the throttle at the lights you're pinned back in the seat a lot more than before.

Despite this, it still doesn’t feel like this car wants to be driven quickly. If you drive with a docile right foot, the bZ4X is a supremely comfortable vehicle that’s relaxing and easy to drive.

There are a number of regenerative braking modes to select from by using the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, but none of them offer a one-pedal driving mode. This means you need to use the brake pedal to come to a complete stop.

As a result, this car’s driving experience is more like a combustion or hybrid vehicle, like the RAV4. This can make the transition to an EV easier if you’ve never driven one before.

The steering feel in the bZ4X has a noticeable weight and heft to it which feels nice when you’re zipping around on urban streets. It also feels like the steering wheel is actually connected to the wheels rather than the overly assisted and light steering systems in some of its rivals.

Where the added steering heft can feel a touch annoying is when you’re doing a tight parking manoeuvre. This car is longer than you think, meaning you may need to do three-point turns more often.

Speaking of parking, the bZ4X’s surround-view camera system is detailed and high-resolution, which is a great peace of mind. The semi-autonomous park assist is also fantastic as it can detect and park the vehicle within painted lines, rather than just slot it between two parked vehicles.

Adding to the comfort factor is this car’s ride, which is a major highlight. Despite the large 20-inch alloy wheels, the suspension does a great job at softening bigger bumps and small road imperfections.

There is little that upsets the interior ambience in this car, making it a serene place to be regardless of where you’re travelling. For an EV you’d expect more tyre and wind noise given there’s no engine to drown the noise out, but Toyota has seemingly done a great job of insulating the cabin and choosing suitable tyres.

The updated bZ4X still has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted on the pre-update car by Euro NCAP.

Toyota has notably now made the full safety suite standard across the entire line-up. 

Previously the 2WD missed out on features like blind-spot monitoring and a surround-view camera, among others.

As standard there are eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, driver attention monitoring and traffic sign recognition.

There’s also connected services with SOS emergency calling, plus automatic collision notification, vehicle insights and charge station search available with a smartphone companion app.

All of the safety systems operate in a seamless manner and don’t interrupt the driving experience unless they actually need to. This is becoming increasingly uncommon.

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.

As standard there is a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty which is fine but does not stand out for the segment anymore.

However, if you service at one of Toyota’s 260+ dealers around Australia when required, warranty coverage for the high-voltage battery can be extended all the way out to 10 years.

Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first, and the first five services are capped at $180 each. While the pricing in classic Toyota fashion is competitive, the 12 month intervals aren’t (in the EV space). The standard is now closer to 24 months.

As part of the ownership package owners get Mode 2 and Mode 3 charging cables. The 'Toyota Go' loyalty programs also allows for the choice of a complimentary 7.0kW home charger or 12-month Chargefox subscription.