Ford Escape vs Toyota Corolla Cross

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.

The Corolla Cross is the SUV that was so obvious it’s a wonder Toyota didn’t do it sooner. Sure, it might not look much like a Corolla but this SUV has the same appeal of being a small, safe good-value for money car but with even more practicality than the hatch and sedan that shares its name. 

The Corolla Cross is also great to drive - better than most of its rivals such as the Mitsubishi ASX, Nissan Qashqai, Honda HR-V or Haval Jolion.

The sweet spot of the range would have to be the GXL Hybrid with 2WD, it's the best value and the most fuel efficient in the line-up.

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 Corolla Cross looks nothing like a Corolla hatchback or sedan from the outside. Although, if I look at the rear of the Corolla Cross and squint I can convince myself it has a similar taillight design to the Corolla sedan.

Personally I’m a bit disappointed in the exterior design of Corolla Cross. The styling already appears dated even though this is a new SUV which was only unveiled to the world for the first time in 2021.

That’s not to say the Corolla Cross is not good looking, it is. I like its tough face and boxy wheel arches - in many ways it’s like a mini RAV4. The problem for me is that like the RAV4 it feels as though the Corolla Cross has already been with us for years and years.

Inside, there are far more similarities to the regular Corolla. The Corolla Cross’ dashboard, steering wheel and centre console are almost identical to those in the sedan and hatch.

This isn’t the plushest cabin you’ll find among the rivals. Even the top-of-the-line Atmos which costs 50 grand doesn’t look very premium or special inside, but like all Toyotas the materials feel high quality and superbly put together.

The real similarities between the Corolla Cross and the Corolla are the mechanical underpinnings with both the SUV and the car versions sharing the same platform.

The Corolla Cross is a small SUV at 4460mm long and that means it nicely in the Toyota family tree above the C-HR which is 4395mm end-to-end and below the RAV4 which is 4615mm bumper-to-bumper.

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 Corolla Cross is a more practical version of the Corolla sedan and hatchback. 

The Corolla Cross’s boot is a lot larger than the hatch’s and while the cargo capacity is smaller than the sedan’s, the wide, tall tailgate opening will mean you’ll be able to fit in bulkier objects.

Boot size depends on which Corolla Cross you choose. The GX and GXL non-hybrid versions have the biggest boots at 436 litres (VDA), while the Atmos non-hybrid is 425 litres.

As for the hybrids, the GX and GXL front-wheel drives also have 425 litre boots, while the GXL and Atmos all-wheel drives have 390-litre and 380-litre luggage capacity respectively.

The reasons for the big difference in capacities between non-hybrid and hybrid Corolla Cross variants are the hybrid batteries which are located under the rear seat and eat into the boot area, while those with all-wheel drive have a second motor at the rear which takes up space.

Room inside is good for a small SUV. Headroom in the second row is excellent, while legroom was just passable for me to sit behind my driving position. I am 191cm tall though, so that’s almost a worst case scenario.

It's fair to say an SUV of this width won't fit three child seats across the back seat, but there are three top tether points across so you can choose which two positions to use. There's also two of the sturdier ISOFIX points in the outboard positions for appropriate baby seats.

Cabin storage could be better, with cupholders in the second-row door armrests, but no actual door pockets and only the Atmos comes with a fold-down centre armrest with two cup holders. There are the usual two cupholders in the front centre console as well, but it's surprising there's no dedicated bottle holders in the doors like most new cars these days.

Up front there are door pockets, a hideyhole under the dash for a phone and a small centre console storage area under the centre armrest.

I do like that the seats are large and accommodating even for me, and the positions of the controls and switches are spot on. 

We can talk about looks later, so let’s see much it costs to buy a Corolla Cross.

First thing to know is there are three grades in the Corolla Cross range. 

The most affordable versions of the Corolla Cross are those with just the petrol engine, not the petrol-electric hybrid options further up the range. The non-hybrid GX lists at $33,000, the GXL is $36,750 and the top-of-the-range Atmos is $43,550.

It’s a good time to point out that if you want a Corolla Cross with a non-hybrid drivetrain then you’ll only be able to get it as a front-wheel drive, not all-wheel drive..

The hybrid variants are available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. 

So the GX Hybrid front-wheel drive is $35,500. The GXL Hybrid is $39,250 for the front-wheel drive and $42,250 for the all-wheel drive. The Atmos Hybrid is $46,050 for the front-wheel drive and $49,050 for the all-wheel drive.

Got it? You may have noticed the GX Hybrid doesn’t come in all-wheel drive, so yes, you’ll have to step up to the GXL if you’d like it.

Do you need all-wheel drive? It’s not at all vital, but if you’re travelling regularly on gravel roads or snow then all-wheel drive tends to provide much better traction than front-wheel drive.    

Coming standard on the GX are LED headlights and 17-inch alloy wheels, fabric seats, climate control, proximity keys, an 8.0-inch touch screen, Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, a six-speaker stereo and digital radio, a reversing camera plus advanced safety tech covered in detail in the Safety section of this review.

The GXL gets all that and adds roof rails and rear privacy glass, leather upholstered seats and steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, a 10.5-inch display with built-in sat nav.

Now the Atmos, which sounds like a bathroom cleaner but it’s the very fanciest Corolla Cross with its panoramic moon roof and 18-inch alloys, a power tailgate and power driver's seat. Those front seats are heated, and so is the steering wheel. There's a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and wireless phone charging.

The Corolla Cross is well-priced compared to its rivals.The Haval Jolion has almost identical pricing across its range but the Corolla Cross goes one better for value by offering a hybrid variant in every grade, not just the top-of the-range as the Haval does. The Honda HR-V is another rival and while it's pricing is close to the Corolla Cross its two-grade line-up doesn't offer much choice. 

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.

How would you like your Corolla Cross to be powered? By petrol-alone or with a combination of petrol and electricity as per the hybrid variants?

The non-hybrid Corolla Cross has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine which makes 126kW and 202Nm. Remember, too, it only comes in front-wheel drive.

The hybrid variant combines a 112kW/190Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with an 83kW206Nm electric motor. And if you choose the AWD then there’s a second motor at the rear axle making 30kW.

Both the non-hybrid Corolla Cross and the hybrid have a CVT automatic transmission. Nope, no manual gearboxes here.  

The braked towing capacity for the range is 750kg. Interestingly, without trailer brakes, most of the range is rated even lower, with the non-hybrid GX and GXL rated at 725kg, the non-hybrid Atmos at 735kg, and the hybrid GX at 745kg. The hybrid GXL and Atmos get the full 750kg, regardless of trailer braking.

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.

If you want to save fuel the hybrid is absolutely the way to go with the front-wheel drive using 4.3L/100km and the all-wheel drive consuming 4.4L/100km according to official combined figures.

I drove the GXL all-wheel drive hybrid from Sydney’s CBD to the city’s northern beaches during horrendous peak hour traffic and the trip computer reported an average of 5.3L/100km being used. That’s not bad at all.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid doesn’t require plugging in to an external power source to charge the batteries. Instead the batteries are charged through regenerative braking. That is, you step on the brake pedal and the deceleration energy is converted into electricity and sent into the battery.   

The petrol variant doesn't quite have double the thirst of the hybrid at 6.0L/100km, which is still fairly efficient. 

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.

Toyota has a reputation for reliability and value, but one admirable attribute which should be added to this is also driveability. Nearly every new Toyota SUV I’ve driven in the past three years including the Kluger, C-HR and RAV4 has been an impressive all-rounder on the road.

The Corolla Cross feels a lot like the C-HR and RAV4 to drive in that it handles well, but has a comfortable ride with a secure planted feel on the road.

I drove both the all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive hybrid versions and the petrol variant at the launch and found that while both felt much the same there were two stand-out differences.

The first being the acceleration difference. The hybrid is far quicker off the mark than the petrol version. According to Toyota's claims, the actual 0-100km/h time for the hybrid is 7.5 seconds while the petrol variant can do it 9.0 seconds.

The other way these two Corolla Crosses differ is the smoothness of the hybrid powertrain and the way it moves silently at lower speeds in traffic in EV mode.

Both petrol and hybrid Corollas are easy to drive with steering that’s accurate and light. 

Are there any bad points to the driving? The small back window means rear visibility is restricted although the reversing camera is good. The wing mirrors also appear to be overly large and also obstruct vision slightly, too. 

Other not-so-good points are the relatively noisy petrol engine in all Corolla Cross variants, and the CVT transmission in both also causes the engine to drone.

The Corolla Cross hasn’t been given an ANCAP crash test rating yet, but the advanced safety tech every grade comes with is impressive.

All Corolla Crosses come with AEB that can detect pedestrians and cyclists, and impressively can function between 5-180km/h. There’s also lane keeping assistance, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert and adaptive cruise control.

If you step up to the GXL you’ll get auto braking which works while you’re parking and the Atmos gets auto parking.

The impressive airbag tally is the same across the Corolla Cross range, with a total of eight. These include a front centre airbag and driver's knee bag, but there's no side airbags for back seat occupants.

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.

The Corolla Cross is covered by Toyota’s five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is currently average across the industry. The battery is also covered by that five-year/unlimited km warranty. 

Extended coverage of up to seven years/unlimited kilometres is available if the owner services the vehicle according to the warranty and service book.

The hybrid battery coverage can also be extended to 10 years with an annual health check inspection.

Services are a convenient 12months/15,000km and pricing is capped for five years at $230. That’s outstanding.