How safe is the Ford Escape hybrid?
Drivers of the 2020–2023 Ford Escape hybrid died at a rate of 7 per million registered vehicle years, 78% lower than the average of 37 for all vehicles. That makes it one of the safest vehicles on the road for its driver: it ranks 12th of 129 vehicles, safer than 91% of them, whether they're small cars, SUVs, pickups or minivans.
Where the Ford Escape hybrid sits among all 129 vehicles
Ford Escape hybrid (bar is the 95% range)Every other ranked vehicleDashed line: average of 37
The rate is based on plenty of data, so this ranking is reliable.
2WD vs. 4WD
IIHS rates each drivetrain separately. The score above combines them, weighting the version with more data more heavily.
| Version | Deaths* | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Ford Escape hybrid 2WD | 26 | 0–66 |
| Ford Escape hybrid 4WD | 6 | 0–17 |
Vehicles ranked near the Ford Escape hybrid
These are the vehicles just above and below it on the all-class ranking. Notice they aren't all the same type: the ranking compares every vehicle against every other one. Ranks use each rate after adjusting for how much data is behind it, so a rate of 0 from a few vehicles can rank below a slightly higher rate from many. Why.
| Rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Chevrolet Suburban 1500 4WDSUV · Very large | 6 | 94 |
| 10 | Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class 4WDLuxury SUV · Small | 0 | 93 |
| 11 | Volvo XC60 4WDLuxury SUV · Midsize | 7 | 92 |
| 12 | Ford Escape hybridSUV · Small | 7 | 91 |
| 13 | Porsche Cayenne 4WDLuxury SUV · Large | 7 | 91 |
| 14 | Hyundai Tucson hybrid 4WDSUV · Small | 7 | 89 |
| 15 | Volvo XC90 4WDLuxury SUV · Midsize | 7 | 89 |
How it compares with other SUVs
Among the 46 SUVs ranked, the Ford Escape hybrid is 5th. The safest SUVs are below. See all SUVs.
| SUVs rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevrolet Tahoe 4WDSUV · Large | 0 | 100 |
| 2 | Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in hybrid 4WDSUV · Small | 5 | 96 |
| 3 | Volkswagen AtlasSUV · Midsize | 6 | 95 |
| 4 | Chevrolet Suburban 1500 4WDSUV · Very large | 6 | 94 |
| 5 | Ford Escape hybridSUV · Small | 7 | 91 |
Common questions
Is the Ford Escape hybrid a safe vehicle?
By real-world driver deaths, the Ford Escape hybrid is one of the safest vehicles on the road for its driver. Its driver death rate of 7 per million registered vehicle years is 78% lower than the average, and it ranks 12th of 129 vehicles across all classes.
How does the Ford Escape hybrid compare with other SUVs?
It ranks 5th of 46 SUVs. The safest is the Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD, with a rate of 0.
Is the 2WD or 4WD Ford Escape hybrid safer?
The 4WD version had the lower driver death rate (2WD: 26, 4WD: 6). Their ranges overlap, so the difference may be down to chance.
Why is this different from the Ford Escape hybrid's crash-test rating?
Crash-test stars only compare vehicles of similar size and weight, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star SUV aren't equally safe. This ranking uses real-world driver death rates, which can be compared across every class.
* Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is one vehicle registered for one year.