Compare the2026 Ford EscapeVS 2025 Lexus NX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Escape has standard Post-Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The NX doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Escape and the NX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Escape is safer than the Lexus NX:

	Escape	NX
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	143	233
Neck Injury Risk	22.5%	34.2%
Neck Stress	185 lbs.	303 lbs.
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	41 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	188/315 lbs.	381/340 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	102	285
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Neck Compression	58 lbs.	64 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	220/169 lbs.	413/450 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Escape is safer than the NX:

	Escape	NX
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Forces L/R	67/90 pounds	270/225 pounds
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Forces L/R	67/90 pounds	270/225 pounds
Leg Forces L/R	382/292 pounds	382/584 pounds
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Ford Escape is safer than the Lexus NX:

	Escape	NX
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	97	134
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	47 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	13 inches
HIC	344	380
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	48 G’s
Hip Force	462 lbs.	892 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

There are almost 12 times as many Ford dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escape’s warranty.

Reliability

The Escape has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The NX doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Escape first among compact suvs in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The NX was rated second in its category.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Ford Escape turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Lexus NX:

	Escape	NX 350h AWD	NX 350 AWD
Zero to 60 MPH	6.6 sec	7 sec	7.3 sec
Quarter Mile	15.1 sec	15.4 sec	15.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91.2 MPH	89 MPH	92.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Escape gets better mileage than the NX running its gasoline engine:

			MPG
Escape
	FWD	1.5 turbo 3-cyl.	27 city/34 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 3-cyl.	26 city/32 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy
NX
	FWD	250 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/33 hwy
	AWD	250 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/32 hwy
		350 2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Escape 1.5 Turbo’s fuel efficiency. The NX doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Both the Escape and the NX have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Escapes have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. The NX 350h/450h+ doesn’t offer a way to disable start/stop.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Escape uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine for maximum performance). The NX 350 AWD requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Escape AWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the NX (15.7 vs. 14.5 gallons).

The Escape has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The NX doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

The Escape stops much shorter than the NX:

	Escape	NX
70 to 0 MPH	161 feet	175 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	137 feet	152 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Escape offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the NX; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The Escape AWD handles at .87 G’s, while the NX 350 AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Escape ST-Line Elite AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the NX 450h+ AWD (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Escape’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the NX’s (37.2 feet vs. 38 feet).

Chassis

The Ford Escape may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 950 pounds less than the Lexus NX.

The Escape is 3.4 inches shorter than the NX, making the Escape easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Escape uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The NX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Escape has 1.7 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front legroom, 1.3 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, 4.6 inches more rear legroom, .8 inches more rear hip room and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the NX.

Cargo Capacity

The Escape has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the NX with its rear seat up (37.5 vs. 22.7 cubic feet). The Escape has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the NX with its rear seat folded (65.4 vs. 46.9 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Escape easier. The Escape’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.1 inches, while the NX’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

The Escape’s cargo area is larger than the NX’s in almost every dimension:

	Escape	NX
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	37.8”/68.5”	37.6”/70.3”
Max Width	57.3”	54.5”
Min Width	41.4”	39.7”
Height	34.8”	29.6”

Towing

The Escape’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the NX’s (2000 vs. 0 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Lexus NX is only 2000 pounds. The Escape offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

Ergonomics

The power windows standard on both the Escape and the NX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Escape is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The NX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Escape’s available exterior PIN entry system. The NX doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

Consumer Reports rated the Escape’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the NX’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Recommendations

The Ford Escape outsold the Lexus NX by over two to one during 2024.

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