Compare the2026 Chevrolet TraxVS 2025 Ford Escape

Both the Trax and the Escape have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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

	Trax	Escape
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	20 lbs.	23 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	93/94 lbs.	188/315 lbs.

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

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, results indicate that the Chevrolet Trax is safer than the Ford Escape:

	Trax	Escape
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	405 lbs.	816 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Chevrolet Trax is safer than the Escape:

	Trax	Escape
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Structure	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Peak Forces	no contact	93 G’s
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Torso Max Deflection	1.5 in	1.77 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	8 MPH
Head Protection	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	134 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Force	335 lbs.	379 lbs.
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	892 lbs.	1093 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Trax is 1.4% to 1.9% less likely to roll over than the Escape.

The Trax’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Escape’s (6 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in initial quality. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Ford is rated below average.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Trax uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Escape with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Trax stops much shorter than the Escape:

	Trax	Escape
60 to 0 MPH	116 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

For better traction, the Trax RS’ optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Escape (245/45R19 vs. 225/65R17).

The Trax LS/LT’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escape’s standard 65 series tires. The Trax RS’ optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Escape’s optional 55 series tires.

The Trax has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Escape doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Trax ACTIV handles at .84 G’s, while the Escape ST-Line Elite AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Trax ACTIV executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Escape (27.5 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

The Chevrolet Trax may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 500 pounds less than the Ford Escape.

The Trax uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Escape doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Trax can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Trax can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Escape can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Trax’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Escape does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Trax’s front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Escape’s standard power windows’ passenger windows don’t open automatically.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Chevrolet Trax retains 52.73% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 48.65% resale value of the 2025 Ford Escape after five years, which can save the Chevrolet’s owner up to $5465.541688 in depreciation.

The Trax was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2025 and 2024. The Escape hasn’t been picked since 2001, and the Escape has only been chosen once.

The Chevrolet Trax outsold the Ford Escape by 32% during 2024.