Compare the2025 Nissan Kicks PlayVS 2025 Ford Escape FHEV

The Nissan Kicks Play has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the Kicks Play and the Escape FHEV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available driver alert monitors.

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 Nissan Kicks Play is safer than the Ford Escape FHEV:

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

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

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kicks Play for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Nissan will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Escape FHEV.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Kicks Play’s reliability 33 points higher than the Escape FHEV.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Ford With 40 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Ford.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 1 place higher in reliability than Ford.

The Kicks Play SV/SR’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Escape FHEV are solid, not vented.

The Kicks Play stops shorter than the Escape FHEV:

The Kicks Play 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 FHEV doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Kicks Play handles at .82 G’s, while the Escape FHEV AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Kicks Play’s turning circle is 3 feet tighter than the Escape FHEV’s (34.2 feet vs. 37.2 feet).

The Nissan Kicks Play may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 850 to 900 pounds less than the Ford Escape FHEV.

The Kicks Play is 11 inches shorter than the Escape FHEV, making the Kicks Play easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Kicks Play has .4 inches more front headroom and 1.3 inches more front legroom than the Escape FHEV.

The Kicks Play’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Escape FHEV’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Nissan Kicks Play, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Ford Escape FHEV isn't recommended.