The Forester has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Escape doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.
In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Subaru Forester achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, outperforming the Ford Escape which scored only a “Marginal” in these critical safety features.
To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Forester. But it costs extra on the Escape.
When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Escape doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.
Both the Forester and the Escape have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.
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 Subaru Forester is much safer than the Escape:
|
Forester |
Escape |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
Structure |
ACCEPTABLE |
ACCEPTABLE |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
103 |
391 |
Head Peak Forces |
no contact |
93 G’s |
Neck Tension |
201 lbs. |
379 lbs. |
Torso |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
Shoulder Deflection |
.87 in |
1.1 in |
Shoulder Force |
201 lbs. |
223 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.02 in |
1.77 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
6 MPH |
8 MPH |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
Pelvis Force |
892 lbs. |
1160 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Neck Tension |
89 lbs. |
201 lbs. |
Torso |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.34 in |
1.5 in |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Pelvis Force |
580 lbs. |
1093 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
The Subaru Forester ((except Wilderness)) achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2025 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated moderate overlap front crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Escape is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.