With top scores not just in each primary test category (frontal, side, and rear impact) but in all subcategories as well, the 2013 Escape is truly one of the best-rated small SUVs in the Institute's tests. Furthermore, it achieves an excellent strength-to-weight ratio of 5.03 in the IIHS roof strength test, which applies force to a particular area of the roof, corresponding to rollover injury.
The previous generation of the Escape was built on an aging design and only achieved 'marginal' in the roof test—or 'poor' for the heavier Escape Hybrid (again referring to the former model).
The Escape has already been tested by the federal government, and with four stars overall and in frontal impact plus five stars for side impact, it fared well—but not quite as well—there. The Honda CR-V, for instance, managed to achieve both Top Safety Pick status as well as a five-star federal overall rating.
Roof strength scores for the Acura ILX are an also-impressive 5.64—well ahead of the four needed for a 'good' rating and the 3.25 required as a minimum.
Neither of these vehicles have been tested in the new IIHS small overlap front test, although the agency is expected to roll out more of those results over the next few months.
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