2023 Toyota Sienna vs 2023 Ford Escape

The 2023 Toyota Sienna appeared as a thoughtfully redesigned minivan aimed at shedding the aesthetic connotations long associated with the genre. For many, minivans recall childhood memories of long trips, sliding doors, and somewhat pedestrian looks. However, with SUVs becoming car-based crossovers, the distinction between minivans and crossovers blurred, favoring minivans' practicality. Toyota put significant effort into redesigning the Sienna, giving it a front-end that resembled a sleek Japanese bullet train. Most offerings had 18-inch wheels, but the higher trims like the XSE and Platinum came with 20-inch wheels, which added to their stylish appeal.

Toyota offered a plethora of trim levels for the Sienna: the base LE, the XLE, the sporty XSE, the upmarket Limited, and the top-tier Platinum. For 2023, an additional 25th Anniversary Special Edition trim was introduced, positioned just below the Limited in terms of price. The Platinum trim's interior, with its exquisite brown leather upholstery and wood-grain accents, felt particularly luxurious.

The Sienna featured seven- or eight-passenger configurations, with the former available only in the LE and XLE trims. Notably, these eight-seater variants could support three-across car seats in the middle row, a significant advantage for larger families. The interior demonstrated innovative storage solutions and a highly functional design.

Conversely, the 2023 Ford Escape embraced a more modern European design language, moving away from the rugged and boxy designs of its predecessors. The 2023 refresh replaced its previously cartoonish grille with a more conventional layout, complete with the Ford blue oval logo centered on the grille, flanked by a sleek LED light bar. Despite not mimicking an off-road-ready look, the Escape retained a sleek and upscale aesthetic, especially in comparison to its competitors.

The Escape was offered in various trims, including Active, ST-Line, ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite. Our ST-Line Elite test model featured 19-inch wheels, body-color mirror caps, and wheel-arch cladding, which lent it a stylish yet unpretentious look.

Inside, the ST-Line Elite boasted diamond-stitched leather upholstery, which, although visually appealing, felt hard and somewhat plasticky to the touch. However, the seats themselves were comfortably padded, ideal for long journeys. The interior, built primarily of plastic, did show some signs of cost-cutting but nonetheless provided sufficient comfort and long-term durability.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna, which debuted its fourth generation in 2020, exclusively embraced a hybrid powertrain. This consisted of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two front-mounted electric motors, while AWD trims added a third rear-mounted electric motor. The combined system produced 245 horsepower, which appeared slightly underwhelming compared to competitors. The Sienna's continuously variable transmission (CVT) contributed to a rather uninspiring engine note, especially during hard acceleration, leaving something to be desired in terms of power and sound.

Despite its lackluster acceleration, the Sienna impressed with its nimbleness and easy maneuverability, considering its size. The platform provided a sound chassis and precise steering, making it an enjoyable drive both around town and on highways. Drive modes like EV, Normal, Eco, and Sport were available, but the Normal mode seemed the most balanced. The EV mode proved elusive in keeping the gasoline engine off, while Eco mode overly suppressed throttle response. Sport mode, though, did little to disguise the Sienna’s minivan roots.

The 2023 Ford Escape distinguished itself within the crowded crossover segment by offering multiple powertrain options. The base powertrain was a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine delivering 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This engine could be equipped with either FWD or AWD. For more significant performance, the ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite trims were equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, boasting 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, exclusively with AWD. This powertrain provided robust acceleration and was comfortable in high-speed scenarios.

However, none of the Escape trims brought true performance characteristics. The soft suspension, though advantageous for absorbing road imperfections, was not tuned for spirited driving. The transmission was efficient but lacked performance features such as paddle shifters. Nonetheless, braking felt linear and predictable, and the steering was well-weighted, avoiding the overly boosted feel of some competitors.

Minivans, known for their clever use of space, were epitomized by the 2023 Toyota Sienna. Its interior was replete with storage solutions. It had a large cubby underneath the center console for big bags and a shelf running across the dashboard, perfect for phones or small items. Higher trims featured a wireless charging pad on this shelf. The center console offered ample room and numerous cupholders for passenger convenience.

The Sienna's dimensions, over 200 inches in length with a 120.5-inch wheelbase, made it a notably spacious vehicle. Its minivan platform outperformed three-row crossovers in cargo capacity, offering 33.5 cubic feet behind the third row and 75.2 cubic feet with the third row folded down. Total cargo space amounted to 101 cubic feet, though this fell short of competitors mainly due to the non-removable middle-row seats. However, the second-row captain's chairs provided excellent adaptability and comfort, capable of sliding to allow for generous third-row legroom.

The 2023 Ford Escape boasted a comfortable and user-friendly interior layout. Its ergonomics were laudable, with well-placed armrests on the front doors and center console and conveniently arranged cupholders. The head-up display in the test vehicle was easy to adjust for different drivers.

In terms of cargo space, the Escape fell behind its leading competitors. It offered 37.5 cubic feet behind the second row and 65.4 cubic feet with the second row folded. While adequate for everyday use, it might be limiting for larger hauls or moving day, especially compared to rivals like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, which provide more space. Rear legroom was slightly less than some competitors, but rear headroom was commendable, and the padded front-seat backs maximized comfort for taller back-seat passengers.

While Toyota showcased impressive technology in other models, the 2023 Sienna had to make do with the older infotainment system. It included essential features such as SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an optional navigation system. The Sienna had seven USB ports, and the older interface benefitted from physical buttons, though it felt outdated and could be unresponsive at times. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto required a wired connection, and accessing Android Auto involved a cumbersome menu navigation.

Nevertheless, the Sienna's 9-inch touchscreen, though modest on paper, was suitably sized in reality, and the 12-speaker JBL audio system provided good sound quality.

Ford's 2023 Escape, on the other hand, featured modern tech with the Sync 4 infotainment system. Lower-trim models had an 8-inch screen, but higher trims like the ST-Line Elite and Platinum came with a larger, 13.2-inch touchscreen that significantly enhanced the cabin's look. Sync 4 was user-friendly with individual tiles for navigation, music, and Bluetooth functions, and transitioning between functions, such as from Android Auto to native navigation, was seamless. Despite minor issues such as slower response times and inconveniently placed volume control, Sync 4's overall package was impressive.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna came well-equipped with advanced safety features. Standard systems included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. The Sienna secured a five-star rating in NHTSA crash tests and was a Top Safety Pick+ by IIHS (based on the similarly built 2022 model). Toyota focused on providing essential safety features rather than gimmicky extras.

The 2023 Ford Escape also performed admirably in safety. Receiving a five-star rating from the NHTSA, it performed well in frontal and side crash tests, although IIHS did not grant it a Top Safety Pick due to a Marginal side-impact test score. The Escape's Co-Pilot360 suite came standard with features such as forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams. The Co-Pilot360 2.0 upgrade added adaptive cruise control, road sign recognition, lane-centering technology, and a surround-view camera, enhancing safety and convenience features.