2010 Ford Escape Hybrid
Escape Hybrid Leads in Fuel Efficiency
If you are looking for best gas mileage in an SUV, look no further than the Ford Escape Hybrid. It gets between 31 and 34 miles per gallon of gas. But this excellent fuel economy comes at a cost. The base price for the Escape Hybrid is just shy of $30,000, which is about $6000 more than a standard Escape, comparably equipped. Yet, over 90,000 buyers, seeking and environmentally friendly SUV, have purchased this hybrid since its introduction in October 2004.
Ford freshened the styling of the Escape two years ago, and now has introduced more high tech features for 2010. Blind spot mirrors are now standard, and the SYNC voice-activated interface can access traffic info and get directions. Buyers can also order Active Park Assist, which will parallel park your Escape for you and MyKey, which enables parents to limit the top speed and audio volume of their teen drivers.
The interior of the Escape, although unchanged, is still attractive. The look is functional but not austere. My test vehicle was nicely trimmed in beige. The dash was two-tone, part of it light, but with darker textured panels in front of the driver and passenger for contrast. A “top of dash” display that included radio and temperature readouts, added a nice touch, but some buttons on the center control panel are mounted so low that they are hard to access. Gauges are illuminated in light blue, and the Hybrid model gets a meter showing battery function. A graphic display of hybrid energy flow is available on the optional navigation screen.
The Escape seats four adults in reasonable comfort—five in a pinch. Head and legroom are good, considering that this compact SUV rides on just a 103.1-inch wheelbase. The driver gets a six-way power adjuster. The front passenger uses a manual control. Luggage space behind the second row is decent at 27.6 cu-ft, and can be expanded to 65-cu-ft when the rear seat is folded down. Access to the cargo area is easy, via a wide-opening liftback door.
Ford powers the Hybrid with a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder, gasoline engine, which is combined with a 94-hp electric motor. Together, they generate 177 horsepower. This is basically a carryover from last year’s Hybrid. Around town, the electric motor does most of the work, so in this environment, it’s the most fuel-efficient. At speeds above 25 mph, the gas engine takes over, and when a burst of power is needed, the two systems work together. A new electrically driven air conditioning system provides cooling even when the gas engine is off.
The hybrid engine is teamed with a continuously variable (automatic) transmission (CVT). This tranny uses a series of planetary gears to transfer power to the wheels. Out on the road, the CVT feels a little unusual at first. The sense of acceleration seems missing, since there is no shifting of gears, but press firmly on the gas, and the hybrid will pull just as well as the V-6 powered Escape.
The driving dynamics of the 2010 Escape Hybrid are about the same as last year’s model. The handling is best described as average for an SUV. The additional 300 lbs of battery weight cause the vehicle to run wide and lean a good deal going around corners. And unfortunately, the ride quality has not improved over its predecessor. It is still stiff and bouncy, like a truck-based SUV, rather than a car-derived crossover.
The Escape Hybrid has a base price of $29, 975, and the hybrid components are guaranteed for eight years, or 100,000 miles.
Snapshot Review:
Good Fuel Economy
Attractive and Roomy Cabin
Choppy Ride
High Price
