- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 11 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
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6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
4.0 stars
"Great SUV, remember it's a SUV"
Pros: Room of a SUV with mpg of a car
Cons: Limited electronics options
Summary: I disagree on a lot of points that the Cnet reviewers made. One thing to remember the Escape Hybrid IS AN ESCAPE. It won't stop as fast as the Prius-- it WEIGHS more and is longer and higher. You cannot compare a car to a SUV.
I drove Escapes middle brother, the Explorer for 4 years, so have a great comparison of this hybrid to another SUV. As far as handling, it is just as good, if not a little quicker on the turns since it's a little lighter. The brakes are spongy. Believe me they do stop (after being cut off twice on the freeway this weekend.) They just feel a lot softer than what I'm used to. The noise is actually less than the Explorer. I'm coming to find out that Hybrids in general are quieter cars. So, if you were not used to the noise level of a hybrid, you would find this an acceptible db.
Although I wanted the Navigation system, I wasn't able to get it -- these cars are in great demand. However, I have to say, Ford did a great job of keeping you informed without spending extra money. There is a battery state window that lets you know when the battery is charging vs. dischargin. Using this I learned the right pressure on the brakes to charge the battery the most. The tachometer has an 'EV' region below 0 that lets you know when the electric engine is running solo. Using this, I saw that I was able to get up to and maintain 30mph only on electric (better than Ford promises.) Lastly, the information center gives some great data. First, it tells you the average mpg up to that point. I saw this go from 23mpg when I picked up the car to 30.6mpg in three days -- already almost 10mpg better than the Explorer, and that was mostly highway driving. The info center also lets you know how many miles to empty, and automatically senses when you fill the tank. It also has an instant fuel economy in a bar graph, as well as tells you when the next oil change is due, and the status of many systems.
I don't need fancy graphics in my car when driving. I like, however, pertinent facts like when I may need to fill up for gas, and the savings I'm getting with the Hybrid.
Yes the hybrid costs more than its sibling, it is newer technology that is still not mainstreem. However, you get the satisfaction of saving money at the pump, saving a limited resource (gas products) and not polluting our air more than others do.
I appreciate the fact that Ford has created a bare bones SUV Hybrid for those of us who really need and want the space but don't want to pay $33,000+ for it.
