Once up to highway speeds, a fair amount of wind noise penetrates the cabin.Īll-disc antilock brakes are standard, and the 2009 Escape Hybrid gets a new brake-pedal sensor. The upside, of course, is better gas mileage. The Escape Hybrid delivers acceptable acceleration that gives it enough power to get up to highway speeds safely, but it isn’t a power-oriented hybrid like the Lexus GS 450h, a midsize luxury sedan with a V-6 engine. Ford says it tried to make this element of the powertrain smoother, and it succeeded.
Whereas the 2008 Escape Hybrid exhibited a slight shudder when its gas engine started, the 2009 Escape Hybrid’s engine comes on more smoothly the main ways to tell it’s on are by looking at the tachometer or listening for its quiet drone. Operating the air conditioning in its regular mode will keep the gas engine on more frequently, but pressing the system’s “Econ” button allows you to enjoy air conditioning as well as more electric-only operation than you’d otherwise get. The Escape Hybrid moves in near silence on electric power alone at low speeds and can even do so when going up a gradual incline. Total system output is 177 horsepower, and a continuously variable automatic transmission is standard. It’s a refined system that smoothly blends power to propel the SUV. Starting with 2009 models, the Escape Hybrid uses a gas/electric powertrain that consists of a new 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor. Badges on the sides and liftgate clue people in that this is a hybrid, but otherwise it looks much like a regular Escape (see a side-by-side comparison with a 2009 Escape). Design cues include large front and rear fender flares, and, on the Limited trim, a chrome grille that flows into the front bumper.Īs opposed to GM, which slathers its full-size SUV hybrids with stickers and badges, Ford has shown some restraint in distinguishing the Escape Hybrid from regular Escapes. While Ford has improved the model for 2009, interior quality remains one of the Escape Hybrid’s shortcomings.Ĭompared to some of its small SUV competitors, the Escape Hybrid has maintained a relatively traditional SUV appearance with its upright grille and angular profile, and this should be appealing to those who like the rugged look of an SUV but the better gas mileage of a hybrid. Aside from some hybrid-specific drivetrain characteristics, the Escape Hybrid drives like a conventional small SUV.
I tested an all-wheel-drive version of the new Limited trim level of the Escape Hybrid and found that the government’s estimates are easily within reach. What’s an SUV shopper to do? If you’re not ready to downsize to a small car, the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid remains one of the most efficient small SUVs available today, with an EPA-estimated 34/31 mpg city/highway for the front-wheel-drive model and 29/27 mpg for ones with all-wheel drive. Small SUVs are relatively efficient compared to their larger counterparts, but even in a model like that, topping off the tank can get pricey when gas is above $4 a gallon - as it is in many places around the country. To see what’s new for 2010, click here, or check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years. Little of substance has changed with this year’s model. Editor’s note: This review was written in September 2008 about the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid.
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