Article and photos by Grant Yoxon
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Photo Gallery: 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid
Ottawa, Ontario - In our last report on the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid we described how we managed to drop the Escape's fuel consumption from a baseline high of 8.57 L/100 km to 6.57 L/100 km during more than 1000 kilometres of driving to plot out the route for CanadianDriver's 50-litre Challenge.
In mid-June, the Escape once again covered the 50-litre Challenge route, working as our support vehicle for the event. Loaded with three and sometimes four adults, a variety of video gear, two coolers full of water, 15 heavy safety triangles, a full 20-litre tank of additional fuel and other stuff we needed for the event, our fuel consumption was naturally worse - 7.88 L/100 km.
We learned, as we have throughout this fuel economy challenge series, that environmental factors like wind direction and ambient temperature play a significant role in fuel consumption. The Escape is typical of SUVs, being strongly affected by wind because of its brick-like design.
2008 Ford Escape Hybrid. Click image to enlarge
Weight plays a role too. The more stuff you carry, the more fuel you will consume. Getting unnecessary stuff out of the car can deliver long term fuel savings.
But when you can't control the climate or the cargo, you can control your right foot. Despite head winds and heavy loads, we never used as much fuel as we did when we baselined the Escape. Driving "normally", that is accelerating briskly away from stop lights and moving along at 120 km/h on the freeway, gave us fuel consumption of 8.57 L/100 km. Driving with a light foot, adhering to speed limits, planning our drives and anticipating stops saved us an average of one L/100 km.
That the Escape used just 8.57 L/100 km in normal driving and achieved a low of 6.57 L/100 km with fuel efficient driving techniques is remarkable for an SUV weighing 1644 kg (3624 lbs). With a cargo capacity behind the front seats of 1877 litres (66.3 cu. ft.) and a flat loading surface, there is plenty of room for carrying stuff if you need it. And the Escape Hybrid can be equipped with all the comfort and convenience features a buyer would want at an affordable price.
2008 Ford Escape Hybrid. Click image to enlarge
Our Escape Hybrid tester had a retail price of $32,164, which included a satellite radio and sunroof package ($30,739 base). But taking into account the current "Family Pricing Discount" of $2,309, this Escape could be purchased for $29,855. Add to that any negotiated discounts, federal and provincial tax incentives of up to $4000 depending on where you live and the real price of the Escape Hybrid , equipped as tested, could be as low as $25,000. Take out the $1,425 satellite radio/sunroof option and a Canadian buyer could be into a hybrid SUV for less than $24,000. This is an incredible deal.
We're just surprised that other manufacturers haven't stepped up with compact hybrid SUVs. Only Saturn offers a compact hybrid SUV in its Green Line Vue. Toyota and Lexus have the mid-sized hybrid Highlander and RX 400h, while Chevrolet offers the Tahoe in a full size hybrid. It would seem like a no-brainer considering Canadians (and increasingly, Americans) love both SUVs and decent fuel economy.
2008 Ford Escape Hybrid. Click image to enlarge
And if fuel savings aren't enough, the Ford Escape Hybrid delivers considerable environmental savings. An Escape Hybrid will, according to Natural Resources Canada, emit 2,928 kg of CO2 per year, considerably less than the 5,184 kg of the Escape V6 AWD. It even beats the front-wheel-drive 4-cylinder model by over 1400 kg of CO2.
Price, fuel and CO2 savings make compelling reasons to consider the Ford Escape Hybrid should you be looking to scale down. But there are some trade-offs.
While the gas/electric hybrid drive-train in the Escape is much improved over the previous model - a smooth transition from gas to electric modes is particularly noteworthy - unusual hybrid noises take a bit of getting used to. A high pitched whine at high speeds is a bit irritating, while a muffled siren-like sound at low speeds will have you looking over your shoulder for approaching emergency vehicles.
As well, Ford's CVT (continuously variable transmission) generates a lot of noise under acceleration. Ford just hasn't achieved the level of sophistication that Nissan has with their CVT.
Overall fit and finish and the quality of materials used in the Escape are a bit disappointing as well with uneven gaps between materials, a power receptacle that pulled right out of the dash along with the inserted electrical plug, and seats that proved to be easy to soil and difficult to clean.
But considering the savings, both up front and over the years of ownership, these drawbacks are easy to overlook. Anyone looking for a hybrid alternative to today's rising fuel costs should consider the Ford Escape Hybrid.
