2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Road Test

2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Review
2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Prices
2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Competition
2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Car Quote

Driving the Ford Escape Hybrid
The Ford Escape Hybrid handles just like the gas-only four-cylinder Escape. Cornering at normal speeds is stable. Acceleration with the Escape Hybrid feels more like it’s powered by a small V-6.

The hybrid system excels in saving fuel during city driving, where it can propel the vehicle solely on electric power. While the Escape Hybrid can be driven like a conventional SUV, it requires some attention to driving technique to get the most use out of the electric drive.

Assuming the battery is in a charged state, it is easy to drive the Escape Hybrid up to a speed of 25 mph on electric power. It does take a light foot, but not to the point of holding up normal traffic. Typically, the Escape Hybrid can start and stop and cruise at 25 mph for up to a half mile before the gas engine kicks in to automatically replenish the batteries. Exceed that speed or distance, or accelerate at a faster rate, and the transition to gasoline power is virtually seamless.

The Escape Hybrid also saves gas by automatically turning off the engine when coming to a stop, and keeping it off at a standstill while it runs accessories on battery power. Weather conditions and climate-control settings do impact performance, however. Running the air conditioning full blast on a hot day will cause the gas engine to run continuously. Ford recommends using the “ECON” setting on the climate control to reduce demand on the engine.

Riding in the Ford Escape Hybrid
Ford Escape has a rigid body that helps this small SUV have a solid feel that belies its size. The ride is quiet and smooth, with good absorption of bumps. The interior has a rather bland look and is constructed of cheap feeling materials. The leather trim of the Premium Package is an upgrade over the standard cloth. Headroom is ample and legroom feels above average for vehicles in this class.


Ford Escape Hybrid dashboard and controls
Control layout is clean and simple. Switches have a substantial feel. The unique tachometer of the Escape Hybrid has a green zone below the zero to indicate when the vehicle is driving on electric power. Another gauge indicates whether the electric motor is charging the batteries or assisting the gasoline engine. Both are useful for modifying driving habits in the quest for optimum fuel economy. Less useful, though entertaining nonetheless is the graphic display that can be switched on the center screen showing what the hybrid system is doing.

Ford Escape Hybrid fuel economy
The EPA for 2008 revised its fuel-economy rating methods to better reflect real-world driving conditions. However, gas-electric hybrids still tend to perform disproportionately well in EPA testing. In real-world driver, hybrid owners often discover their fuel economy to be higher than the EPA estimates. And as with all vehicles, actual fuel mileage depends heavily on driving habits. As a rule, the slower and gentler, the better.

The EPA rates the front-wheel-drive Ford Escape Hybrid at 34 mpg in city driving and 30 mpg in highway driving. However, test Escape Hybrids have averaged as low as 21.5 mpg in mostly city driving in hot weather. Under more ideal conditions, it will achieve up to 30 mpg in city driving.

Mostly due to the additional weight of the all-wheel drive components, AWD Ford Escape Hybrids aren’t as fuel-efficient as front-drive versions. The EPA rates the AWD Escape Hybrid at 29 mpg city, 27 mpg highway.

Ford Escape Hybrid safety
Ford Escape Hybrids have the same safety equipment as gas-only Escapes, including as standard head-protecting side curtain airbags and torso-protecting front-seat side airbags.

The Escape received four out of five stars for driver protection in government frontal crash testing. In side-impact testing, the Escape garnered top five-star ratings for front-and rear passenger protection.

In testing for rollover risk, the Escape rated three out of five stars, but no longer tips like previous models thanks to the addition of a standard antiskid system.

Ford Escape Hybrid quality and reliability
J.D. Power and Associates, the leading customer satisfaction ratings firm, find Ford Escape scores average overall in quality and reliability. Escape shows strongly in areas of powertrain and other mechanical quality, while interior design issues received the most complaints from owners. For study purposes, the Ford Escape Hybrid is considered a variation of the base Ford Escape, rather than a separate model.