Ford Escape Hybrib

[JoshK]

So this thing is coming out pretty soon. First off, I say two thumbs up to Ford. It hardly makes up for the Turdcursion and Suxpedition, but it's a good start.

 

Does anybody else find this vehicle compelling? Granted, I'm not a SUV fan. More than the waste of everything they are, I just dont really like the styling. But, here you can get a vehicle with 4WD, a reasonable amount of gear hauling ability and very good gas milage. It's an interesting vehicle...

[Dru]

the ford escape is a brick of corn-studded shit on wheels and making it a hybrid will not disguise this basic fact.

[jja]

You know Josh, every time I get the urge to get a subaru or something practical for my next car I think of people like you and resolve to get a hummer h2 in bright yellow and commute to work alone just to piss off the suv hating tree huggers

 

As far as the hybrid escape goes, dru's probably right. Ford has the worst rep of domestic makers when it comes to quality and engineering smarts, we'll have to see. But as a general proposition trucks make an inviting platform for electic drive motors. Electric motors make max tourqe at low rpm, which is exactly what you want in a heavy work vehicle.

[cracked]

You know Josh, every time I get the urge to get a subaru or something practical for my next car I think of people like you and resolve to get a hummer h2 in bright yellow and commute to work alone just to piss off the suv hating tree huggers

Don't forget the gun rack!

[jja]

nah, I don't need a gun rack, I've got a concealed carry permit

[cracked]

You look tougher with a gun rack.

[Beck]

Kind of hard to drive with a 12 gauge shoved down your pants! But seriously, the Ford SUV Hybrid only gets mid twenties MPG or something like that, not what the sticker says.... when mid twenties is considered GOOD gas mileage, there's something wrong.

But it's a start, I guess. Ford didn't do this out of environmental altruism, it's to be able to sell cars in California by meeting %'s required in that state for low/no emission vehicles.

[scott_harpell]

Kind of hard to drive with a 12 gauge shoved down your pants! But seriously, the Ford SUV Hybrid only gets mid twenties MPG or something like that, not what the sticker says.... when mid twenties is considered GOOD gas mileage, there's something wrong.

But it's a start, I guess. Ford didn't do this out of environmental altruism, it's to be able to sell cars in California by meeting %'s required in that state for low/no emission vehicles.

 

Hell, my 82' f-250 351W gets about that.

[AlpineK]

Mid 20s is good milage for a SUV. If the fleet milage goes up that's a good thing.

 

I've had some bad experiences with former employers Fords, so I don't think I'd trust Ford with anything as cutting edge as a Hybrid.

 

What I really want is a hybrid diesel Isuzu F series; about 25,000 GVW will do nicely.

[jordop]

Ford escape is not 4WD, it's AWD. The only true 4WD small SUV is the Suzuki Sidekick/Chevy tracker cause it's got low range, though the RAV4 has like a centre locking diff, which is kinda cool

[JoshK]

Beck, how do you know this again? I've heard the honda and toyate hybrids aren't hitting their expected EPA ratings.

 

Whatever their reasons, I'm glad to see it...it's a start. Lexus is releasing an RX300 hybrid. Considering it's based on a car platform, it may be a better vehicle.

 

For fuel efficieny I guess the best thing out there is still VW TDIs. Release an AWD TDI GOLF and you'll have people lining up.

[jja]

Ford escape is not 4WD, it's AWD. The only true 4WD small SUV is the Suzuki Sidekick/Chevy tracker cause it's got low range, though the RAV4 has like a centre locking diff, which is kinda cool

 

Don't forget the original small suv, the jeep. You can even get a wrangler with all the off road goodies (the real ones, not the off road stickers). Stuff like a 4:1 transfer case, 31" tires, dana 44 axles front and rear, 4.10 gears, real manual lockers in the pumpkins, diamond plate armor, nv3500 5 speed, etc. all for about 25k. I know an 80:1 crawl ratio isn't much when compared to a 'mog but it's damn impressive for a modern factory vehicle.

 

If DC decides to make a rubicon in the new extended unlimited wheelbase, I am so there

[EWolfe]

gearhead forum

 

[JoshK]

Man my friend had a wrangler with the 4cyl in it. That had to be the most underpowered pile of crap I've ever driven. It was definitely fun driving over shit tho

[jja]

yeah, the 4cyl in the jeep sucks goat balls. but the inline 6 4L is a kickass truck motor, tons of tourqe down low.

 

Back in my beer drinking, hell raising, gun toting, redneck days I had a 94 I bought new. Straight from the dealers lot to my garage it got a lift, tires and winch. That first week out in the local state forest (4wd trails - tread lightly and all that) I put a big groove down the passenger side when I tried to squeeze up a washed out road that was a little too narrow. Big fun. Absolutely no socially redeeming value

[eternalX]

Beck, how do you know this again? I've heard the honda and toyate hybrids aren't hitting their expected EPA ratings.

 

Whatever their reasons, I'm glad to see it...it's a start. Lexus is releasing an RX300 hybrid. Considering it's based on a car platform, it may be a better vehicle.

 

For fuel efficieny I guess the best thing out there is still VW TDIs. Release an AWD TDI GOLF and you'll have people lining up.

 

Yep. There are a bunch of stats on this. basically the way the EPA detects gas mileage doesn't work well for hybrids. So, all the mpg figures are totally off.

[arlen]

Leaving alone the found on road dead issue, the Escape's still excessive unless you have six kids and live behind a swamp.