Ford Escape Hybrid Review
It is difficult to give an adequate Ford Escape Hybrid review without mentioning that 2013 is the final model year for the car model. Ford has decided to stop making the line of cars and replace it with a new green line of cars. That said, the 2012 Ford Escape Hybrid has shown a lot of promise but few improvements over the 2011 model. So anyone looking to wait for the next year’s model would do just as well to stick with the 2012 model.
Specs
A quick Ford Escape Hybrid review shows that the engine of the 2012 Ford Escape Hybrid is a 2.5 liter I-4 that offers 155 horse power at six thousand rotations per minute. For a mid-sized SUV, this is not bad at all. The transmission is a two speed CVT with over drive. The drive train is front wheel and comes with a 36,000 mile or 36 month warranty. It easily seats five passengers and a driver while still maintaining a decent amount of cargo space. When empty, the car can store 66.4 cubic feet. Most importantly, the vehicle maintains an average of 34 miles per gallon in the city and 31 on the highway. Few SUVs can boast such an impressive gas mileage.
The Good
The powerful motor gives the same kind of power as a V6 engine while maintaining a very decent gas mileage. Very few SUVs can match what the Ford Escape Hybrid review shows it is capable of. It can be converted easily to run in full electric mode, though this mode is not recommended for high load situations. It comes equipped with a large number of safety devices including anti-roll technology, tire pressure monitors, and an advanced braking system. It also has off road capabilities that other hybrid SUVs just can not match. All of these features make the Ford Escape Hybrid review very well in the open market.
The single best aspect of the car is the technology integration. It comes with a plug for small appliances, most notably it can be used to power a laptop. The Sync Controller that comes with the car is wonderful in today’s society. It allows a driver to control their cell phone with a voice command through a prompt on the radio front. It also comes with a built-in GPS device that updates the driver on immediate traffic conditions and recommendations on how to get out of tough traffic situations and not lose too much drive time.
The Bad
There are not a lot of negatives to go along with the Ford Escape Hybrid but it does have some drawbacks. The body structure of the vehicle is almost as old as the original model, dating all the way back to 2001. This becomes immediately obvious in high noise situations when compared to the non-hybrid versions of the same car. The noise is not incredibly loud but when compared to other sports utility vehicles it becomes noticeable. The only other real issue with the 2012 Ford Escape Hybrid is that the very back seat is stationary. So no matter how long legged the person sitting in the seat might be, the seat is not able to adjust backwards. This also causes some annoying issues when something just barely does not fit into the storage area as the seat also does not adjust forward.
Overall Impression
Overall, the 2012 Ford Escape Hybrid review shows that it is a great car. It offers a ton of extras and comes equipped with a versatile and powerful engine. The safety features on the Escape are top notch and impressive. There are a few minor issues with the vehicle that are more annoying than anything else. The unmovable seat is odd and the old body structure makes for a more noisy ride than expected. Both of these problems are easily overshadowed by the sheer number of technological options available in the Ford Escape Hybrid.
Ultimately, the biggest advantage of this vehicle is the gas mileage. A lot of cars do not maintain a 34 mile per gallon rate in the city and this is a mid-sized sports utility vehicle. The cost of the vehicle does reflect the additional mileage rate and other similar vehicles come with a much lower price tag but the overall savings available over time from having the better gas mileage will eventually make up for the higher initial investment in the car.