The 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid debuted in late November, 2006 at the LA Auto Show, and began arriving at dealerships across the country just a few months later. With an EPA estimated gas mileage of 34/30, this green sport utility vehicle remains one of the most fuel efficient vehicles in its class.
Ford has been building the Escape since 2004, and it was the first hybrid suv available in the U.S. Considered a “full” hybrid vehicle, it is able to operate solely on electric power, gas power, or a combination of the two. Like other hybrids, the Escape charges its batteries during the braking process – converting its momentum into stored electricity.
Past sales figures for the eco-friendly Ford Escape have hovered around 19,000 per year and are on a similar pace in 2007. The hybrid version of the 2008 Escape is available in two models – front wheel drive (FWD) and four wheel drive (4WD). Pricing starts at around $25,000 (MSRP).
In general, reviews of the newest hybrid Escape have been mixed. While most consumer reports and professionals in the industry agree about several improvements over prior model years (2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007) – several noted that Ford still has a long way to go in catching up with competition from competitors such as Honda and Toyota, whether hybrid or not.
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Kelly Blue Book video review and road test of the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid SUV:
Additional 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid SUV Reviews And Information
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New and used hybrid Ford Escape vehicles listed on HybridSuv.com
[...] I was mainly trying to find a used model. I met with Rich Stout and he showed me a 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. Drove that vehicle and although it was a little smaller than what I had hoped, it was nice [...]
[...] When the batteries are fully charged, a process that takes about 7 hours, the electrified Escape is capable of achieving 120 miles per gallon during the first 30 miles of travel. As a bonus, the PHEV doesn’t need to be recharged to continue its journey. Instead, it automatically and seamlessly transitions to operate as a standard hybrid Escape. [...]
[...] Since the chance of this prototype making it to production is currently unlikely, in part because it’s fate will lie with the future owners of the Land Rover brand (probably Tata or Mahindra), I won’t go into great detail on all the “speculative specifics”. Rumor has it though (according to managing director Phil Popham) that the LRX could achieve 50 miles per gallon, although he cautions that it would likely be several years before a vehicle of this type could be brought to market because of the technology involved. It seems the baby-sized Rover may have been dreamed up to add more green to the upcoming deal. In either case, it’s quite a departure from the hybrid Escape. [...]
I actually own the 2008 Hybrid Escape and absolutely love it. I make it a game now of seeing how far I can go without using any gas.
[...] several new suv hybrids are able to do better than some of the compact and subcompacts (i.e. the hybrid Escape at [...]
Does anyone know why Ford-Mercury has restricted the interior colors of both the Escape and Mariner to only very light colors. They will not respond to my emails.
[...] What’s new? For the $28,000-$32,000 that it will cost to get you into a ’09 Escape, you’ll find more power, smoother handling and improved mileage. You can now drive a little further on every fill up, as the ’09 hybrid Escape mpg rating has improved to 34 city and 31 highway (an improvement of 1 mile per gallon over the 2008 hybrid Escape). [...]
[...] What’s new? For the $28,000-$32,000 that it will cost to get you into an ‘09 Escape, you’ll find more power, smoother handling and improved mileage. You can now drive a little further on every fill up, as the ‘09 hybrid Escape’s mpg rating has improved to 34 city and 31 highway (an improvement of 1 mile per gallon over the 2008 hybrid Escape). [...]
[...] Cases in point are the 2008 Lexus GS 450h, which is rated at only 23 mpg (combined) and the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid that is rated at 32 [...]
I would like to win a Ford 09 escape hybrid.