Hybrid Cars, Hybrid Trucks, Hybrid Vans and Hybrid Motorcycles

The Ford Escape Hybrid may just prove to be the cat’s meow for today’s hybrid car shopper. Considering the small fortune required to fill up one’s tank, many people are considering alternative means of getting around, including the gas-sipping hybrid vehicles being produced today.

Did you know that the Ford Escape Hybrid was the first production hybrid SUV to hit the market? Indeed, Ford has the right to boast about its expertise in the hybrid vehicle industry. And, the recently redesigned Ford Escape Hybrid has plenty to offer, and it is evident that the car manufacturer has had experience building a respectable hybrid

Is there a better reason to consider the purchase of a hybrid vehicle than the positive implications it would have on your pocket book? I would say no, but I’m just speculating here. Compared to it’s gasoline counterpart, the Ford Escape Hybrid offers a significant increase in fuel economy, even when compared to the four cylinder, gasoline version. Offering a very respectable 29 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway, the Escape Hybrid’s anti-guzzling tendencies rival many traditional economy type vehicles. And when you consider that the four cylinder Escape gets 19 mpg and 25 mpg, city and highway respectively, it is clear that the difference is significant.

What is even more admirable is the fact that the Hybrid’s engine, rated at 177 horsepower, is slightly more powerful than the gasoline version’s 171 horsepower output. Now, I’m not implying that you will be winning many drag races with either of these vehicles, however, the Hybrid does have ample power for comfortable and confident city commuting, while keeping pace on the freeways.

[ad]

To get a better feel for the potential savings you would realize from the Escape Hybrid, you need not look further than the “range” of each vehicle, that is, the distance you can travel on one tank of gas. Ford specs show that the gas version’s tank has a fuel capacity of 16.5 gallons, while the Hybrid will max out at roughly 15.1 gallons. Get ready to be shocked… The gas version will take you 313 miles on a tank of gas, while the Hybrid can travel from Phoenix to Los Angeles and have a little left over, or about 437 miles, on a single tank. In a word… Wow!

There are more and more hybrid vehicles being offered by various manufacturers, seemingly on a daily basis. You may be wondering how the Ford Escape Hybrid stacks up versus the competition . I would encourage you to do your own research, but I can tell you that having read many reviews from many different sources, the Escape Hyrbid has made quite an impact. And while some reviews seem to fall a bit short of expectation, the general sentiment of those who have actually taken the plunge and purchased this vehicle all seem to praise it

While Edmunds.com gives the SUV a 7.5 “Editor’s rating”, the consumer ratings soar to 9.4 as determined by daily drivers of the vehicle. The general consensus is that the vehicle is built solidly with quality materials. Further reinforcing this sentiment, JD Power gave the Ford Escape Hybrid 4/5 in initial build quality – not too shabby by any means. I don’t think it would be a stretch to infer, based on the similar opinions offered across the board, that Ford has put out a very respectable, high-quality product in the Escape Hybrid .

Uh, oh… sounds expensive. Truth be told, the Hyrbrid is a little bit pricier than its gas-powered brother , however the money you save at the pump will likely offset the difference and then some. While the base price of the gas version is around $20,100, the comparable Hybrid will set you back about $29,300. Those prices reflect 2009 model year, FWD, entry versions of each vehicle. Indeed the price difference may seem a bit extreme, but it is understandable and justified for a couple of reasons.

First of all, vehicles are worth as much as the consumer public is willing to pay. If Ford can fetch just shy of thirty grand for the Escape Hybrid, then they’d be crazy not to charge that much.

Secondly, in the grand scheme of automotive history, hybrid technology is still relatively new . Just as the price of a plasma television has dropped dramatically in recent years, so too will the price of hybrids as they become more mainstream. At least the hybrid vehicles do actually save you money in the long term. Depending on how much you drive, it might even be conceivable that the Ford Escape Hybrid shows you a return on your investment much sooner than later.

So, where do you buy one? The Ford Escape Hybrid is a vehicle in considerably high demand . As such, you won’t be able to go down to your local Ford dealership and have fifty to choose from, as is the case with most mass production vehicles.

With that said, I have checked a couple of dealerships, even in smaller markets, and most will have at least a handful on the lot. It goes without saying, but it is clear that the supply is not meeting the demand, so if you do go shopping for this admirable little beauty, don’t expect an abundance of choices. If you’re willing to wait for exactly what you want though, you can always order one exactly as you desire, or have your local dealership do a nationwide search in order to possibly locate your ideal Escape Hybrid .

The bottom line is that you could do much worse than a Ford Escape Hybrid, and I’m fairly certain that if you were to ask anyone who has one, he or she would tell you that it is every penny’s worth the price of admission.