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New Ford Escape Hybrid Owners - Give Us Your Report

125 messages,  Last post on Nov 01, 2008 at 10:17 PM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Escape Hybrid


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#35 of 125
Re: Frustration [loveak] by stevedebi
Dec 19, 2006 (3:08 pm)
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Replying to: loveak (Dec 18, 2006 10:11 pm)

If you are encountering snow, the wheels are slipping more, and it is cold. If you are also making short trips, it can really zap the MPG. Your MPG may rise come spring...
#36 of 125
How are you measuring your MPG. by mschmal
Dec 20, 2006 (11:16 am)
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If you want an accurate reading, you need to reset the trip computer with each tank up.
 
You also need to read back a few pages as many people have already posted how the cold effects all hybrids and what to do about it.
 
Mark.
#37 of 125
Re: Fun To Drive! [karls] by wilcox
Dec 22, 2006 (8:15 am)
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Replying to: karls (Dec 17, 2006 9:38 am)

I've tested lots of hybrid vehicles in the last 2 months.
 
Prius
Camry
Accord
Escape
Mariner
 
Accord was nice. Camry was somewhat disappointing. Prius was good. Mariner was good. Escape was good.
 
At this moment you can't find no 4WD Escape Hybrids in dealer stock in Atlanta (or other big towns in Ga.)
 
Most of the Mariners available are 4WD, and they are loaded up with costly packages. Many have the navigation unit which several owners posting here indicate they are not satisified with. So I found 2 base units. One black MMH 4WD and stumbled into one "sage" MMH 4WD.
 
The sage colored one was showing up on internet but dealership "couldn't locate it in their inventory". It turned out that they had a "computer glitch" (or human glitch aahaha) and I ended up benefiting from it.
 
After several calls from me to them they discovered it in their adjacent lot. I drove about 60 mi and tested it. Bought it on the spot. And they did not charge to deliver it that day to my home 60 miles away!
 
Aside from great gas mileage, the Mariner had 5 miles on it and was fun for me to drive. It's:
 
a. Handsome style
b. 'Sage' is a dynamite color
c. Entry and exit are excellent
d. Controls ok. (takes a little getting use to)
e. Visibility is great (compared to Element, etc)
f. Noise level is low.
g. Cloth seats comfortable
h. I like the self dimming mirror (standard)
i. 16" wheels look good
j. Bumpers and panels were smooth "sage" color.
k. Roominess
l. Better than expected handling
m. I like tax credits
n. Standard sound system is just "ok"
o. Good environmental image
 
I bought the base model of the Mariner Hybrid 4WD. I like it. Did the X plan price and saved pretty well off MSRP by paying cash. (And no "Documentation Fees" added in because of using X-Plan)
 
  I'm shopping for vent shades for windows (rain out, air in) and trying to find a set of decent splash guards because areas behind tires will suffer from dirt, tar gravel, etc. over time.
 
 Posting in here because Mariner Hybrid is a cousin to the Escape Hybrid. MMH has no discussion here at Edmunds.
 
These vehicles are kind of fun and makes you feel good driving them.
#38 of 125
all MMH are AWD. by mschmal
Dec 26, 2006 (8:28 am)
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Hey, check out www.fordaccessories.com
 
Mark.
#39 of 125
Re: Frustration [stevedebi] by loveak
Jan 01, 2007 (11:46 pm)
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Replying to: stevedebi (Dec 19, 2006 3:08 pm)

It actually started before the snow hit. Car is garaged at night. I spoke to another Escape HY owner the other day at I-Hop and he lives in Fairbanks AK. Now that's cold weather-he is getting 19 on the highway and over 20 in town.
The service manager and I got into an interesting discussion the other day about the snow tires. I'm going to take a tape and see if the tires are exactly what the originals are.
 
We aren't depending on the digital but using the old pen and paper.
Running about 20 off and on now.
#40 of 125
Hybrids are the gold pill some people think by mschmal
Jan 04, 2007 (11:37 am)
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You may be getting 20mpg in mixed driving but I assure, that is at least as good if not much better than what a v6 Escape would get in mixed driving.
 
Also, the snow tires are scrubbing off some MPG due to greater friction.
 
Mark.
#41 of 125
Re: Hybrids are the gold pill some people think [mschmal] by gmoreau
Jan 26, 2007 (6:39 am)
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Replying to: mschmal (Jan 04, 2007 11:37 am)

I own a 2006 FEH AWD and live in Vermont. My experience:
 
The Good: 28 - 31 mpg in the city or on the highway; pretty good in decent weather. Handling in bad weather is decent.
 
The Bad: This morning, after dropping my daughter off at school, I looked at the mileage and it posted 19.1 mpg. In the 1.3 mile drive from the school, it dropped down to 18.9 and 18.8 mpg. The "Miles to Empty" gauge dropped from 184 miles to empty to 182 miles to empty in less than a minute of driving! The typically sluggish performance of the truck seems significantly exacerbated by the cold (and admittedly it's really really cold here--although the truck is garaged). Also, I have stock tires--not snows, and recently inflated them. I read that in cold weather, mpg would drop some, but 40%?? That's really bad--my former Audi A6 turbo got better mileage than this. Because of the squeaks that should never occur on a new vehicle (see my and other people's posts about this), the klugey computer that needs to be reset often and doesn't even provide an external temp, and the crummy NAV system, I'm less than satisfied. Ford needs to own known problems (like the squeaking), and has a lot more work to do regarding how to engineer a hybrid in cold weather conditions (should we all just move to Florida?), and I'm seriously considering replacing this with a Toyota Highlander Hybrid, but I don't know how that handles the cold...
#42 of 125
Re: Hybrids are the gold pill some people think [gmoreau] by ekiehn
Jan 26, 2007 (9:12 am)
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Replying to: gmoreau (Jan 26, 2007 6:39 am)

Wow maybe I'm the luckiest EH owner out there, but I ave had no problem with my 2006 model. Granted I am in Florida but I have a place way up in the north GA mountains and have had no issues there either. Mileage avg around 32MPG both locations (sometimes I do a little better in the mountains) - Not sluggish at all as I zip in and out of traffic (anyone who has driven in FL will know what I mean) - Squeaks are non existent except those that I normally associate with an SUV of any make (Can't fairly compare an Audi to a truck - though I've heard the Lexus SUV is quite) - NAV system, yes it needs to be modernized but it found a dirt road out in the middle of the GA mountains for me without a hitch and has been able to match direction for direction comparison maps that I have gotten from Yahoo and google maps.
 
Ya the thing that does bug me is that I don't have an external temperature reading, and a few more storage compartments (overhead space is wasted)would be great and just one more gallon of gas in the tank would extend my range considerably.
 
One thing you have to realize is that on extremely short trips (a mile or less) you really kill the mileage. This is true in most vehicles until they warm up. It may be aggravated a little in a hybrid because the engine runs at a higher RPM to charge the batteries even while stopped. Once you hit the 3 to 4 mile mark it all seems to balance out. The cold obviously has a big effect as both batteries and engines are least efficient when they are cold.
 
Overall I have been extremely happy with my EH and it has saved me a tone of money in fuel bills compared to the VAN that I was using. Now if they would only put in a diesel then we could be talking real mileage
#43 of 125
Ext Temp will come for 08. by mschmal
Jan 26, 2007 (11:52 am)
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The Ext Temp will be available on 08s with auto climate control.
 
Mark.
#44 of 125
Re: How are you measuring your MPG. [mschmal] by 3screwsloose
Jan 27, 2007 (6:51 am)
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Replying to: mschmal (Dec 20, 2006 11:16 am)

Damn right the cold affects the hybrid! We don't need the AC then, unless it rains and cannot see thru the foggy windows. Still getting over 30MPG - figured out longhand - not the trip computer method. 25mi commute 1 way, rush hour traffic, highway/city roads. Ethanol.

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