April 8, 2004
4:17 PM
4:17 PM
Sold: The new Ford Escape SUV.
Hot diggety. If this thing drives and rides as well as its press release reads, I'll be the proud owner of one of these babies come the end of the summer. Check out the new Ford Escape Hybrid SUV.
Update: Oh, I just found the full Ford Escape Hybrid site. Oops.
Nice Flash there, guys. Sexxxy.
Hmm... given the American auto industry's late start in the hybrid game, I'd probably feel more confident in, say, Honda's Hybrid CR-V, or Toyota's Hybrid RAV4.
Oh, wait a minute, they haven't *released* either of those vehicles yet.
Chalk one up for the Americans.
I am glad that it's a hybrid, but because it's an SUV, it still will have lower fuel efficiency than a smaller car.... from their website: "What is the fuel economy for the Escape Hybrid?
We are targeting 35-40 mpg for the EPA city drive cycle for a front wheel drive configuration, making the Escape Hybrid the most fuel efficient SUV on the road. This will provide an Escape Hybrid customer the ability to drive 400-500 miles on one tank of gas. Fuel economy for a 4WD configuration will be slightly lower."
35-40 mpg is impressive for an SUV! But it still will take a lot of gas to fuel that sucker... (My new honda has that fuel efficiency and it isn't a hybrid)...
I know that the hybrid SUV only brings it down to "normal" gas mileage, but I've been eyeballing a Jeep Grand Cherokee ever since my friend Audrey let me drive hers back at Kenyon. The rotten fuel efficiency always deterred me from buying one, but now that limiter's been lifted. Very cool.
What'll be even better is when the technology gets a couple more iterations under its belt.
That's what I'm waiting for. I finally went with a small SUV -- the Honda CR-V -- one, because I needed something large enough to haul the family (and associated gear) around, and two, because I could no longer feel safe in this town without being able to see. Yeah, I know that means I caved rather than resisting nobly, but I'd rather be alive and wrong than dead and right. I was at least responsible enough to stick with a mini-SUV.
In any case, I'm not in the market for a replacement just yet (I just finished paying it off), but my next vehicle will be a hybrid. Period. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.
Ya know, I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee for awhile, and I learned very early that they are AWFUL vehicles on the whole. I ended up throwing a rod at about 150k miles, and thats after babying the P.O.S.
The 4WD Part time setting cannot be beaten for winter driving in Ohio (or I'm sure Illinois, for that matter...), however.
Just a thought...
Our Jeep Liberty gets just as good gas mileage as our 1996 Ford Ranger did.