Test Drive: 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid 4WD

When it comes to Hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles, there's the 'Theory' and the 'Reality'.

The Theory is that hybrid vehicles get much better fuel economy than regular vehicles, pollute much less, and offer comparable performance for a price premium that's necessary because of all the advanced technology that goes into the vehicles.


The Reality is that most hybrid vehicles don't get the low fuel economy numbers published by Energuide Canada and expected by their owners; few people really understand or even care how much less they pollute; and their price premium is often a deterrent to buying them.

Studies have shown that it takes a long time to pay off the difference in price between a regular vehicle and its comparable hybrid version in gasoline savings. The Ford Escape Hybrid, for example, costs approximately $5,000 more than an Escape V6 XLT (which offers similar performance). Even if Energuide's average fuel consumption figure for the Escape Hybrid of 6.8 L/100 km were correct, at $1.00 per litre of gasoline, it would take approximately seven years to make your money back. In reality, it would take longer.

And though informed buyers will know that the Escape Hybrid is classified as a Super Low Ultra Emissions Vehicle (SULEV II) and Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) under California's strict emissions standards, few of them will really understand it. Even Ford's explanation that the Escape Hybrid is "an amazing 99.4 percent cleaner, on average, than an unregulated vehicle" doesn't really help. An unregulated vehicle? You mean like my old '69 Valiant?

And what about the battery? It's warranteed for 8 years or 160,000 kilometres, but what then? It's estimated to cost a few thousand dollars to replace it, but exact figures aren't forthcoming from the manufacturers. And what will be the resale value of an 8-year old Escape Hybrid that's ready for a new battery?

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Yeah it was probably winter. 9.7L/100km is a giveway that it's winter mileage. Remember Driving Television did a Hybrid Commuter Challenge and the Ford Escape Hybrid did 7.5L/100km (31.36mpg) over their 200km test route.