A serious off-roader will only have one ultimate choice when it comes to the type of vehicle he wants to drive. Well, aside from the ever-sturdy pickup truck, off-roaders will usually end up with an SUV or Sports Utility Vehicle. The Ford Escape is an SUV; however this is unlike any other SUVs in the market. The 2009 edition Escape is offered as a hybrid that offers 30 mpg in addition to the comfortable and roomy interior.
If you are able to own the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid, call yourself lucky because the 2009 Ford Escape is the very first hybrid SUV to make it to the market. This model is the most fuel-efficient model among Ford’s lineup. The Environment Protection Agency issued 34 mpg/31 mpg highway and 32 mpg combined for the Hybrid’s mileage ratings. Its fuel economy and power comes from the 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and two electric motors/generators. Matched to this engine configuration is a continuously variable transmission. 

The 2009 Ford Escape is available in two trims – the front-wheel drive and the all-wheel drive. The base version has the following features: power driver seat, 16-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic control, 4-speaker CD stereo with Mp3 player input jack and satellite radio, cruise control and full power accessories. The Limited edition has all of the aforementioned features with added keypad entry, chrome exterior accents, rear parking assist, the Sync system, leather seating, heated front seats, sun-roof, six-disc CD changer, retractable cargo cover, switchable ambient lighting and one-of-a-kind chrome and piano-lack cabin accents.

Safety is an important factor that Ford did not leave out of the Ford Escape Hybrid. Out of five, it garnered four stars for the driver and five stars for passenger safety when it underwent government crash testing. Accounting for these scores are efficient antilock brakes, stability control, front-seat side airbags, and full length head curtain airbags with a rollover sensor. 

Almost everything mentioned are on the positive side. Don’t think that the Escape Hybrid is perfect. Like other vehicles, it has its downside. The gasoline engine can be a bit noisy when accelerating really hard. Handling, especially when cornering can be a bit of a hassle; this due to the 300 lbs additional weight compared to the standard Escape model.

Photo Credit: Car and Driver