2009 Ford Escape Hybrid consumer reviews

Sold my 2007 Honda Accord EX and replaced the car w. the FEH 2009 and have not been disappointed. The quality of the FEH exceeds that of the Accord and the nice amenities make the FEH a pleasure to drive. I would recommend you buy a FEH that is 2009 or newer. The 2009 FEH's have anti-roll software standard and result in a safer ride and lower insurance rates. I am a conservative driver and get 34.5 mpg City (w/o air), 31 mpg Highway, and around 32 mpg city with air on. I have manually tracked my mileage the old fashioned way (notebook & calculator) and compared the result to the car's on-board computer where the difference in mileage turned out to be 0.1 mpg! So the on-board mileage computer has been fairly accurate. I would not recommend buying a FEH w/o Ford Synch (Voice Recognition System). You would miss out on a ton of fun: hands-free dialing, Vehicle Health Reports sent to the internet using your bluetooth enabled phone, USB port for iPod (or musical USB digital device), and the ability to manipulate music (satellite, CD, iPod) hands free! Additionally, updating the FEH Synch software is really easy which allows those with minimal technical knowledge to do the updates vice the dealer -- easy downloads. My FEH has less rattles than the Accord, more features (outside air temp., low tire pressure warning system, and the music system along with satellite radio) that really makes driving fun. One quirk when purchasing the car was the horn was disconnected. At first I though the horn was broke but after playing with the fuses and doing some internet Googling I found out that many people did not like the horn beeping when the lock function was exercised via the remote. I missed my horn and had my mechanic reconnect the plug-in wiring. Their are two negative issues to unplugging the horn: 1) You cannot warn other cars, pedestrians, or small children that may veer into your path and 2) if you have a door ajar and use the lock function you will leave your car vulnerable to theft due to no horn sound. If you had the horn operational, you would notice the horn not working and correct the ajar (unlocked) door. Great car will by another after this one gets it's 150K miles of use. The engine seems rock solid and the transition from engine to electric and back is virtually unnoticeable, Ford's design of the transmission system is superb and apparently works significantly better than other hybrids in it's class. Many of the reviews I have read indicate that the FEH's do not do well in extremely cold weather, so be advised this is a moderate to warm climate vehicle. With gas prices on the rise, I do not regret my purchase of the FEH. My calculations indicate about three years will be required (due to higher mpg) to recoup the extra cost of the hybrid batteries vice a gas engine model. Searching www.cars.com and other internet sites revealed the FEH is a desired car. My car search took 3 months to locate a car with my desired features. Delivery for a new vehicle was taking around 6 months or longer and the dealers were not negotiating to my satisfaction, so I decided to go used. Hope this helps you in your decision to buy a FEH 2009 or newer!

I love my new Ford Escape Hybrid. Great gas mileage. Breaks are very good. Sirius radio is a nice feature.

4WD Fuel economy is about what was expected (27-32 range). That is mostly highway driving. Overall average mpg is about 29, 30+ if you stay in a low speed range more and keep off the high speed accelleration. This isn't like the Prius which shuts off when you let off the accellerator. The engine will stay on, but the owner's manual says it is not using any gas (not sure that's true). True mpg is about -1 mpg from the stated computer readout. Quick accelleration, good tires. The 4wd drive model is not AWD, but will activate the rear wheels when needed. Has traction control. Don't expect to tow anything behind this car. There is a tow package, but it is only for the regular Escape. The Sync system works for the most part. Bluetooth phone link is handy. USB plug in and line in automatically detected by system. Controls on steering wheel for volume, tracks, cruise, phone. All in all, great car. 4WD and traction control will come in handy in the winter.

This is my first American car- usually I own Toyotas or Hondas. I've had it for a year and a half, and so far no maintenance at all. (Just changed the oil at 7,500 miles as recommended by manufacturer, this and all other maintenance is covered by the great extended warranty, and get free premium tires for life). I got the highest one you can get- leather interior, SYNC computer system, sunroof, AWD, lojack, clearcoat and protection in interior, and many extras. My friends love it and always comment on how nice it is when they first see it. Many think I have a Lincoln Navagator, even though it's smaller, just because of the nice interior (which was also upgrated with a shiny black console). I live in San Francisco which is very hilly, so I don't get to take advantage of the hybrid feature much but my average fuel economy is 26 mi/gallon, which is good for an SUV. The handling is as expected for an SUV....if you approach curves you feel the need to slow down quite a bit, although it has vehicle stability control. I'd buy a Ford again, and I'm very happy with my purchase.

My 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid has deliverd as promissed. Around 27 MPG combined has made my trips to the pump less often and the Sync system is great also.

The Ford Escape Hybrid is fun to drive for this suburban Mom. So far getting about 25-30 mpg and it handles great in the snow. Plenty roomy for 3 older kids in back seat and has 4 cup holders, a major plus on long trips. Husband likes the AC outlet and of course we all like the IPOD capability. Last car was a mini-van, although not as big, the Escape has a very roomy interior feel. Also fits in the garage with room to spare and that's a nice plus. Does have some road noise.

I didn't buy one, but rented one from Budget Rent A Car in Indianapolis. I was truly impressed with it. The previous renters (about 5,000 mile) averaged 27 MPG. I drove it on I-69 and mostly country roads and raised the overall mileage to 29 MPG.

As a first time SUV AND a hybrid vehicle driver, I'm happy to report that owning the 2009 FEH has been a positive experience so far! What attracted me to FEH was its fuel economy. After doing some research online before buying, I found out that the 2009 FEH is LITERALLY the BEST SUV in term of MPG - hybrid or otherwise. After breaking in the vehicle (which, btw, will take at least 1K and up to 3K), my 09 FEH does indeed deliver the advertised MPG numbers. With my new hybrid driving habits, I'm only expecting my MPG numbers, which are not unlike the gas price, to go up. I got the cheapest trim level, but in term of features, it is still on par with a high-end non-hybrid Escape model(6-way power driver seat, dual-zone temp control, Sync, Sirius, auto-dimming rearview mirror etc). And to me, that's enough. I did the math - if I were to get all the standard FEH features on an 09 non-hybrid Escape, I would have saved around 4000 bucks. However, with the $3000 tax credit for this tax year, the "hybrid" premium pretty much disappears for the 09 FEH. So all things consider, 09 FEH is heck of a deal (not to mention comparisons with other hybrid SUVs)! Can't really comment on quality/reliability yet, but it was pretty much my only major worry. I've had some spectacularly bad experiences with Ford back in the early 90s (the memory of my mom's old Taurus burning by the free haunts me to this day :). But people are saying that Ford has really gotten their act together over the years, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed on that front. One thing worth mentioning is that driving a hybrid vehicle has literally changed my driving style. Before, I was an aggressive driver and I got easily angered into killer road-rage. Now, almost like a game, I want to get the highest MPG possible :) As a result, I'm a much more mellow driver. And, this may be a sickening thing to say, I actually ENJOY traffic from time to time. It makes me feel mighty nice when I'm burning ZERO gas under 40 mph or stuck in a moving parking lot. So all in all, I find driving to be much more relaxing and enjoyable, and that, my friends, is priceless.

I have had this little SUV for 6 months now. It has proven to be an excellent means of transportation. I bought the 'Limited' package and found I really use the navigation system, voice control and 'Hands free' cell phone interface. I find the security system an A+, as well as the interior/exterior design/implimentation. Best of all, the reason I bought the hybrid, is the gas mileage. So far I have averaged 32 mpg with each tank full. I live in California's Central Valley, so the drive is pretty much level which ever way I go. That helps a lot with the mileage. I find it easy, after 6 months of practice, to get the SUV into Electric Vehicle (EV) mode and hold it there at 39 mph, or less. When ever the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) kicks in, fuel economy drops. This occurs typically when going up a hill, using heating, or air conditioning, accelerating to get up to speed, or driving above 40 mph. Aside from the fuel economy, I really like the cargo space in this little SUV, the 'Button pad' keyless entry on the drivers door, the USB, 12 Volt DC & 110 volt AC connections and the lighting options. This is one 'Cute Ute' and a joy to drive. The only thing I am unhappy with is the center console ... it is at my elbow and I cannot easily open the top and look in to get something. Unfortunately, a compact vehicle is indeed compact.

First city mileage after two days, 39 mpg. Worth reading manual, had to learn how to drive differently but that was amazing! City, got 31 mpg! All the bells and whistles are nice, love the Sirius radio and navigation but especially the on dash pictoral showing when you are on electric engine vs gasoline. It becomes a challenge, like a video game. Would highly recommend this little car for busy people who want great mileage, good options, and a little space!