Yeah good point regarding Atkinson cycle. The RAV4 has gotten between 39.5 and 40.5 mpg since day one, town and highway. 40 mpg in a small SUV is no joke. I don’t think the place gasser gets that. I just drove it 360m yesterday and the end-of-trip stats I happened to glance said the engine was off 1/3 of the time. There is no way I would have guessed that on highway use (mild foothills of East Tennessee part of the time).
Ford Escape Hybrid - Opinions?
- Thread starter Number_35
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If I were buying a commuter car for myself, a Mazda3 would be a serious contender.
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I have a 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid that I purchased new in Sept. 2006. It currently has 205k on it. Just goes and goes. HV battery still ok.
We were considering the Ford Escape Hybrid before buying the ICE model. I didn't think we would benefit too much by buying the hybrid. We live in a rural area do very little city driving. Had we lived in an urban area, we would have probably gone with the Escape Hybrid.
Toyota is king of hybrid technology however, Ford used much of Toyota's technology early on. Ford has built on that technology. Their ECVT transmission is very good.
Weigh out the initial cost of the hybrid and return on investment vs. The ICE version before committing to the hybrid.
Toyota is king of hybrid technology however, Ford used much of Toyota's technology early on. Ford has built on that technology. Their ECVT transmission is very good.
Weigh out the initial cost of the hybrid and return on investment vs. The ICE version before committing to the hybrid.
The biggest complaint I've heard about Escapes recently is that the maintenance schedule on the transfer case ("PTU") is a little too lax. The fluid capacity is very small for the length of time the oil would normally remain in it, and it has caused a lot of people problems. Thankfully I've read that just decreasing the maintenance interval on this item will alleviate the problem.
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
What hybrid does not have an Atkinson style ICE power band?
Our Fusion did …
Our Fusion did …
We've got a 2017 Ford Fusion Energi (Plug in that operates as a Hybrid when the plug in charge is done). To date, the only issue it had was a power control module that was replaced under warranty by Ford.
Otherwise, its about as uneventful of an ownership experience as one could have with a car. Oil changes, Tires, and one warranty repair...
Seems like the folks here who have actually owned them found them to be reliable and efficient workhorses... I know we have...
Otherwise, its about as uneventful of an ownership experience as one could have with a car. Oil changes, Tires, and one warranty repair...
Seems like the folks here who have actually owned them found them to be reliable and efficient workhorses... I know we have...
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
And that’s typical here, eh ?
Exactly on point with the wearisome Toyota good, anything else bad.
Somebody asks if brand X is good or bad. A ton of responses can be expected that in no way answer the question except to say Toyota is better.
Turned 40K on the 2022 Hybrid Maverick yesterday in 3.5+ years. No real issues involving money or performance. A recent trip for the update to fix a parasitic power drain went well, and haven't had the deep sleep mode issue since. My MPG hand calculated is exactly 40. I would get a AWD if I did it again. Not for traction when inclement out, but for everyday traction. Apparently the Traction Control does not interfere as much and feels quicker off the line, although the FWD is no slouch but you can feel the TC limiting the power and torque steer. .
Outside of hybrid the Escape is just average CUV, not bad not great. I have rented them over the years
Ford also makes a plug in hybrid (PHEV) version of the escape. I know at least one person who owns and loves it. See https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/ford/escape-plug-in-hybrid/2025/road-test-report/ for a review.
We have owned three Toyota hybrids and one Ford PHEV. The PHEV is a different sort of animal as it can drive up to 80 MPH in EV mode. This may not be immediately obvious to those of you who have never driven one, but that means that the EV side of the balance sheet can deliver much more boost when needed.
In the interest of full disclosure my daily driver is a 2017 Ford C-Max Energi PHEV. The trip computer is indicating 58 MPG over the course of the last 5900 miles, most of which were on the highway.
We have owned three Toyota hybrids and one Ford PHEV. The PHEV is a different sort of animal as it can drive up to 80 MPH in EV mode. This may not be immediately obvious to those of you who have never driven one, but that means that the EV side of the balance sheet can deliver much more boost when needed.
In the interest of full disclosure my daily driver is a 2017 Ford C-Max Energi PHEV. The trip computer is indicating 58 MPG over the course of the last 5900 miles, most of which were on the highway.
If you excuse my personal biases the only one of the top three on this list that I would buy is the Toyota.
The Ford Escape PHEV came in at number four on this list an was recommended by CR. https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/ford/escape-plug-in-hybrid/2025/overview/
So CR recommends the Ford Escape PHEV but not the Ford Escape Hybrid. I think this says a lot about the difference between a hybrid vs PHEV drivetrain.
The Ford Escape PHEV came in at number four on this list an was recommended by CR. https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/ford/escape-plug-in-hybrid/2025/overview/
So CR recommends the Ford Escape PHEV but not the Ford Escape Hybrid. I think this says a lot about the difference between a hybrid vs PHEV drivetrain.
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Ford makes great hybrid vehicles. They have been at it for a good while. I'm linking to a comparison.
https://www.huntingtonbeachford.com...pe-plug-in-hybrid-which-one-is-right-for-you/
Anyone shopping for Ford hybrids should be aware of the history of TSB 20-2142 (https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/MC-10174404-0001.pdf).
The long and short of it is that Ford engineers programmed early hybrids to stop using their high voltage batteries around the ten year mark. The batteries were fine, they were just programmed to stop functioning. Our 2010 Fusion Hybrid very suddenly started getting 21 MPG (down from 48!), when we consulted the dealer, they quoted us $5600 for a new battery. Those of us with digital forensics and programming skills modified the BCM programming manually and it took a class action lawsuit to Ford them to release the TSB to repair the batteries. Who knows what damage was done to the cells that were kept at 100% SoC for years. Our Fusion has never been the same and that was only a few months at 100% SoC (48 MPG pre-logic bomb execution, 21 during execution, 41 post repair).
Also, don't forget about Ford knowingly sold faulty transmissions to meet CAFE figures and then actively instructed their dealers to blame the consumers. Detroit Free Press did a great series of articles on it. Start here: https://www.freep.com/in-depth/mone...-focus-fiesta-transmission-defect/1671198001/
Fords are cheap for reasons compared to their Toyota counterparts. Buyer beware.
The long and short of it is that Ford engineers programmed early hybrids to stop using their high voltage batteries around the ten year mark. The batteries were fine, they were just programmed to stop functioning. Our 2010 Fusion Hybrid very suddenly started getting 21 MPG (down from 48!), when we consulted the dealer, they quoted us $5600 for a new battery. Those of us with digital forensics and programming skills modified the BCM programming manually and it took a class action lawsuit to Ford them to release the TSB to repair the batteries. Who knows what damage was done to the cells that were kept at 100% SoC for years. Our Fusion has never been the same and that was only a few months at 100% SoC (48 MPG pre-logic bomb execution, 21 during execution, 41 post repair).
Also, don't forget about Ford knowingly sold faulty transmissions to meet CAFE figures and then actively instructed their dealers to blame the consumers. Detroit Free Press did a great series of articles on it. Start here: https://www.freep.com/in-depth/mone...-focus-fiesta-transmission-defect/1671198001/
Fords are cheap for reasons compared to their Toyota counterparts. Buyer beware.
The battery issue is obscene! Utterly awful.
The issue with the dry DCT in the Fiesta and Focus was really bad too. I don't see a lot of them around any more - and most of the survivors probably have the MT.
Yes, they probably won't screw it up again with terrible parts inside? Or maybe they will? That is the problem with a company with a history of trying to pinch pennies inside a transmission, they are hard to trust.
So for a couple grand more, I'm just getting a Toyota spec'd Toyota drivetrain, in a Toyota, and likely the rest of the parts are better or equal too.
Are you saying this has carried over to 2025 Escape hybrid and other Ford hybrids?
I was under the impression Ford licensed their 2.5L hybrid engine and the eCVT from Toyota.
What did I miss……?
That is why closed ECUs are usually a bad thing
There is a documentary on the industries active efforts to kill manual transmissions using epa, crash and other bs manmade issues to make them unviable