One downside to the silence of low-speed driving is the magnification of various squeaks and creaks from the rear of the vehicle. On downhill stretches, we sometimes saw 30mph before the gasoline engine switched on. Keeping an eye on the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid's fuel-efficiency readout can be entertaining, trying to maximize mileage with judicious throttle use to stay all-electric as long as possible. The power-flow display shows when the batteries are being charged, as well as other details about energy distribution. However, we observed in our real-world experience that the Hybrid averaged just more than 27mpg in combined driving. The regular Escape is EPA rated at 22mpg in the city and 25mpg on the highway, while the Escape Hybrid gets 36mpg and 31mpg, respectively. The Atkinson-cycle modification to Ford's in-line four-cylinder engine trades power and torque for efficiency by keeping the intake valves open slightly into the compression stroke, allowing some of the fuel-air mixture back into the intake manifold and thereby lowering the effective displacement of the engine.Ĭompared with those of the regular front-wheel-drive Escape's four-cylinder gasoline engine, the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid's fuel economy ratings are substantially improved.
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Under heavier acceleration with the gas engine active, engine noise can seem intrusive, as the CVT holds the engine revving at about 4,000rpm until the driver backs off. Part of this is due to the throttle itself there's a noticeable beat before pedal pressure translates into forward motion. Off the line, the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid feels fast enough for a vehicle of its size, although it's doubtful that initial acceleration is directly comparable to that of the V-6 Escape, as Ford advertises. With moderate pressure on the drive-by-wire throttle, the gasoline engine remains off until the vehicle reaches about 20mph, at which point it kicks in to augment the electric motor in hybrid mode for further acceleration. On the road, the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid's drive system requires no special operation and is mostly transparent to the driver.
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No Bluetooth integration is offered, nor is an auxiliary audio input for portable music players. This package also allows satellite radio, which is unavailable with the navigation option. The 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid comes with a separate seven-speaker, 320-watt audio package available with a six-CD in-dash changer but only without the navigation system. The package does allow for monitoring the drive mode and the energy flow, as well as both current and average fuel consumption.
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Leaving a magazine full of the navigation discs under the seat and using the in-dash slot for music would make much more sense. Worse, Ford requires the driver to change the navigation disc depending on location-CDs covering the United States are in the glove box. The two front speakers are in the doors, which is not exactly the optimal placement.Īlso due to the navigation system's use of the in-dash CD slot, the six-CD magazine for audio CDs in the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid is under the passenger seat, a seemingly unnecessary concession. Most important, few audiophiles would be impressed with the sound, which is average at best and uses only four speakers.
Our test car's navigation-system option package ($1,995) also included the Audiophile audio system, which left us cold for a number of reasons.
The Escape Hybrid's built-in inverter allows for an AC power outlet. The rear seat does split 60/40 for some cargo versatility, and total storage capacity is unchanged compared with that of the regular Escape, thanks to the placement of the 330-volt, nickel-metal-hydride sealed-battery pack under the load floor. The standard cloth interior (leather seating surfaces are optional) was satisfactory, but the rest of the cabin seemed relatively cheap.
Dedicated buttons for home and current location were welcome touches, but finding mapped landmarks and services required a fair of amount of menu diving.Īt our 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid's $30,000-plus as-tested price, we expected better materials inside. View options are limited to zooming in and out, and we wished for zoom levels between those offered, as getting an idea of one's surroundings using the map was made harder by the small screen. The basic features of the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid's navigation system work well enough, with GPS acquisition happening quickly and most route calculations taking just seconds.
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