If you’re looking for a new car, and don’t care about lap times, which I’m assuming most of you don’t, start with the car you like the best, then get the most efficient version. I said it with the new Lexus ES, and I’m saying it now with the 2020 Ford Escape: The hybrid is the one to get. I drove all the new Escapes last week: the 2.0, the 1.5 and this 2.5-liter Atkinson four with an electric motor and briefcase-sized battery.
The Escape SE Sport Hybrid – you can also get the system on the Titanium model – is the fourth generation of Ford’s hybrid tech that debuted way back in 2005. It’s good for 550 miles of range with a full tank of fuel and cargo space is only minimally affected by moving the 12-volt battery to the back of the vehicle.
The 2.5-liter is connected to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), standard procedure for many hybrids, and then to either the front or all four wheels depending on specification. The base price is $28,255, and that comes with black painted wheels and full digital cluster along with the five driving modes including eco, normal, sport, slippery and sand/snow. Side note, like the new Lincoln vehicles, you get cool little graphics in the cluster telling you what mode you’re in.
Otherwise, the Escape Hybrid is just like its brethren with gasoline-only powertrains. You can get 4G LTE Wi-Fi, wireless charging and a head-up display. SE trims and above get an 8-inch central touchscreen. CoPilot360 is standard across the Escape line including blind-spot protection, lane keeping, precollision with emergency braking and auto high beam control. Optional features include active cruise control, active parking assist and a few others.
Starting with the biggest usual hybrid complaints, at least from me, the stop/start process is very smooth with almost no vibration; you can hear it though. It has surprisingly good brake feel for a hybrid with regeneration. It has none of the spongy, springy feel you sometimes get from these systems. Also, the Escape Hybrid’s Atkinson four with the CVT and electric motor makes for a super smooth and quiet ride.
Unless you floor it, that is. In that case, the CVT gears up and the revs climb to the other end of the tach. The motor stays revved until you let off the throttle. In sport mode the Escape Hybrid mimics the gear-change feeling you get in an automatic and it’s almost convincing, but not quite.
In any of the main three modes the Escape Hybrid feels zippy from a standstill and never has a problem passing slower traffic or keeping up with those going faster. As long as a daily driver isn’t annoyingly slow, it’s fine to me. And this Escape is far from annoyingly slow. It doesn’t feel as fast as the 2.0-liter turbo, but it definitely feels faster than the 1.5, which also isn’t slow.
As for ride and handling, the hybrid feels about the same as the standard Escapes. Meaning, it’s a little bit floppy side-to-side but completely acceptable for daily use. Like I said it’s quiet, and the ride over rougher roads is comfortable. The steering has a better feel than the Honda CR-V and Toyota Rav4 to me, both leaders in the class, though none of the three would be considered “sporty.” If you want something semi-sporty get the Mazda CX-5 or Subaru Forester.
Granted, Ford put us on smooth, curvy 50-mph roads with no stoplights or traffic, but I saw 45 mpg indicated on the dash at one point. Ford doesn’t have official EPA mileage for the Escape Hybrid yet, but over my first 30 miles, 10 were electric-only with the engine off. Impressive.
If you would have told me in 2009 that I would be recommending hybrids over their standard counterparts in 2019, I would have offed myself then and there. But I realize that I was being narrow minded, or maybe I just wanted a car to be all things at once. I can now envision a world where one has a daily driver that just has to work and have a low cost of ownership. Then, one could also have a second car that feeds the need for speed or wrenching or whatever. Regardless, if you’re in the market for an Escape, a Lexus ES sedan or even the Porsche Cayenne, get the hybrid. It just (now) makes sense.
On Sale: Spring 2020
Base Price: $29,450
Drivetrain: 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle I4, electric motor, CVT, front or all-wheel drive
Output: 200 hp, 152 lb-ft
EPA mileage: Not available
Pros: Priced right with plenty of pep
Cons: Not a sporty handler
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