One of the things that would be an improvement so far as beginning to push the proliferation of hybrids would be to have some subtle-but-unmistakable design cues on the vehicles such that it is evident that this is more than just another car or sport ute.  To be sure, there is the badging on the Escape Hybrid—the road-and-leaf insignia that may be familiar to some who have seen it on such vehicles as the flex-fuel Taurus—and for those who look really close, they’ll suss out a cooling vent in the driver’s side rear quarter window.  That’s for venting the battery.  I think that’s the sort of thing you don’t want to (a) notice or (b) know about.  After all, what’s being vented, you might wonder. . .or perhaps constantly drive with your windows open, which wouldn’t be beneficial from an aerodynamics point of view.  In any case, the Escape Hybrid doesn’t go far enough.  Don’t people want their neighbors to know that they are greener-than-thou (unless, of course, they live next to Ed Begley, Jr., or Sierra Club members)?

This downplay is undoubtedly a consequence of the additional cost of the hybrid system, not only the 70-kW electric traction motor, but the 330-volt NiMH battery pack (the thing that vents), an electronic vehicle controller, an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (this is not just a FWD vehicle, but can be setup as a 4WD system, too, so the trans must be tricky), and a special Atkinson-cycle 2.3-liter four-banger (that “banger” metaphor may give way in auto writing to the “vvrrrrr” of the electric motor powered by the “whoosh”—some day—of a fuel cell).  In other words, in order to maintain a reasonable market price, Ford has had to be somewhat, well, stingy in making modifications to the product.  This, I think, is somewhat short-sighted.  Consider: Honda has the Insight and Toyota has the Prius.  Both of those vehicles are purpose-built and clearly signal that they are “different” vehicles—especially the former.  Both of those companies have other hybrids—Civic, Accord, Highlander, RX 330 (slightly modified to be the 400h)—that look, for the most part—like their non-hybrid siblings.  Ford has the Escape.  Period.  From a pure marketing standpoint it ought to have more.  To say that it is the “First Full Hybrid SUV” is nice.  But not enough.

The vehicle I drove, a FWD version, had a base MSRP of $26,380 and a total MSRP of $30,250.  That includes destination and delivery ($590) and the biggest option of the audio/nav system that came in at $1,850.  You can get an ordinary Escape tricked out with all manner of options for a competitive price, although that one, with a three-liter V6, has an EPA mileage rating of 20/25, not the Hybrid’s 36/31.  Even knocking off a few MPGs from the Hybrid number (as reality and the government often part ways), the additional jack for the Hybrid probably won’t result in recouped costs even with gas at $3/gallon.

The bottom line is that if you like the utility provided by a small SUV like an Escape and you want to have a hybrid, then this is your only option because at this point there are no other like vehicles available.  Still, I think that the mileage numbers for the V6 are good and those of the Hybrid not all that much better, so you might be better off opting for the standard version.

Comment: A stealth hybrid.