The 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid was introduced to compete in the sport utility market. The Hybrid is a member of a series of four trim levels for the Escape which include Hybrid, Limited, XLS, and XLT. The four-door truck with its front-wheel drive is positioned to aggressively fill this niche for Ford. There is strong competition from vehicles from Hyundai.

Ford Escape Engine Specs

The restyled Escape Hybrid is equipped with a Ford 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine that utilizes a total of 16 valves. The Duratec engine is paired with a Ford 4-speed transaxle. This configuration has proven to be a successful design for Ford.

The fuel system for the 2008 Escape is a SFI design, running on ELECTRIC/GAS fuel. The fuel flow is regulated by a electronic system and is a fuel-injected MFI design. The storage capacity of the fuel tank is 16.50 gallons.

The Escape uses power-assisted brakes, with 4-Wheel ABS support. The front brakes are disc while the rear brakes are disc. Steering is handled through a power-steering rack-style configuration. The truck uses coil and coil springs front and rear respectively.

Vehicle Statistics

The dimensions of the Escape Hybrid are 71.10 inches wide by 174.70 inches long. It sits a comfortable 67.70 inches off the ground. It seats a standard five passengers, with 4 doors. The wheelbase of 103.10 allows for limited leg room for the backseat passengers.

The original manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) was $21,305 when new, with a dealer invoice cost of $20,095. This price was in line with the industry average price for a 4-door Sport Utility.

The standard warranty period for the Escape is 36 months, or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. This is standard in the sport utility market.

Fuel Efficiency

The Escape Hybrid received a miles-per-gallon rating of twenty in-city driving and twenty six when it came to long-distance. Being a electric/gas-powered hybrid truck, this was exceptional.

We Think...

The 2007 model began the promise of the Ford Escape. The 2008 expanded on this success and has proven to be a strong seller in most markets. Even with strong competition from other manufacturers Ford hopes that the Escape Hybrid will continue to be a profitable vehicle.

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Tags: 4-Door, Ford Escape, Hybrid, Sport Utility, United States market

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 15th, 2009 at 12:43 am and is filed under 2008, Escape, Ford. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.