2006 Ford Escape Hybrid Test Drive

Ford's SUV for the New Millenium

Kermit was wrong. It's very easy being green. The 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid is a fuel-efficient SUV. No, it's not an oxymoron.

Should You Buy This Car?

The Escape Hybrid is quite well designed and executed, and its bona fides -- both in the micro sense (as a vehicle you could use every day) and in the macro sense (better mileage and reduced carbon emissions) -- are excellent. On the latter note, Ford claims the Hybrid Escape will only produce one pound of smog emissions per 15,000 miles (compared with an average of over 100 pounds per 15,000 miles for most SUVs and trucks).

Then again, if the motivation of most buyers isn't as much about altruism as it is about empowering both the nation and each of us personally to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, then it might be worth noting that every manufacturer with a hybrid either available or in the pipeline (i.e., Ford, Toyota and Honda this year; Nissan early next year; and GM and DaimlerChrysler late next year) could get blindsided by some potentially great diesel vehicles soon to arrive from Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and BMW. We're talking about serious torque and horsepower -- and fuel economy equal to or better than what we're seeing with hybrids.

Will they pollute more than hybrids? Yes, they will. But not necessarily worse than today's gas suckers (reformulated diesel goes into effect next year, and it will be far less soot-producing than the stuff buses and trucks burn now). And, if your goal is more about reducing oil dependence than carbon gases, you're likely to be quite motivated by the sticker claiming 38 mpg in the city and 48 mpg on the highway. That happens to be the EPA rating for the current VW New Beetle Diesel.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Diesels account for a huge percentage of the vehicles sold in Europe (where gas currently costs $5 per gallon or more), and the technology is good enough to produce big sedans and vans that get 40 mpg while still being fast and quiet. Perhaps that's why JD Power estimates that diesel sales in the U.S. will more than double by 2012. JD Power also expects to see double-digit growth in hybrid sales during that same period, and for the number of available models to proliferate to almost 50 in the next seven years.

This bodes well for anyone who wants to save gas and money. Either way, it could be great for the country. In the meantime, we suggest that those in the market for a decent-sized SUV take a look at the Escape (and the Mercury Mariner, too, since it's basically the same vehicle). The Highlander is a good bet, as well, if you want the extra snort and seating capacity. But if that sticker seems too steep, the Escape might just be your easier-to-swallow ticket to a lean, green ride.