His & hers 2022 Ford Escape SEL Hybrid SWD..3

[Len_A1]

My wife & I finally after 20 years for her, and 17 years for me, finally got new rides. His & hers 2022 Ford Escape SEL Hybrid AWD. Ordered both on December 3, and I got mine on January 11, and the wife got hers on January 24. The weather was in the upper 50s this past Saturday, and I just couldn`t help myself. Had to give `em the once over. Meguiar`s M20 Polymer Sealant for the paint, Griot`s Garage Best of Show Spray Wax for all the plastic trim. Man, was I whipped. Two cars in one afternoon. Mine is Red, Wife`s is dark blue.

[Len_A1]

[Setec Astronomy]

Cool! Good choice getting hybrids, IMO. Tell us how they run, maybe we can convince more people to get 50% better fuel economy given the current circumstances.

[Len_A1]

Cool! Good choice getting hybrids, IMO. Tell us how they run, maybe we can convince more people to get 50% better fuel economy given the current circumstances.

My gas mileage, over my 2005 Mercury Montego AWD (had a CVT) is up anywhere from 65% on highway to more than 105% higher in city driving. My wife drives all city driving, to work. More than double the mileage from her 2002 Escape 4WD. We`re both averaging in the high 30`s/low 40 MPG. And performance has been great - hit the accelerator and they go....FAST...from a standing stop. Merging onto freeway traffic has been way better. Leases were so affordable, should have done this a year ago.

[Setec Astronomy]

Thanks for the "review". I find there are two obstacles to people buying hybrids, the first is that people don`t understand hybrids, even my "car guy" friends, they think hybrids have to be plugged in, etc. And the second is that people can`t see past the ~$3500 price premium, maybe because they just can`t, or because they figure they will never save that much money in gas across the lease/ownership period. Of course the calculus changes when gas gets this expensive...I remember back in 2007 so many people here on the forum wanting to dump their trucks.

Speaking of 2007--are you the Len_A from back then?

[Sizzle Chest]

Great looking cars! Congrats on the pair! Looking good!

[Len_A1]

Thanks for the "review". I find there are two obstacles to people buying hybrids, the first is that people don`t understand hybrids, even my "car guy" friends, they think hybrids have to be plugged in, etc. And the second is that people can`t see past the ~$3500 price premium, maybe because they just can`t, or because they figure they will never save that much money in gas across the lease/ownership period. Of course the calculus changes when gas gets this expensive...I remember back in 2007 so many people here on the forum wanting to dump their trucks.

Speaking of 2007--are you the Len_A from back then?

Yes, I am.

The list price is slightly higher, but the lease payments, on the Escape hybrids is less than the regular turbo gas engine models. And list price higher is $1315, and then discounts in the ordering process wipe that out.

A lot of people don`t understand hybrids. I think they`re cool. I love seeing the words "electric driving" when I`m doing some city driving under 45 MPH. Ours have the digital instrument panel, and give you the MPG after each time you shut them off. Seeing low 40`s makes me smile.

[Coatings=crack]

Thanks for the "review". I find there are two obstacles to people buying hybrids, the first is that people don`t understand hybrids, even my "car guy" friends, they think hybrids have to be plugged in, etc. And the second is that people can`t see past the ~$3500 price premium, maybe because they just can`t, or because they figure they will never save that much money in gas across the lease/ownership period. Of course the calculus changes when gas gets this expensive...I remember back in 2007 so many people here on the forum wanting to dump their trucks.

Speaking of 2007--are you the Len_A from back then?

I was working for a Nissan dealer at that time. Everyone wanted to trade in there SuV’s and trucks. Only problem is everyone was upside down and you can’t roll over that much equity into an inexpensive 4 cylinder.

Then on top of that dealer were offering 70-80% of blue book because no one was buying the big Suv/trucks. Had to price them for what they would be worth in a year or so as that would be the average most dealers would have to sit on them.

Remember a guy who was buried for almost what the truck was worth and telling me it’s not his problem. We literally couldn’t do anything to get him into a new vehicle. Had to give him his keys back and tell him yes, it was his problem.

Gas hikes really weren’t the main issues though. It was every ones adjustable ARM’s coming to roost.

Was not a good year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Merlin]

I`m not sure but...when I spoke to the peddler at Toyota hes said...The hybrid battery is good for about 20 miles.
A person that works there stated he drives 15 miles to and 15 miles from work each day and it runs on the battery.

Any thoughts?

[Setec Astronomy]

I`m not sure but...when I spoke to the peddler at Toyota hes said...The hybrid battery is good for about 20 miles.
A person that works there stated he drives 15 miles to and 15 miles from work each day and it runs on the battery.

Any thoughts?

That sounds like a plug-in hybrid. This is what I meant about people not understanding hybrids. A hybrid simply recovers braking energy that would otherwise be lost as heat, and stores it in a small battery, so it can be used to re-accelerate the vehicle (an electric motor, when run in "reverse", becomes a generator, so when you brake in a hybrid vehicle, the electric motor is engaged and slows the vehicle, acting as a generator and charging the battery).

A plug-in hybrid incorporates a larger battery to allow some distance to be traveled on battery alone (electric vehicle, or EV Mode). When the battery is depleted, a plug-in hybrid functions as a hybrid vehicle. Plug-in hybrids have to be charged from the wall to enable use of the EV mode, but they can be driven as a hybrid if/when you don`t have access to that.

An electric vehicle uses the same braking-energy recovery as a hybrid vehicle. The mechanical/hydraulic brakes are used to supplement the generator-braking in all of these vehicle types.

[Len_A1]

That sounds like a plug-in hybrid. This is what I meant about people not understanding hybrids. A hybrid simply recovers braking energy that would otherwise be lost as heat, and stores it in a small battery, so it can be used to re-accelerate the vehicle (an electric motor, when run in "reverse", becomes a generator, so when you brake in a hybrid vehicle, the electric motor is engaged and slows the vehicle, acting as a generator and charging the battery).

A plug-in hybrid incorporates a larger battery to allow some distance to be traveled on battery alone (electric vehicle, or EV Mode). When the battery is depleted, a plug-in hybrid functions as a hybrid vehicle. Plug-in hybrids have to be charged from the wall to enable use of the EV mode, but they can be driven as a hybrid if/when you don`t have access to that.

An electric vehicle uses the same braking-energy recovery as a hybrid vehicle. The mechanical/hydraulic brakes are used to supplement the generator-braking in all of these vehicle types.

Ours are conventional hybrids, but I think the batteries are a bit bigger than hybrids used to be. If you go on Ford`s website, and check out the Escape`s specs, the hybrids have a little less rear seat room and cargo capacity than the conventional turbo ICE model. Plus, when the temps are above the mid 40`s, sometimes it starts on battery, and stays that way until I`m out of the subdivision. Sometimes it starts on the gas engine until it warms up, then after I`m warmed up, and take my foot off the accelerator, it switches to electric driving, and if I set the cruise control, I can can stay on electric for a few miles, as long as I`m under 45 MPH. Sometimes, going home from the grocery store, I`ve been on electric driving mode for 4 out of the 5 miles. It`s crazy.

[Setec Astronomy]

sometimes it starts on battery, and stays that way until I`m out of the subdivision. Sometimes it starts on the gas engine until it warms up, then after I`m warmed up, and take my foot off the accelerator, it switches to electric driving, and if I set the cruise control, I can can stay on electric for a few miles, as long as I`m under 45 MPH. Sometimes, going home from the grocery store, I`ve been on electric driving mode for 4 out of the 5 miles. It`s crazy.

But while it may be crazy, it drives like a regular car right? Nothing to be afraid of? I`m trying to say this is a mature technology and that if we had wider adoption of it, the purchase price gap would become even smaller, and people would be less torqued about gas prices because their rides would be getting much better mileage. I kind of got going on this topic in this thread: Michelin Uptis where I said:

"I heard from a friend about someone who got a Toyota minivan, and it was a hybrid, so I looked it up...and they are all hybrids, only way you can get it (at least at the time I checked). I also saw that Hyundai, who frequently has an up-model that has more horsepower...for the new Tucson, the only way to get the higher horsepower version is with the hybrid, because they use the same engine (I think) and add in the hybrid motor. I`m just saying these are ways the car companies are building acceptance of these kinds of vehicles, because the technology has reached the point where I think most casual drivers wouldn`t realize they are driving a hybrid if you didn`t tell them."

[Len_A1]

But while it may be crazy, it drives like a regular car right? Nothing to be afraid of? I`m trying to say this is a mature technology and that if we had wider adoption of it, the purchase price gap would become even smaller, and people would be less torqued about gas prices because their rides would be getting much better mileage. I kind of got going on this topic in this thread: Michelin Uptis where I said:

"I heard from a friend about someone who got a Toyota minivan, and it was a hybrid, so I looked it up...and they are all hybrids, only way you can get it (at least at the time I checked). I also saw that Hyundai, who frequently has an up-model that has more horsepower...for the new Tucson, the only way to get the higher horsepower version is with the hybrid, because they use the same engine (I think) and add in the hybrid motor. I`m just saying these are ways the car companies are building acceptance of these kinds of vehicles, because the technology has reached the point where I think most casual drivers wouldn`t realize they are driving a hybrid if you didn`t tell them."

Drives like a regular car with a lot of torque right off the line - advantage of electric motors. And I agree 100% - would be great to see more hybrids.

[Lonnie]

Len_A1:
Thanks for returning to this forum from "way-back-when" AND on the leasing of your new Ford Escape Hybrids. I am not sure how the discounts or incentives "work" (government subsidies???) for your leasing, but if it gets potential vehicle leasee`s into hybrids over internal-combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, so be it.
It was, indeed, time to "upgrade" from your older Fords, but like many individuals, with the current market price of either new OR used vehicles, its not economically feasible to buy or lease a different vehicle, as much as some may want to. Also glad to see you kept your vehicle choice in the Ford family. I am kinda in that situation and would LOVE to be driving a "slightly" used 2017-2019 Subaru Outback, but my mom`s 2006 Ford Freestyle AWD SEL that we bought from her estate in 2013 will have to suffice for the time being. So yes, I know what it is like to drive and maintain an older vehicle, albeit that it is paid for. I have come to the economic conclusion that either your are making car loan (or lease) payments for a new car OR making occasional (expensive) repair and maintenance bills, and yes, there does come time to consider the return-on-investment (AKA, the proverbial "that vehicle is nickel-and-diming me to death.") of what becomes more-than-occasional (expensive) repair expenses. With gas being around $4.00 a gallon here locally in Wisconsin and having to spend close to $80.00 on an empty tank fill-up, it makes me wish I had a vehicle that gets (a lot) better gas mileage, BUT, again, the trade-off is between making car loan or lease payments OR buying more gas. If gas goes up to $5.00 per gallon, your choice of leasing a new vehicle starts to "obscure" by older vehicle ownership economic logic.

OR worse, that gas is rationed because of short supplies this spring and early summer. Don`t laugh!!! It happened in May of 1979. Gas was "rationed" at 10 gallons every-other-day for unleaded gas, depending on your license plate number. My used 1977 Datsun 280Z (Yes, one of those cars you wished you had back!) burned regular leaded gas (needed for pre-catalytic vehicles back then), which was NOT rationed, so I could fill up as needed. Good thing because I was commuting about 75 miles round-trip a day for my engineering drawing (AKA drafting) job back then.

Please keep us informed on your detailing exploits with these vehicles.

[Setec Astronomy]

Lonnie, I don`t think there are any Federal tax subsidies for hybrids, only for plug-in or full electric. We had that odd-even here in NJ in `79 also. I looked for a long time for a 240/260Z, but I was never able to find one that wasn`t completely rusted out or had been fully rebuilt in a way I didn`t like (I wanted a rebuildable one to do the way I wanted). The 280`s were considered too heavy and not amenable enough to engine mods...I have no idea where I got that from, but I must have read something at the time that if you wanted a project car it should be a 240 or 260. Probably just as well I never found one.