I’m driving the Ford Escape plug-in hybrid.
It has a lot of great things going and one thing that might keep people from buying it.
And it’s not the electric range…
The latest version of the Ford Escape has the usual signs of running on gasoline.
It also has this (SOUND UP) it’s a plug-in hybrid.
This tech seems to confuse consumers.
It’s one of the reasons why the Chevy Volt wasn’t wildly successful and why Chrysler
doesn’t call the Pacifica Hybrid a plug-in.
The concept is simple enough.
Charge the battery and this Escape can run on electricity only, 37 miles according to
the EPA rating.
Once the pack is spent it default to a hybrid dynamic with a total range of 520 miles.
Ford has dropped off a loaded top-trim Titanium model with an as-tested retail price of $43,000.
There’s actually a solid reason to skip the standard escape hybrid and go with this
because you can take advantage of the $6800 federal tax credit that’s not available
in the regular hybrid this is cheaper by almost $2000.
Unfortunately this one is not available with all wheel drive for the standard hybrid is.
It’s not like this platform doesn’t support it.
The Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring has all-wheel drive.
Unfortunately its gateway price is $9,000 more than the Titanium here and Corsair climbs
to nearly $60,00 with all the goodies.
Budget buyers might look at Toyota RAV4 Prime, plus the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Niro plug-ins.
The 2.5-liter 4-cylinder that runs the Atkinson cycle makes 165 horsepower on it’s own.
Add in the motor/generator and there’s a total of 200 horsepower.
Ford doesn’t offer torque figures.
There’s really no sound when hitting the awkwardly placed ignition… but it’s been
pretty cold so even with a charged battery (SOUND UP) the 4-cylinder tends to kick on.
That’s in the “normal mode” which is the default, I’ll explain this in a minute.
Escape can be forced into EV-only performance, a “hold mode” to save the battery power
for later, or use the gas engine to charge the battery.
Not very efficient.
The transmission is an electronic continuously variable unit, the L setting is for a slightly
more aggressive regeneration setting when coasting.
There are no steering wheel paddles like some EVs.
Like so many vehicles, there are drive modes, Escape has more than most and the graphics
are pleasant enough so you might just scroll through them from time to time.
The Escape fully charges from a standard 120 household outlet in about 10 hours.
Using 240 Level 2 it drops to just over 3.
The gas side of this powertrain doesn’t just eliminate range anxiety, there’s less
need to install expensive Level 2 charging like this at home.
Personally I charge the two plug-ins I own on 120 and almost always have a full battery
when charging overnight.
And the argument that hauling a heavy gas engine around isn’t a good one, a huge EV
pack weighs more.
The downside of plug-ins is maintaining the gas engine.
Typically I change the synthetic oil on mine every two years.
Owners will probably want to use the electric only side of like this that’s why you buy
a plug-in hybrid but keep in mind it’s only using part of the powertrain it’s not using
gas engine so it’s not as quick Also weight, at 3,884 pounds it’s 470 more
than a front-drive gas-only 4-cylinder Escape This is fine for city driving because electric
motors have a lot of torque and it feels faster than it is.
Now when you put it into “normal mode” and you put your foot hard into the throttle,
the engine will spool up because you asked it to
On a full charge in normal mode, the engine kicked on for 5 miles on a trip of 40 miles.
It’s a lazy way of driving electric with extra mid-range power when needed.
Speed Racer should go with the gas-only turbo four cylinder Escape that’ll dash to 60
miles an hour in around 6 seconds.
This is closer to 8 or 9.
But it’s a smooth experience and much more efficient.
EPA rates the all-electric range of the plug-in hybrid at 37 miles.
Battery technology being what it is and it’s cold in the Puget Sound area I’m seeing
closer to 32 and on the highway pushing it hard I’m seeing closer to 30.
RAV4 Prime will give you an extra 5 miles at 42, Tucson’s electric range is rated
at 33 miles, Niro’s at 26.
Those are EPA estimates.
Once the battery is depleted in the Escape plug in hybrid it defaults to a standard hybrid
mode no fuss no muss.
You don’t have to do anything.
The EPA rates it at 40 miles per gallon in this setting, pretty good for a vehicle the
size.
The 3-cylinder gas only Escape averages 30 miles a gallon, man Escape has a lot of different
powertrain options.
While the plug-in is hefty, it doesn’t feel all that heavy, it’s an easy vehicle to
pilot.
It’s comfortable without being sloppy.
Escape isn’t overly exciting to drive but it’s kind of fun to chuck it hard into a
corner.
Body movements are well-controlled there’s actually some road feel coming up through
the steering wheel.
The suspension is a little bit on the firm side and when you hit rough pavement there
is some slight bucking and porpoising but that’s the worst I can come up with.
Like many hybrids, there’s a flow chart showing what the powertrain is doing.
Visibility is good too.
On the whole road noise is about average.
Now when you’re puttering around in the city at lower speed, my mics are not sensitive
enough to pick this up, but you will hear some electric whine.
iI’s kind of common.
This bothers some people most people it doesn’t.
I’m just pointing it out pay attention on your test drive.
In some modes it almost sounded like a siren in the distance.
The electronic continuously variable transmission does not have the rubbery dynamic that you
might expect from a CVT.
There’s kind of a cool breaking coach I’m stopping nice and easy to get a good score.
Not bad not bad and I will say that the pedal feel when going from regenerative to the actual
physical disc brakes is very smooth.
All Escape plug-in hybrid come standard with CoPilot360, an active electronic safety suite
that includes AEB with pedestrian detection, blind spot warning and lane keep assist.
Optional on most models, standard on Titanium is Co-Pilot360 Assist+.
It adds automated parking, adaptive cruise control and a very solid lane centering system
that takes gentle curves on the highway all by itself.
Please keep in mind this technology is only there to assist, it is not self-driving none
of it is.
It can take over for a short amount of time, but you really need to pay full attention.
The powertrain is quite good.
The cabin’s interior look... is average.
And this is the Titanium, as good as it gets in Escape.
Plus this one is equipped with the $2,500 Premium Package that replaces synthetic leather
with the real stuff and adds this big glass roof.
Funny how polarizing this trim is.
Some passengers found it convincing and elegant, others see fake and cheap.
I don’t see $43,000 worth of goodness in here though if you like the Puma stripe, there’s
this.
It is functional though, there are a bunch of places to stash all your stuff away and
the cubbies are well sized.
The seat cushions are on the longer side maybe a bit too much for the very petite (says my
wife).
These are heated, not vented.
The wheel is toasty too.
Vents have a particularly hefty feel.
Escape runs the Sync3 user interface which is not as responsive or intuitive as Sync4.
There’s a volume knob and big buttons to help out.
The charge pad is good to have when using Bluetooth for phone and streaming audio.
But using the standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay requires a cord.
Just so you know.
The Bang and Olufsen system is quite good if you demand premium sound.
I see you’ve found the sliding back seats.
Yes, yes I have….
Oh, you want to know about the back seat.
Okay.
We’re both 5 foot 9 inches and headroom is good, so is knee leg and foot room.
Did I mention that it’s adjustsable.
The pockets are kind of small, you wouldn’t want to put a hot cup of coffee here.
There’s my big gripe, no pocket here, there is one over there that kids will fight over.
No separet climate zone but there are vents.
Air flow is a little skimpy.
There’s a place to charge phones.
This is the top trim Titanium and there are no heated seats back here.
The drive shaft tunnel isn’t all that big you could get three adults back here.
And you could for short trips but keep it to two and people will be a lot more comfortable.
And they can do this…
When it comes to design, generation 3 is sleek and urbane with clean simple lines, a bit
anonymous.
More svelte European than rugged American.
It leaves the outdoorsy look to brother Bronco Sport which can’t be had with any kind of
hybrid powertrain.
Like the interior, the outside doesn’t convey a Titanium level of swagger, it appears mid-grade.
It also doesn’t shout about its plug-in powertrain.
There’s just this tiny badge and the extra fuel door.
Ford says it designed Escape more for women.
Seems to me that these days, women kind of like a tougher look, it’s one of the reasons
they don’t like minivans but I’m sure Ford has the data and marketing smarts to
back that up.
Right?
Bronco Sport and Escape are built on the same architecture.
The Bronco-ette holds eight packs of my measurement metric but it has a squared off back.
That’s a lot more cargo friendly.
That’s where standardized testing comes in handy.
The hybrid Escapes have 3 less cubic feet because of the battery location.
The 12V battery is located here.
Spare tire?
Hello?
Where are you?
Oh just a repair kit.
While there are a few extras to keep things useful hack here, there’s no 40/20/40 split
option or pass through.
And dropping the seatbacks means a trip to the back doors in case you do that a lot.
In maximum cargo mode, you’re looking at nearly 61 cubic feet with a load floor that
isn’t quite flat.
RAV4 Prime has 63.
Raise the backs and there’s as little as 30.7 or as much as 34 and a half cubic feet,
depending on how much legroom passengers get out of the sliding seat.
I set them half way and….
It scores an 8, same as the Bronco Sport and RAV4 Prime.
And yeah, the powered tailgate will close, all by itself.
Let’s wrap this up.
Red Light Green Light time.
Green Light- The plug-in hybrid powertrain that’s smooth and efficient.
While not a sports car, Escape is a very agreeable machine to drive for its intended audience.
The fact that the plug-in powertrain can actually cost less than the regular Escape hybrid,
especially if your state has incentives.
Yellow Light- The powertrain does it’s job well but there are some odd sounds coming
from the system.
The cargo space is roomy, it’s just rudimentary.
No pass through or remote seatback releases and no spare tire.
The Sync3 interface is just fine, but I know there’s a Sync4… and it’s better.
Red Light- Want an AWD plug-in?
Cue the sad trombone sound, it’s for Lincoln only.
Every Escape I’ve been in looks like the accountants bullied the designers.
And overall, I don’t think this lives up to the Titanium branding.
It doesn’t feel rich enough to earn the name.
Many buyers don’t yet feel comfortable taking long trip in a pure electric vehicle, even
though both the range of EVs and the charging infrastructure are growing.
For those who haven’t experienced an electric car, I get it.
Plug-in hybrids are a great way for people to dip their toe into the electric vehicle
lifestyle if they’re afraid to jump all the way in.
And you have to remember that if you plug it in every night, and that’s important,
you’re getting around 11,000 miles of all electric range annually.
That’s not too shabby.
The EPA says this’ll save owners $5,000 in fuel costs over 5 years.
I’ve driven plug-ins with all-electric ranges of only 12 miles, which is kind of worthless.
Something in the mid 30s is a more valuable proposition.
Like any vehicle, assess your needs and buy the one that works for your lifestyle.
The Ford Escape plug-in hybrid is a pleasant, practical and efficient machine.
If not an exciting one.
There’s a debate on plug-ins and how clean they are, partly because, since they don’t
NEED to be plugged in, some owners won’t.
If the range is really short, then yeah, I can see that happening.
Dan Neil wrote an excellent column on this, I’m providing a link in the description
that I think will get you around Wall Street Journal’s pay wall.
Recommended reading.
For what it’s worth, my wife and I are very diligent about charging ours, she has a Chevy
Volt can go 50 miles on a charge, my Cadillac ELR goes closer to 35 in the real world.
She typically buys two tanks of gas a year, I buy one since I’m always driving other
people’s cars.
This is the end, time for the fun fact.
This time it’s about the Ford logo.
Ever wonder if that’s really Henry Ford’s signature.
Well it probably isn’t and even if it were it’s a loose interpretation.
Ford’s first chief engineer and designer was a calligrapher and he drew it up.
It wasn’t always blue and it wasn’t always in an oval.
That came in 1927.
There you go and it’s time to go, sounds like someone’s getting broken into.
I think this is a safe neighborhood.
Remember to subscribe, that’s Driven I’m Tom Voelk.