How to Pick Your Hybrid Car Part Ten
November 28th, 2006
How to pick the best Hybrid Car for you
© 2006 by Rick Tamlin
Ford finally threw their hat into the hybrid ring last year (2006) with the impressive, gas-miserly SUV Escape. (2007 MSRP $25,655) While clearly not as powerful as either of the Toyotas, it offers 36 MPGs better than any other Sports Utility Vehicle. This puts it above even the Highlander’s fuel-savings level as well, which is sure to spark some competition between the two for 2008. It is a fun and rugged car to drive and should be good seller for Ford due to its’ mix of higher mileage and lower price.
The Mercury Mariner (MSRP $29,225) has the same size engine as Ford’s, with all the same statistics, but is somehow more expensive while at the same time less fuel-economic at 33 MPGs. It really sounds like a bad deal until you take a look at the underside of the car, because this is the only hybrid car that employs a Four Wheel Drive transmission in their standard package. (Many other hybrid SUVs offer 4WD as an option, but it always brings down their MPG rating by at least 4 or more.)
This nice twist of a feature will surely differentiate them from competition and call out to the more rugged, trail-hardy hybrid consumers.
(You know, people who want to save the Earth so they can get it all over their windshields.)
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