I recently move to Boston Ma , and now with the winter and all the snow I’m looking to buy a hybird SUV that help me driving in this conditions.
which option is the best ???
thank you
German
The two best hybrid SUVs are the Ford Escape and Toyota Highlander hybrids.
You may also want to check out the Chevy Equinox, Toyota RAV4, and Honda CRV. They are as fuel efficient or more efficient than the hybrids.
The Toyota Highlander hybrid doesn’t get very good gas mileage. It is a well built SUV, but the focus is on performance and luxury over mpg. Escape hybrid does much better on mpg, it is smaller and more basic than the Highlander.
What are you driving now? Have you priced winter tires for your car? Winter tires should keep you moving with no real problems in the Boston area.
Unless you actually live in the mountains west or north of Boston, you really don’t need 4WD. The best mileage for a non-hybrid is the Chevy Equinox 4-cyl. Add about $5000 to the Escape cost for a hybrid when equivalently equipped. Good luck making up the difference in cost with fuel savings. You will have to drive over 130,000 miles to make up the difference in purchase price. Avoiding the hybrid hype will also let you buy other low-cost SUVs like the Rav4 or CR-V.
My wife loves her 06 Escape hybrid.
But we’ve found it is kind of an oxymoron.
If you use it more for it’s awd and suv, you don’t see the mpg benefit.
If you intend to drive it for it’s mpg potential, you certainly aren’t driving in an suv style so why bother buying the extra weight of the awd ? ( which detracts the the max mpg potetial by virtue of extra weight anyway. )
We like ours for it’s awd winter driving ability and it’s regular driving handling is better the the non-hybrid escape.
The mpg potential remains, but we don’t drive that slow.
The efficiency advantage of a Hybrid drops as the load demand increases. Look at MPG comparisons. You still have to pay. I would just buy the most economical gas SUV (RAV4/CRV now) or hope Subaru can import their 40mpg diesel Outback if needed.
Or, get the cheapest used SUV if you are set on 4wd you can find for winter, and buy a used Corolla/Civic/Focus/Protege etc. to run around in when the road is bare; which as you will find out, is 99% of your travel time.
Don’t buy anything “German” made, oops.
Thank you for all the answers
I have a civic but definitely is not the best in snow, so any other comments about the hybrid Ford Escape ??? I think is a good option, any one has this SUV, I?m wondering about breaks and 4wd ??
And finally I?m not German , I?m Colombian so is even worse for me to drive in the snow
Thank you
German