I would like to know what Click and Clack and their audience would recommend for a small hybrid SUV. I commute in a Prius to work and love the gas savings. We have two kids and do like to drive to the Calif. mountains a few times a year.
Is there a car out this year or should we wait for the 2011 or 2012 model years.
Ford Escape Hybrid is on the market now and it sounds like what you are looking for. Other hybrid SUV’s are bigger and set up for more power and aren’t that great on mpg’s. The Escape is set up to give good mpg.
Driving to the mountains is highway miles and a hybrid isn’t going to be a big advantage if you are using it for mostly highway driving. All hybrids do best in city stop and go driving. Figure out how you plan to use this small SUV before you decide it has to be a hybrid.
I agree with your recommendation.
However all hybrids do not do their best in city stop and go driving. My Insight for instance gets vastly better mileage on the highway than in town; hybrids that can run solely on their electric motor at low speeds do better in town.