would you trust Ford reliability enough to buy a Ford Escape hybrid?
Well I would not buy a hybrid (I get 60+ mpg on the road without hybrid) but I believe the Ford Escape hybrid is doing OK.I agree, I would also buy a TDI before a hybrid. I’m a strong believer in KISS, and hybrids are anything but simple.
I’m a GM guy so I would say no. BUT, then again I wouldn’t be in any rush to buy a hybrid of any make until the bugs have been worked out and there is an established infrastructure for them. Who knows how long that will take.
I have not owned a Ford product in more than 20 years (there was always something I liked better) but I would have no qualms at all about buying a modern Ford.
According to Consumer Reports data its better than average.
If it fits your needs and desires go for it. I would disregard “reputation” and buy what fits all your needs, budget, and desire. Nothing worse than being stuck with a car everyone “thinks” is the best. I did that with a Civic and hated it.
What problems do you know that have been reported??? And what infrastructure is needed??
The answers you’ll get here are all biased. Including mine.
Get a Consumer Reports New Car Preview at the local bookstore and look up the reliability history. It’s not perfect, no source is, but it’s the best and most unbiased resource available. Then, if the data looks acceptable to you, test drive one. If you like it, go for it.
Well, I’ve owned 2 Fords in the past and currently own 2 more. They’ve all been good cars and see a LOT of miles. My current Lincoln Mark has almost 219k miles and runs/drives almost like new.
Our previous family car was running/driving well when sold a couple of years ago and it had 420k on it.
personally, I wouldn’t buy a hybrid either, but I’d have no problem buying an Escape if I was in the market for a small SUV. I rented one one time and I really liked how it drove.
In addition to CR, edmunds.com thinks it is a reliable truck. J.D. Power rates it about average, and True Delta does not rate it. If you like it and the truck makes sense for you, buy it.
I will not ever own another Ford. I am preparing to sell the one I have. Were I given one I would sell it and buy something else. See my thread a bit below this one titled “Transmission Fluid Low After Dealer Service”
Weak batteries in winter and there likely are others.
There are always problems (bugs) with new vehicles.
Batteries are always weaker in winter due to the cold but I sure wouldn’t want a hybrid battery to die (in the city) where the batteries do just about all the work.
Forget about the infrastructure thing with the electrics as I see (after a little more research).
Whatever happened to propane powered vehicles? STILL not many on the road. I expected to see a lot more due to the clean air. Propane filling stations were a real headache for a lack of them.
Anyway, here’s a site you all MAY find interesting (or not): http://www.carbuyingtips.com/hybrids-cars.htm What the…? The page changed? Maybe you can find the articles form the main link there.
The site discusses hybrids and mentions the Ford Escape hybrid.
I have owned 3 Fords and did not have good luck with any of them. But that’s only a sample of 3. Others have had great success, and it appears that the newer Fords are more reliable than they used to be. BTW, my last Ford was a 1996.
I have to ask. 60 mpg with what, a motorcycle? I can get only 50 mpg with my VW diesel with normal driving. Yes, I can do 60 and slightly more but it requires more concentration and effort than I care to afford. 60 mpg with what?
I agree that it is likely to be at least a bit more reliable than the average for all new vehicles. However, unless you plan to do mostly urban driving, the period of time necessary to amortize the extra cost of the hybrid vs. a non-hybrid vehicle could be more than a decade.
If your driving is mostly open road driving, the mileage advantage of a hybrid is minimal–or non-existent–as compared to an economical non-hybrid vehicle. And–this is the ultimate question, I think–if most of your driving will be in an urban environment, why would you need any kind of SUV??
If better gas mileage is your goal, I would suggest that you first evaluate the type of vehicle that you actually need (sedan, wagon, SUV or…?) and then compare the vehicles within that category in terms of gas mileage for the type of driving that you will be doing. You could well find that something like a Honda Fit or a Nissan Versa (both are non-hybrids) would be more economical–both on a weekly basis and in terms of overall cost over the life of the vehicle–than a hybrid SUV.
Following-up on my earlier reply? Got a call from Corporate Ford regarding my service issue (see “Transmission Fluid Low After Dealer Service”). The person was not helpful (not surprising) nor was she polite. The lack of politeness is astounding. Especially from a company that just lost the #2 US Sales position to Toyota. For myself, the poor service and callous customer support has permanently soured me. I will NEVER NEVER NEVER own a Ford. It’s too bad because the product is not bad. The customer service is atrocious. When I spend $500+ on service I want good service. I’m confident my new Mercedes will need service. I’m also confident I’ll get good service.
Agree that Ford service is less than sterling! The time I bought my Toyota (see post on “Decent car salesperson” my colleague bought a Ford Fusion, a highly rated Ford for a change. Whereas my car was delivered in perfect condition, and after 11 months still runs perfectly with not a single problem, his Fusion was delivered with a big gauge across the dash and filthy floor mats. The mats have been cleaned after 11 months, but the gauge is still there; they have to put new crash padding on and the dealer and Ford are taking their good time!!
There is a reason their sales were down 24% in 2007.
Ford makes some good cars…that are reasonably reliable IMO. Problem is, the most reliable (ie. Ranger ) are archaic and behind the times or a crap shoot to find. Ford like, GM farms out so much of it’s manufactuing with so little central control, you need to have degrees in engineering and economics, and a lot of time to do the research. Toyota and Honda can sell quality/reliability on their reputation alone; and deservidly so. Example…GM buys Honda motors for some SUV’s and Ford used and may still buy the first generation (read old) hybrid system from Toyota. Again, what a crap shoot !!!