Hybrid Ownership, 2+ Years In
Yes, we still love our hybrid–a 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid FWD–which we purchased on March 6, 2006.
On the way home from my folks this evening, I refueled the hybrid since it was starting to do its annoying 50 miles to empty periodic buzzer (gotta admit, nothing would be more pitiful than a hybrid stranded on the side of the road, out of gas.) Anyway — 13.37 gal unleaded @ $3.49/gal = $46.77; I got 465 miles on the tank (could be higher) and a tank average fuel economy of 34.8 mpg. Not bad for an SUV, eh? And that’s w/hauling full loads in the cargo area to drop items off at the recycling and donation centers repeatedly (multiple trips), as well as four new tires (non-low rolling resistance, which is what most hybrids use to increase fuel economy by decreasing friction/drag.
My lifetime fuel economy stats continue to be available on the GreenHybrid.com website, a site which I highly recommend to anyone curious about hybrids, thinking about purchasing a hybrid or the proud new owner of a hybrid. I have zero ties to the website beyond being a “ridiculously active poster” there in the past 2+ years since I joined. The site has been a terrific resource during my pre-purchase research as well as to gain insights from fellow hybrid drivers.
Since we bought the Ford Escape Hybrid, she’s been refueled 45 times and has traveled a little over 17,000 miles. Maintenance issues have been minimal–fit and finish stuff (had a sunroof leak, some squeaks in the rear end shocks and a couple little plastic bits & bobs that went missing and were replaced. The only recall was for a drive shaft manufacturing glitch that affected some, not all, Ford Escapes and Ford Escape Hybrids; through that recall I ended up with a brand new drive shaft (time in shop? 2.5 days.) The vehicle runs terrific and I couldn’t be happier with it.
