I purchased a 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid with the Titanium Elite Package to tow behind my motorhome. I was somewhat hesitant buying a Ford Hybrid, but I was pleasantly surprised with the car. It is comfortable, dependable, drives nice, and gets great mileage. Personally I like it better than a Toyota RAV4 that I owned in the past. It is a great car to tow behind our motorhome.
Ford has been doing hybrids for a long time now. They've always been good at it, even if they don't have the sales figures or reputation that Toyota does.
The Escape hybrid is not a well kept secret as MY 2023 order banks are closed for the hybrid and I believe MY 2024 order banks are closed also. If you want one, look for dealer ordered hybrid or used. Not easy to find RAV 4 or CRV hybrid either.
Ford licensed the “power split device” design from Toyota a long time ago - the very clever engine/transmission layout that uses an ICE engine, 2 electric motors/generators, and a planetary gear set with “infinite” drive ratios. This is the same hybrid drivetrain design that Toyota has been using in the Prius for ~25 years. Ford also doesn’t make these transmissions in house. Instead they’ve always bought them from Aisin, the Toyota-group company that has made them for Toyota since the beginning. Aisin is basically the only company that has any experience building “power split device / ECVT” drivetrains, so this makes a lot of sense. They’re extremely reliable designs. Add the fact that the 2.5L engines in the Escape/Maverick were originally Mazda designs (naturally aspirated and simple port injected) and you’re left with a drivetrain that’s incredibly reliable.
@@124thDragoon, oh, I didn't know transaxles were from Aisin. Nice! Just one note: I think the Mazda engine (Duratec) had direct injection. I guess, Ford added port injection. But it's true, the original Mazda engine runs forever. Ford hybrid with 2.5L should be very reliable!
Our '21 Hybrid SEL AWD is averaging 48.x mpg over it's first 20,000 miles. The selectable 'L' low gear option is useful on a few steep hills and the automatic hill descent control is pretty cool as well. We leave it in Normal or Eco Mode, but Sport mode is great for urban highway driving - giving quicker acceleration and also throttle braking for more control. The AWD has been helpful in snow and slush, but at 40,000 miles we might switch to a more aggressive all season tire since winter storms are a reality.
Hey, that is identical to my Escape. The metallic white paint really pops with the panoramic roof and black cladding. My hybrid is 40 months old, no problems and 46.8mpg at 16,000 miles. Engine only runs about 35% of those miles. So the engine only has about 5,000 miles on it.
Recently started watching your videos and they are great, getting perspective what others dont talk about. especially on the features, used cars and engine choice etc. Could you please tell me the standard warranty on these hybrid batteries. do we have to spend a fortune to replace them ?
I purchased a 2021 Ford escape gas engine, have not had any issues with the style of the car. Has done what i have needed no issues. Im now hoping in 2025 to get the hybrid escape. I love the hybrid option and hope for that hybrid escape to be my car for quite some time.
I have a 2021 Hybrid SEL AWD and it's easy to drive, has sufficient power for my needs, and is a fine general purpose vehicle for a someone who doesn't carry a lot of cargo, do towing, or use roof rack storage. (It might be OK for those too; I haven't tried that.) Great gas mileage, too! HOWEVER, the vehicle has one SIGNIFICANT FLAW you should be aware of: the HEATED SEATS for the driver and front passenger. Firstly, the seats get VERY HOT, even on the lowest setting; in my previous vehicle I could comfortably ride with the seat on the lowest setting, while in the Escape I often have to turn the heat off entirely. Secondly, although the heated seats are supposed to be activated when you use the remote start capability I've found that nothing happens until you actually enter the vehicle and turn it fully on (although the heated steering wheel does warm up, as advertised); I'm not sure if this is an undocumented safety feature to prevent accidental fires/burns if the seats are unoccupied, but it is a bit annoying. (Fortunately the seats DO heat up fairly quickly once the car is fully activated.) Thirdly, continuous use of the heated seats can drain the vehicle's 12V battery if most of your trips are short ones, as it doesn't give the vehicle enough time to recharge the battery; this can shorten the life of the battery and doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere in Ford's documentation. (I've already had the battery replaced once under warranty, and the replacement battery may be starting to fail too.) It seems that you should only use a heated seat to warm up your butt when you begin driving the vehicle, and then turn it off once you've reached a comfortable temperature.
Great review, Peter. I was curious to hear about the all wheel drive system; is it like newer Toyotas that use an electric motor to drive the rear wheels, or an axle that will require extra maintenance?
The default drive mode is normal. If you want eco mode you have to remember to set it after startup. You would think a hybrid should automatically default to eco at startup.
I have a 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid that makes the fake electric motor noise. However, when I put it in reverse, there is no backup tone like demonstrated here. I am aware that it is only heard on 2022 and newer Escape Hybrids, but is it possible to add the backup beep?
What’s worse is a major recall in progress for the engine exploding. Waiting for parts since July and nothing coming for the foreseeable future…..maybe December!
How is it going with the purchase, am in New Zealand too, about to finalise FHEV 2024.. but Aus has discontinued it and am a bit skeptical!! But out of all the toyotas we tried, this one felt much better and refined and this after three weeks of trying different cars that they say are no. 1!!. Toyotas were like crying when revved up and I thought they are overhyped.
Owners manual is not vehicle specific. It covers all Escape models and may show you things you do or don’t have. If you look for the block heater you may not find it in the manual but I have one….fortunately I looked for it because not even the dealer knew where it was.
I totally agree!!!! Even my kia Soul has air cooled seats!!! I was just test driving a Niro and Sportage and both were cheaper models with out cooled seats and they were soooooo hot 🥵🔥🥵. Not cool 😎
Question. Does this application of eCVT knows how to "mimic" gears? Like in rav4 hybrid you can manipulate the gear stick and braking with the engine on lower ratios.
I always figure that if people pay for them, they should know what they are and see if they're useful to them as well. You could make the same argument about smart phones or computers though. Both of those can do thousands of things that most owners will never do with them. That doesn't mean that an owner can't be happy with them, or appreciate them for what they do well for each particular owner.
God i miss you on the Kia Channel! Those girls ruined it! I went and drove a 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid EX. Was to big the escape hybrid drove so much more car like and not boat like. And it was not impressive on fuel economy either. I also drove a Niro EV as i am looking at a Niro HEV but i think its going to be to small i have my height in my torso. I think im going to look for a 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid! Sadly the 2023's are so over priced its not funny.
Haha. I don't think they ruined it. They're doing what they're being asked to do. They're still growing and I'm happy to see that it's still succeeding. It would have been nice if they didn't take down the video that we made telling people where to find my channel, 🤣 but it's their channel to do with as they wish.
It’s a piece of crap. Cheap plastic inside. Very hard to clean. Fit and finish leaves much to be desired. Build quality not there either. I had a major leak at the drivers door onto the drivers floor. Inner door panel was improperly installed…….how much do they pay those workers anyway?
![ILLSLICK - THE KING'S LANDING [Freestyle]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/feIJJnNkTfk/mqdefault.jpg)
I purchased a 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid with the Titanium Elite Package to tow behind my motorhome. I was somewhat hesitant buying a Ford Hybrid, but I was pleasantly surprised with the car. It is comfortable, dependable, drives nice, and gets great mileage. Personally I like it better than a Toyota RAV4 that I owned in the past. It is a great car to tow behind our motorhome.
Ford has been doing hybrids for a long time now. They've always been good at it, even if they don't have the sales figures or reputation that Toyota does.
The Escape hybrid is not a well kept secret as MY 2023 order banks are closed for the hybrid and I believe MY 2024 order banks are closed also. If you want one, look for dealer ordered hybrid or used. Not easy to find RAV 4 or CRV hybrid either.
Ford licensed the “power split device” design from Toyota a long time ago - the very clever engine/transmission layout that uses an ICE engine, 2 electric motors/generators, and a planetary gear set with “infinite” drive ratios. This is the same hybrid drivetrain design that Toyota has been using in the Prius for ~25 years. Ford also doesn’t make these transmissions in house. Instead they’ve always bought them from Aisin, the Toyota-group company that has made them for Toyota since the beginning. Aisin is basically the only company that has any experience building “power split device / ECVT” drivetrains, so this makes a lot of sense. They’re extremely reliable designs. Add the fact that the 2.5L engines in the Escape/Maverick were originally Mazda designs (naturally aspirated and simple port injected) and you’re left with a drivetrain that’s incredibly reliable.
@@124thDragoon, oh, I didn't know transaxles were from Aisin. Nice!
Just one note: I think the Mazda engine (Duratec) had direct injection. I guess, Ford added port injection. But it's true, the original Mazda engine runs forever.
Ford hybrid with 2.5L should be very reliable!
Now those are two words you don’t hear together…Ford and Reliable.Especially when they lead the industry in recalls. Lol
Our '21 Hybrid SEL AWD is averaging 48.x mpg over it's first 20,000 miles. The selectable 'L' low gear option is useful on a few steep hills and the automatic hill descent control is pretty cool as well. We leave it in Normal or Eco Mode, but Sport mode is great for urban highway driving - giving quicker acceleration and also throttle braking for more control. The AWD has been helpful in snow and slush, but at 40,000 miles we might switch to a more aggressive all season tire since winter storms are a reality.
Hey, that is identical to my Escape. The metallic white paint really pops with the panoramic roof and black cladding. My hybrid is 40 months old, no problems and 46.8mpg at 16,000 miles. Engine only runs about 35% of those miles. So the engine only has about 5,000 miles on it.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Recently started watching your videos and they are great, getting perspective what others dont talk about. especially on the features, used cars and engine choice etc.
Could you please tell me the standard warranty on these hybrid batteries. do we have to spend a fortune to replace them ?
I purchased a 2021 Ford escape gas engine, have not had any issues with the style of the car. Has done what i have needed no issues. Im now hoping in 2025 to get the hybrid escape. I love the hybrid option and hope for that hybrid escape to be my car for quite some time.
Great video. Just recently bought a used 2020 Escape hybrid. So far, love it.
I went out of town and when I ordered an Uber the Escape hybrid arrived and I was impressed 👍
You may also have problems with the starter battery.
Mine died and I could not start the vehicle.
I have a 2021 Hybrid SEL AWD and it's easy to drive, has sufficient power for my needs, and is a fine general purpose vehicle for a someone who doesn't carry a lot of cargo, do towing, or use roof rack storage. (It might be OK for those too; I haven't tried that.) Great gas mileage, too! HOWEVER, the vehicle has one SIGNIFICANT FLAW you should be aware of: the HEATED SEATS for the driver and front passenger. Firstly, the seats get VERY HOT, even on the lowest setting; in my previous vehicle I could comfortably ride with the seat on the lowest setting, while in the Escape I often have to turn the heat off entirely. Secondly, although the heated seats are supposed to be activated when you use the remote start capability I've found that nothing happens until you actually enter the vehicle and turn it fully on (although the heated steering wheel does warm up, as advertised); I'm not sure if this is an undocumented safety feature to prevent accidental fires/burns if the seats are unoccupied, but it is a bit annoying. (Fortunately the seats DO heat up fairly quickly once the car is fully activated.) Thirdly, continuous use of the heated seats can drain the vehicle's 12V battery if most of your trips are short ones, as it doesn't give the vehicle enough time to recharge the battery; this can shorten the life of the battery and doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere in Ford's documentation. (I've already had the battery replaced once under warranty, and the replacement battery may be starting to fail too.) It seems that you should only use a heated seat to warm up your butt when you begin driving the vehicle, and then turn it off once you've reached a comfortable temperature.
Great review, Peter. I was curious to hear about the all wheel drive system; is it like newer Toyotas that use an electric motor to drive the rear wheels, or an axle that will require extra maintenance?
The default drive mode is normal.
If you want eco mode you have to remember to set it after startup.
You would think a hybrid should automatically default to eco at startup.
In 2024, hybrids powertrains should be standard on all vehicles. The technology is certainly there and it offers extra horsepower as well.
They're definitely gaining in popularity!
In the US, 56% of Ford Mavericks are sold with the hybrid engine. It's a success story for hybrids!
I have a 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid that makes the fake electric motor noise. However, when I put it in reverse, there is no backup tone like demonstrated here. I am aware that it is only heard on 2022 and newer Escape Hybrids, but is it possible to add the backup beep?
This will be my choice to purchase used, best value for this size hybrid suv
What’s worse is a major recall in progress for the engine exploding.
Waiting for parts since July and nothing coming for the foreseeable future…..maybe December!
I took my car in for service and they made the warranty service then. I do it every 6000 . I do at least 5000 Km a month so they know me at the dealer
Very good explaination : We bought a 2023 Ford Escape Hybrid recently : Your comments have confirmed our choice : Bruce Petrie : New Zealand
How do you like it so far?
How is it going with the purchase, am in New Zealand too, about to finalise FHEV 2024.. but Aus has discontinued it and am a bit skeptical!! But out of all the toyotas we tried, this one felt much better and refined and this after three weeks of trying different cars that they say are no. 1!!. Toyotas were like crying when revved up and I thought they are overhyped.
Owners manual is not vehicle specific.
It covers all Escape models and may show you things you do or don’t have.
If you look for the block heater you may not find it in the manual but I have one….fortunately I looked for it because not even the dealer knew where it was.
Is it hybrid or Ecoboost?
My real disappointment with the 2023 was the lack of cooled seats.
Not too much to be upset about then!
@@PeterLoweOne come enjoy several 100-degrees days in a row with leather seats and see if you change your mind! 😉
If that is your biggest issue given the incredible technology in this vehicle, you tally don’t have much to worry about.
@@AB-jk7tw compared to competitors and the price point, it makes a difference.
I totally agree!!!! Even my kia Soul has air cooled seats!!! I was just test driving a Niro and Sportage and both were cheaper models with out cooled seats and they were soooooo hot 🥵🔥🥵. Not cool 😎
Question. Does this application of eCVT knows how to "mimic" gears? Like in rav4 hybrid you can manipulate the gear stick and braking with the engine on lower ratios.
I was all in on the Escape Hybrid...then the Maverick was announced and I decided to wait. Then the car market went berserk. Oh well.
Get a Rave4
How can you program an other key fob
You'd probably have to do that at a dealer.
Is this the hybrid's lowest trim level? All this stuff is standard?
yes lowest
oh yeah, I'd be willing to bet that like half of the features in new cars are disabled or the owner has no idea what they are/how to use them
I always figure that if people pay for them, they should know what they are and see if they're useful to them as well.
You could make the same argument about smart phones or computers though. Both of those can do thousands of things that most owners will never do with them. That doesn't mean that an owner can't be happy with them, or appreciate them for what they do well for each particular owner.
God i miss you on the Kia Channel! Those girls ruined it! I went and drove a 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid EX. Was to big the escape hybrid drove so much more car like and not boat like. And it was not impressive on fuel economy either. I also drove a Niro EV as i am looking at a Niro HEV but i think its going to be to small i have my height in my torso. I think im going to look for a 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid! Sadly the 2023's are so over priced its not funny.
Haha. I don't think they ruined it. They're doing what they're being asked to do. They're still growing and I'm happy to see that it's still succeeding. It would have been nice if they didn't take down the video that we made telling people where to find my channel, 🤣 but it's their channel to do with as they wish.
@@PeterLoweOne I guess I'm not much for the teenie bopper type presentation! I prefer more professional approach like how you do them!
The nob shifts are horrible in the ford cars. Constant getting stuck and not working.
Interesting. I didn't think of this. They do feel different than other non-fords with similar style shifters.
Problem with Ford is it only makes expensive cars.
Hi
Not a bad looking car. We don’t get them over here, not under that name…… looks a bit like the Ford Kuga here…
1st!!!!
JA der Ford ist Besser als
It’s a piece of crap.
Cheap plastic inside.
Very hard to clean.
Fit and finish leaves much to be desired.
Build quality not there either.
I had a major leak at the drivers door onto the drivers floor.
Inner door panel was improperly installed…….how much do they pay those workers anyway?
Which year?