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2005 Ford Escape Hybrid Related Links Get Pricing Get E-mail Updates Consumer Ratings Vehicle Reviews Send a Letter Talk About It
2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. Hybrids use two motors to give the car it's power. 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. The hybrid version of the Escape doesn't look radically different from the conventional, gasoline-only version either outside or inside. Story Links Ford Escape Hybrid Review Ford Escape Hybrid FAQs Related Links Get Pricing Get E-mail Updates Consumer Ratings Vehicle Reviews Send a Letter Talk About It 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. Inside, the hybrid Escape benefits from the interior upgrades that were given to all 2005 Escape models, making the interior quieter and more luxurious than the previous generation.	Ford Motor Company has an answer to the question that many who have already placed their names on waiting lists around the country have asked: How much for that Ford Escape Hybrid? The answer - an MSRP starting at $26,330 - is $3,300 more than the V-6 equivalent, and perhaps higher than what many may have been expecting. Ford cites the additional expense involved in covering the electric parts and batters used with the hybrid powertrain. On sale this summer, the base price for the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid will be $26,380, excluding destination and delivery charges of $590. The 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid equipped with four-wheel-drive will start at $28,005, plus destination and delivery charge. That works out to a difference of $3,300 to $3,425 above comparably equipped 2005 V-6 powered Ford Escape XLT models, though there are various federal and state incentives will be available to customers who purchase an Escape Hybrid. Under federal tax guidelines the Escape Hybrid qualifies for a "Clean Fuel Vehicles" tax deduction - $1,500 for 2004 purchases. The deduction can be taken regardless of whether the customer itemizes his/her taxes. Financial and other incentives may also be available at the state level. Recent legislation to increase the tax credit for fuel efficient vehicle purchases is also wending its way through Congress. The Escape Hybrid, to be built at Ford Motor Company's Kansas City (Mo.) Assembly Plant, is what Ford calls a "no-compromise" hybrid SUV, and has plans to deliver between 35 and 40 mpg in the city, and deliver the attributes of the base Escape. Like Toyota's Prius, the Escape Hybrid is a full hybrid, able to run on either its gasoline engine and/or the electric motor depending on which delivers the most efficient fuel performance. The Escape will be available in front-wheel and all-wheel drive configurations. Acceleration will not be compromised, according to Ford, and cargo capacity will remain the same as the standard Escape. According to Angela Coletti, Ford spokesperson for the Escape hybrid, the vehicle will deliver V6 acceleration performance. The Escape hybrid is what she terms a "no compromise" vehicle, able to function on-road, off or in a typical towing scenario. Emissions ratings are targeted to be SULEV and PZEV, which translates into virtually zero emissions. Ford has plans to be active after the Escape hybrid hits the street: up next for the blue oval may be a Futura hybrid sedan. The Futura is a new sedan scheduled to be introduced in 2005 as a 2006 model; no date has been set for a hybrid version.