Overview & Reviews

A slightly larger, more powerful engine, the addition of stability control and the debut of Ford's Sync system (which allows voice commands to a cell phone, audio system and navigation system) highlight the tweaks made to the Ford Escape Hybrid for 2009. Other changes include the addition of a Limited trim level, the adoption of a capless fuel-filler system and ambient cabin lighting.

• Surprisingly powerful hybrid drivetrain, gets 30 mpg in the real world, comfortable and roomy interior.

• Pricey for its size, noisy under hard acceleration, fussy rear-seat-folding process, handling not as sporty as some rivals, disappointing braking performance.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 36.00

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  Hybrid - 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By David - January 13 - 3:03 am

  Great power from a 2.5L engine, but when I saw rear drum brakes in a 2009 I thought I was seeing things. I wasnt. This car is under-braked. It is hard to stop in hard braking. It is also a little squirrely in handling turns, the Escape tends to wallow in mountain turns at freeway speeds. Overall a peppy car to drive around town but I find it difficult to get the electric motor to turn on at low speeds, even using a very light touch.

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  37 MPG! & Great for Tall Drivers - 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By phatcat73 - September 5 - 2:38 am

  I purchase mine used in Nov 2010 and it had 32k miles on it. It was a fleet vehicle which probably means car rental which concerned me a bit, however aside from buying new, used versions are difficult to find. Im 66"and few cars/trucks fit me. For being a compact SUV, this one is just right! At temperatures above 50 deg, Im averaging around 37mpg in mixed driving. To get to the level I learned to maximize the battery when driving under 40mph as the engine can shutoff and drive under all electric power for a short time. You really have to learn the thresholds as to when the engine will kick in driving under 40 then try to maximize the battery. This will yield higher MPGs.

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  traded my honda fit for this :) - 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By rob - April 20 - 9:36 am

  I had my honda fit 2008 for mpg savings after my toyota highlander. However, the gas savings on the fit werent there. I started to investigate the ford escape hybird and I was impressed. FORD is back ! I had soooo many more features with the hybird. I bought a 20009 escape hybird (pre-owned) with about 6k miles on it. Its been really good to drive the car and the gas savings are great.

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  Update after 33,000 miles - 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By Ken - October 20 - 12:40 am

  I like my Escape less now than when I first purchased it. I dont know if my problems are isolated or if other vehicles have the same issues. The heated seats stay warm only minutes after being turned on. The seats warm quickly but then fade to cool within about 5 minutes. The air conditioning system is a joke. When both driver and passenger sides are set to the same temperature, the passenger side, will blow 8 degrees warmer than the drivers side...but only sometimes. Also, the system can be set at 72 degrees and blow hot but can also blow cold when set to 76. Its frustrating. I think the a/c system may be bipolar. The dealer says the technology is in the motor...hes right.

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  09 AWD Escape Hybrid Base Review - 167K Miles - 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By acd72 - June 16 - 8:27 pm

  All in all it has been a solid vehicle. No major repairs. Bought used from a dealer 2.5yrs ago w/ 40K. I drive 50K miles/yr for work. In the summer I avg 28-31MPG. In the winter 26-27mpg. Not sure how much cold weather affects mileage, because I let the car warm up in the driveway regulary. Recently my wife started driving and avgs 23-25MPG. Thought something wrong, so I reset the mpg. It went up to 30. I believe the driver has the most impact on MPG.

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  Great Car - 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By amtravco - May 13 - 1:50 am

  We love this car. In the summer were averaging 38 mpg in city driving (with some stretches of county roads mixed in). On the highway, its closer to 32 mpg. My major complaints are a) the engine is very noisy, and b) the Sync system from Microsoft stinks. Ill elaborate on the latter. #1 complaint: Cant set Nav system while youre driving. If we want to find an upcoming restaurant while on the freeway, I guess we need to pull over to the side of the road? The fonts are hard to read (orange on light blue??) The LCD is polarized such that when wearing polarized sunglasses its very dim. Basically, when we use our cheap Garmin its easy and reliable to find locations; with Sync its frustrati

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  Too Many Issues - 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By jlcomstock - August 11 - 3:49 am

  Ive had too many issues: 1. Steering locking up while driving, had entire column replaced under warranty 2. Rear window leak 3. Missing wiring for heated mirror 4. Busted A/C blend actuator within a year 5. Brakes and rotors needed at 30k, even though the car uses regenerative braking that doesnt even use the pads and rotors above 5mph. 6. Jerky transition to mechanical brakes in rainy weather. Too loose a transition to mechanical brakes in hot/dry weather. 7. Grinding / Rubbing noise when turning sharp left that no one has been able to fix. Just too many issues.

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  108K and Still going strong - 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By jas74 - March 29 - 4:15 pm

  I purchased my 2009 escape hybrid from my company fleet department. It was driven by a colleague of mine for 99K. I took it to Ford for the 100k service, all it needed was spark plugs, cabin filters and Oil Change! Are you kidding me? She said the hybrids have less wear and tear than a normal ICE (Internal Combustion Engine). Yeah the handling and performance is not of a BMW X5, but how about that reliability! and 33-35MPG that I get consistently. Oh and the 100k service $400 bucks at the dealer. Not bad

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  Disappointing, especially in cold weather - 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By akservices - January 2 - 3:24 am

  Ive had the car for almost three years, and am disappointed. The mileage numbers have never come close to the advertised numbers, and when its really cold (i.e., less than 0), the MPG plummets to 14 or 15. This is hardly better than our 1997 Ford Explorer. Friends who own Toyota Priuses have also reported lower MPG in the cold, but theirs go down to 30 MPG, from 40. Even when the temperature is "normal," meaning 60 to 70, and Im doing highway driving the best mileage Ive ever gotten out of the car is 27 MPG. In retrospect, I wish Id bought a non-hybrid and spent a lot less $$.

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  Good SUV. Great Hybrid. - 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By CaesarTheDay - November 22 - 5:56 am

  Two days of driving - so this is a first impression. The car is well designed inside and out. Microsoft SYNC is very impressive and I find this feature the best of all in the car. Acceleration is sluggish - but the car does fine on the highway. Im still in the burn in stage - so the MPG is around 27 but Im hoping itll improve with time and driving. The car is surprisingly roomy for the over 6 driver and is accommodating for kids in the back including a car-seat. Rear cargo room is ample, but there is no cargo net, or tie-down hooks to install one.