Fuel efficient, yet peppy enough around town, the 2012 Ford Escape Hybrid Base offers the traditional plethora of standard features, as well as a handsome profile and 66.1 cubic feet of total cargo area. This 5-place compact hybrid crossover again boasts 16-inch alloy wheels and a roof rack outside, with premium cloth upholstery, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, full power accessories, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel mounting audio and cruise controls all adorning the inside. Tilt-wheel steering and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror remain standard, as do dual-zone climate control and Ford’s ballyhooed Sync/Bluetooth voice-activated infotainment system. Of course, a single-CD player with 6 speakers is once again delivered and remains bolstered by satellite radio, auxiliary iPhone integration and a USB port.
The more tempting options available to this base hybrid crossover trim include a power sunroof, upgraded 16-inch wheels, hard-drive-based navigation, remote engine start, rear-seat DVD entertainment and a 7-speaker premium audio upgrade.
A 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder (I4) gasoline-powered hybrid engine, meantime, mates with a 70-kilowatt electric motor and the standard continuously variable transmission to pump out a total of 177 hp and 136 lb-ft of torque. Regenerative braking helps keep the nickel-metal hydride battery juiced up so this compact crossover can get along at up to 25 mph on electric power alone. The Escape Hybrid Base, delivered in the standard front-wheel-drive (FWD) configuration, is estimated at 34 mpg city/31 highway, numbers that are again enhanced through auto engine stop/start technology.
Standard safety features aboard this latest (and last) Escape Hybrid Base, meanwhile, remain 4-wheel antilock brakes (front disc, rear drum), traction and stability control, front side-mounted airbags, and front and rear head airbags. Front fog/driving lights also come standard, as do dusk-sensing headlights, MyKey programmable speed and audio settings, and a post-collision safety system that’s complemented by Sync post-crash safety alerts. Security is once more enhanced by a passive antitheft alarm.
