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2008 Ford Escape Hybrid Reviews, Pricing & Specs

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$25,075 to $26,825

Original MSRP

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expert review

5.0

avg user rating

(2 reviews)
2008 Ford Escape Hybrid Preview summaryImage

The 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid got a makeover for its third birthday. And it was just in time for the spotlight, too: The '08 Escape Hybrid has grabbed headlines as the face of New York City's hybrid taxi initiative.

It's a terrific choice to spearhead a push for greener taxis. The 2008 Escape Hybrid has a roomy interior, which (thanks to the new design) is more rugged than ever. And its EPA fuel economy estimate of 36 miles per gallon in the city makes it more than twice as efficient as the current taxi fleet.

But what about the rest of us who just want a midsize SUV that's easy on the wallet and the environment? Well, the good news is that the '08 Escape Hybrid is more comfortable than ever, with a spacious cabin, plenty of legroom and cargo capacity, sustainable seat fabrics made from recycled materials, and ice-blue lighting on the dash. A top-of-the-dash multimedia center is also part of the package.

The bad news? It's still quite a bit more expensive than its traditionally fueled Escape counterpart. But over time, you may be able to recoup some of that investment, thanks to the Escape Hybrid's fuel-saving powerplant. It consists of a compact electric motor, which can power the vehicle alone at speeds up to 25 miles per hour, and a fuel-efficient 2.3-liter four-cylinder Atkinson Cycle engine.

Other hybrid-related technologies include an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (eCVT), which results in seamless acceleration, and regenerative braking, which generates electricity when you apply the brakes to recharge the battery. According to Ford, the hybrid powerplant produces 70 percent better fuel economy in the city than a traditional gas-fueled four-cylinder Escape.

Among the options is an Intelligent 4WD system.

CarGurus Editorial Team
Published Aug 8, 2022 by CarGurus Editorial Team
Sometimes our content pages are the result of a team effort. As with all CarGurus editorial, you can expect high levels of automotive insight and expertise delivered in a style that is approachable and free from jargon.

User reviews for 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid

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User rating:
by C.J. C
Jun 29, 2014
I love the fuel efficiency in this car combined with the spacious interiors and cavernous cargo area. I swapped a small Mazda Protege hatchback for this and upgraded our fuel economy, space, style and utility all at once. I have had this car for about 4 months after buying it used with 50K miles. We are more than ecstatic about how it performs on the road and obtains amazing fuel economy, well beyond EPA rated. We get 37-40 MPG highway and 32-35 mpg local. It certainly performs worse on really short trips (less than 3 miles) because it takes a couple miles to get the hybrid system warmed up and actively boosting the efficiency. If you keep highway speeds to 65 mph or less you can match the efficiency we are getting. When I drive it full out at 80 mph highway the fuel economy drops to about 27-28 mpg, which is still better than just about every SUV on the road. The trunk is huge and easily accessible. We love the rear glass open feature which allows you to just pop open the rear glass and reach in without lifting open the whole large tailgate door. This allows us to open and get to things while in a small 1 car garage with the garage door shut. I have a nice trailer hitch mounted bike rack that works wonderfully and avoids the need for a rooftop system which reduces fuel efficiency and increases the chance of having clearance issues. The roof rack is a great feature that can be used for added carrying capacity in a pinch, which makes this car a great road tripper or family car for any family of 5 or less. I did a lot of research to pick a family car that could cover our needs for space and utility along with fuel economy and style, the Ford Escape Hybrid is the only one that has it all!Jun 29, 2014
by Sara C
May 02, 2008
It gets better gas mileage than toyota's highlander. It now has the Ford's SYNC technology and it is darn adorable.May 02, 2008

2008 Ford Escape Hybrid Pricing

Original MSRP
$25,075 to $26,825
Price range
N/A
Average price on CG
N/A
YoY price change
N/A

Trims & specs

Air Conditioning

Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones

Airbags

Dual front airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Front side airbags · Rear side curtain airbags

Audio System

Antenna Type: mast · CD changer: 6 · 6 disc in-dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Premium Brand: Audiophile · AM/FM radio · Satellite Radio: ready · 1 subwoofer · Total Number of Speakers: 7 · 320 watts

Brakes

ABS: 4-wheel · Front brake diameter: 11.9 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 11.9 · Rear brakes: disc

Comfort Features

Center console trim: alloy · Floor Mat Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front · Shift knob trim: alloy · Steering wheel trim: leather

Convenience Features

Cargo cover: retractable · Center console: front console with storage · Cupholders: front · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · One-touch windows: 1 · Power outlet(s): center console · Power steering: speed-proportional · Reading lights: front · Rear power outlet: 12V · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable · Steering wheel mounted controls: cruise controls · Storage: door pockets · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating

Driver Seat

Power adjustments: 6

Drivetrain

Axle ratio: 2.93

Engine

EV battery capacity: 1.8 kWh · Electric Motor Battery Type: nickel-metal hydride · Electric Motor HP: 94 · Electric Motor Power Output (Kilowatts): 70 · Electric Motor Torque: 100 · Hybrid Gas Engine HP: 133 · Hybrid Gas Engine HP@RPM: 6000 · Hybrid Gas Engine Torque: 124 · Hybrid gas Engine Torque@RPM: 4250

Exterior Features

Grille color: chrome · License plate bracket: front · Mirror color: body-color · Rear trunk/liftgate: liftgate

Headrests

Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 3

Instrumentation

Warnings and reminders: maintenance reminder

Lights

Headlights: Auto on/off

Mirrors

Exterior mirrors: heated · Inside rearview mirror: electrochromic

Passenger Seat

Manual Adjustments: 4

Rear Seats

Type: 60-40 split bench

Roof

Moonroof: power · Roof rack: with crossbars · Roof rack color: black

Safety

Parking sensors: rear

Seatbelts

Rear center seatbelt: 3-point · Seatbelt pretensioners: front

Seats

Driver seat manual adjustments: reclining · Driver seat power adjustments: height · Front seat type: bucket · Heated: front seats · Passenger seat manual adjustments: reclining · Rear headrests: adjustable · Rear seat folding: split · Upholstery: leather-trimmed

Spare Tire

Mount Location: underbody · Size: temporary

Spare Wheel

Rim Type: steel

Suspension

Front Arm Type: lower control arms · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: MacPherson struts · Rear Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): front

Telematics

Navigation system: DVD navigation system

Tires

Type: all season

Truck Features

Running boards: step

Windows

Front wipers: intermittent · Liftgate window: manual flip-up

Air Conditioning

Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones

Airbags

Dual front airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Front side airbags · Rear side curtain airbags

Audio System

Antenna Type: mast · CD changer: 6 · Single disc in-Dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Premium Brand: Audiophile · AM/FM radio · Satellite Radio: ready · 1 subwoofer · Total Number of Speakers: 4 · 320 watts

Brakes

ABS: 4-wheel · Front brake diameter: 11.9 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 11.9 · Rear brakes: disc

Comfort Features

Center console trim: alloy · Floor Mat Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front · Shift knob trim: alloy · Steering wheel trim: leather

Convenience Features

Cargo cover: retractable · Center console: front console with storage · Cupholders: rear · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · One-touch windows: 1 · Power outlet(s): center console · Power steering: speed-proportional · Reading lights: front · Rear power outlet: 12V · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable · Steering wheel mounted controls: cruise controls · Storage: front seatback · Vanity mirrors: dual

Driver Seat

Power adjustments: 6

Drivetrain

4WD Type: on demand · Axle ratio: 2.93

Engine

EV battery capacity: 1.8 kWh · Electric Motor Battery Type: nickel-metal hydride · Electric Motor HP: 94 · Electric Motor Power Output (Kilowatts): 70 · Electric Motor Torque: 100 · Hybrid Gas Engine HP: 133 · Hybrid Gas Engine HP@RPM: 6000 · Hybrid Gas Engine Torque: 124 · Hybrid gas Engine Torque@RPM: 4250

Exterior Features

Grille color: chrome · License plate bracket: front · Mirror color: body-color · Rear trunk/liftgate: liftgate

Headrests

Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 3

Instrumentation

Warnings and reminders: low fuel level

Lights

Headlights: auto delay off

Mirrors

Exterior mirrors: power · Inside rearview mirror: electrochromic

Passenger Seat

Manual Adjustments: 4

Rear Seats

Type: 60-40 split bench

Roof

Moonroof: power · Roof rack: with crossbars · Roof rack color: black

Safety

Parking sensors: rear

Seatbelts

Rear center seatbelt: 3-point · Seatbelt pretensioners: front

Seats

Driver seat manual adjustments: reclining · Driver seat power adjustments: height · Front seat type: bucket · Heated: front seats · Passenger seat manual adjustments: reclining · Rear headrests: adjustable · Rear seat folding: split · Upholstery: leather

Spare Tire

Mount Location: underbody · Size: temporary

Spare Wheel

Rim Type: steel

Suspension

Front Arm Type: lower control arms · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: MacPherson struts · Rear Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): front

Telematics

Navigation system: DVD navigation system

Tires

Type: all season

Truck Features

Running boards: step

Windows

Front wipers: intermittent · Liftgate window: manual flip-up

See all trims (2)
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