The Escape now benefits from a new capless fueling system and an 18. While the bigger, heavier Escape Hybrid doesn't deliver all the fuel economy of smaller hybrids like the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight, it does offer greater utility and capability, especially when outfitted with four-wheel drive. Ford claims fuel efficiency has not been affected by the performance boost. With the seat far enough back to comfortably work the pedals, I had to reach forward more than I like to hold the steering wheel. The cabin is comfortable for both the driver and passengers and has an eye-catching design. To see a side-by-side comparison of the 2008 and 2009 Ford Focus,. The shifter is tall, which puts it within reach of your right hand, and it slips easily from gear to gear.
All models, including the Hybrid, offer a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. A Look the Kids Will Love? I was surprised by the relatively comfortable seating position and the impressive amount of headroom. This is one of those things that distinguish the Focus from its competition, but there are a few problems with the implementation of it. There is a notable amount of wind noise in the coupe at 65 mph, though. The Escape now benefits from a new capless fueling system and an 18.
In the side-impact crash test, the coupe received a Good rating, while the sedan scored one notch below with an Acceptable rating. A new Limited trim adds bright machined aluminum wheels, lower chrome grille extension, chrome liftgate trim and chrome roof-rail inserts. Many hybrid buyers will appreciate the fact that the Escape's seat fabric is constructed of 100-percent recycled material. To see a side-by-side comparison of the 2008 and 2009 Ford Focus,. A bold front end combines with sleeker lines to result in an Escape that's both more rugged and more refined than its predecessor, and mimics the looks of its Explorer and Expedition bigger brothers.
Model overview: The Ford Escape comes with three different powertrains for 2009, all of them revised significantly from previous years. It gets good gas mileage, it has comfortable seats and its interior lighting looks great. Optional ambient lighting lets you switch among seven colors to illuminate the cupholders and footwells. Send Mike an Hide full review. I know this is an affordable compact car, but when you have models like the new Forte — which has lots of low-gloss, upscale-looking plastic in its cabin — it raises the bar for competitors like the Focus.
In a poll we conducted in Febuary, eighty-seven percent of you said that Mazda should sell the new-generation Mazda 2 subcompact in the United States. Ford claims a 1-mpg improvement in fuel economy for both 4-cylinder and V6 Escapes. A new electric power steering system requires less effort from the driver to keep the vehicle headed straight on slanted roads or in steady side winds. Driving It The Escape never feels more environmentally friendly than when it's gliding quietly through a parking lot — or during short bouts of stop-and-go traffic — on electricity alone. If not the Escort, what do you think the new model should be called? In both 4-cylinder and V6-powered Escapes, the 4-speed automatic transmission of old is replaced by a new 6-speed automatic. The coupe has a three-person backseat, just like the sedan. For additional safety feature information, visit the page.
It gets good gas mileage, it has comfortable seats and its interior lighting looks great. On the highway, the Focus is a comfortable cruiser. Fresh from a complete makeover in 2008, the 2009 Escape Hybrid carries over with little change. Escape Hybrids will get standard stability control with roll control, and are now offered in both base and Limited trim. Above is a rendering of what the new Escort might look like, complete with a Fusion-style grille. Gone is the more traditional green instrument lighting in place of new Ice Blue illumination.
But the biggest changes are in the 2009 Escape's powertrain. The Ford Focus comes with cloth seats, but my test car had optional heated leather seats in black with white stitching. So why can I only give it a partial thumbs-up? For the 2010 model year, both of these features become standard. Escape Hybrids will get standard stability control with roll control, and are now. The gauges are legible enough at night when the backlighting is on, but during the day the wide hash marks on the dials blend together, making it hard to know your exact speed at times. According to Ford, the system delivers zero-to-60-mph acceleration equivalent to that of a 240-horsepower V6.
Following a redesign last year, the Ford Escape gets a minor facelift for 2009, with subtle exterior revisions both front and rear. The changes include a large mesh lower grille, a gray two-bar grille and headlamps with black accents. The Ford Escape comes with three different powertrains for 2009, all of them revised significantly from previous years. Rated at 143 hp in the coupe 140 hp in the sedan , the engine gives you enough power to confidently merge onto the highway and pull out in front of traffic. . Once the pedal firms up, it lets you finely tune braking response with foot pressure.