Do you remember a time where every vehicle ran on gasoline? That’s all about to change. If you’ve been spending any time looking into the current events surrounding the automotive market, you may have seen that EVs are becoming the talk of the town. However, where does this leave hybrids? In many ways, a hybrid is the perfect stepping stone into exploring more electric-based automobiles, and best of all, you still don’t have to sacrifice that V6 engine that you admire. The 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid is the continuation of a long-lasting line of hybrid vehicles that started back in the mid-2000s, back in a time where hybrids were met with both skepticism and pessimism. Against all odds, the Escape Hybrid is one of the longest-lasting SUVs, with a battery and two motors included in its powertrain. There is plenty more to talk about, so let’s dive right in and first talk about trim levels.
The 2021 Escape Hybrid is sold alongside the Ford Escape, which is a regular SUV that’s non-hybrid. To understand the trim configurations, you have to understand how the Escape is set up. For the Escape, there are four available trim levels, but three of these are available with either a hybrid or plug-in hybrid configuration. The hybrid models start with the Escape SE Hybrid, and this model has an MSRP of $28,030. You’ll also find hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions for the SEL, and of course, the Titanium.
Is the Escape Hybrid Powerful?
Inside of the Escape Hybrid is a combination of an electric motor and your average gasoline engine. The non-hybrid variants of the Escape utilize turbocharged engines to help increase fuel efficiency without sacrificing much performance. The results are rather striking, with the standard turbocharged 1.5L 3-cylinder producing 181 hp and 190 lb-ft of torque with impressive EPA ratings of 28 MPG city and 34 MPG highway. This isn’t bad, mind you, but the Escape Hybrid is in a different ballpark entirely.
The 2021 Escape Hybrid and the plug-in version both use a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine, which comes paired with an 88 kWh electric motor that helps contribute to the vehicle’s performance. This combination produces 200 hp and 155 lb-ft of torque, and the hybrid model earns EPA-estimated ratings of 44 MPG city and 37 MPG highway. The Plug-in model uses a larger battery pack that offers an electric-only range of 37 miles and an EPA-estimated rating of an incredible 105 MPGe. You won’t just save gas with the plug-in hybrid; you can even avoid using gas entirely if your commute is short enough.
What’s on the Inside?
The 2021 Escape Hybrid isn’t only future-looking in regards to how it operates, but a heavy focus on the smaller aspects of the vehicle makes the entire driving experience more modern than it ever has been. We’ll get to the actual size of the interior momentarily, but first, we’d like to quickly discuss one of the more exciting ways that Ford has brought the Escape Hybrid up to current standards. The feature that we are mentioning is not just one feature but a combination of several features, and the entire system is called SYNC 3.
With SYNC 3, the Ford Escape Hybrid comes with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment center that includes all of the bells and whistles of a modern communicative device. Infotainment centers such as the one inside of the Escape Hybrid come with Bluetooth, and with this, you’ll never have to worry about dealing with a long cable as your music will stream wirelessly to your vehicle. Music is easily accessible through the infotainment center whether you’re listening to the radio or a playlist directly off of your phone – and speaking of phones, the Escape Hybrid comes equipped with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
It’s simple. All you have to do to access either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto is to connect your phone to the infotainment center through one of its USB ports. After that, you can utilize your phone’s assistant, such as Siri, to use voice commands, all hands-free. Other than voice commands, the infotainment center screen will be more in line with your phone’s operating system, so it shouldn’t take too long to figure out all of the extras. Your favorite songs are here, you’ll have full access to your contacts at all times, and you can learn info to assist you with your traveling, whether it be a weather forecast or current traffic conditions.
Interior Dimensions
There is plenty of space to be seen inside of the 2021 Escape Hybrid, and we can confidently say that Ford has built a cabin that’s more than capable of transporting five passengers without feeling uncomfortable. Let’s start with the front row of seats where you and a passenger will be sitting. Upfront, you’ll have 40-inches of headroom and 42.4-inches of legroom, and around the back, you’ll have 39.3-inches of headroom and 38.9-inches of legroom. That is enough room for even adults to stretch out on a long road trip. The rear seats even slide forward and backwards to get just the right amount of room.
Like most other SUVs, the Escape is constructed in such a way that the cargo capacity is perfectly reasonable and won’t leave you regretting not purchasing a full-size SUV. The available cargo space inside of the Escape Hybrid is slightly different than that of the non-hybrid model. With the second row of seats standing upright and not folded down, the Escape Hybrid can have up to 34.4 cubic feet of space. When you need more space to work with, you can nearly double the available cargo space by folding down the second row of seats. After doing that, you’ll have 60.8 cubic feet of space.
Hybrids Are Gaining Momentum
It won’t be too long before battery-powered EVs are more prominent than your standard gasoline-powered ride. However, this is still some ways out as there are currently plenty of reasons for opting for a gasoline-powered engine. During this transition period, hybrids such as the Ford Escape Hybrid are basically the perfect choice for someone who wants to save money on fuel but also still get from point ‘A’ to ‘B’ in a reliable way. Surely, the 2021 Escape Hybrid isn’t the only hybrid vehicle that you can purchase today, but when it comes to SUVs with hybrid and plug-in hybrid options, there are still not all that many options. Luckily for us, the 2021 Escape Hybrid is one of the easier recommendations to give because drivers who have bought this efficient and practical SUV tend to enjoy it.
Should you get the 2021 Escape Hybrid? We think that this SUV has earned its place in your driveway, and when compared to other selections out there, you’ll likely be more pleased with your decision to opt for a Ford vehicle. There’s even more that we haven’t discussed regarding the 2021 Escape Hybrid, and to learn more about it, you’ll want to visit your local Ford dealer. Once there, try to take an Escape Hybrid out for a test drive to see for yourself just how comfortable and fuel-efficient this ride is.
