Originally Posted by mtberman

This a great post and sums it up well. I did a comparison of the 07 FEH vs the 07 HiHy and my experience was similar. I would, however, like to point out some things that would be different for an 08-to-08 comparo.

First and most important for many is that there is no longer a FWD HiHy available.

Second, regarding the FEH/MMH feeling tinny and buzzy, this is true IMO only for the Gen 1. Concerns about road noise and ride were around since the Escape debuted in '02, and were why I didn't buy a hybrid one. But the 08 addresses this to the point where it's almost a non-issue. I'm picky about quietness and feel Ford did a good job of addressing this concern, enough to get me to buy one anyway. You now can have a conversation at freeway speed. Now if they could just find some quieter LRR tires... Unfortunately for Ford, the Highlander continues to be way ahead in this area.

Lastly, the 08 Fords use their 2nd generation battery and control system which drops in/out of EV more readily and smoothly. Shutdown in particular is near imperceptible and doesn't require input below 25 miles per hour in most instances, although shifting/tapping will speed up the process. It also now allows more acceleration in EV. Between 25 and 45 you still usually need to shift or double tap to get EV unless you're on a long, slow coast.

Another benefit of the new controller is mileage: Fords get 1-3 better MPG than 05-07s, while the new HiHy gets the same. So the mileage gap has widened slightly with the new models.

Still can't tow with the FEH, and it's still not a high speed demon.