The most difference is the fine torque control available at low speeds... a real plus if you know how to use it. Most offroad is only a couple of miles per hour anyway. The Hybrid designs suffer the lack of a 2 speed transfer case but can provide the required torque to get thru alot of situations... just keep in mind the torque available at zero speed is limited... so ALWAYS keep up some minimal speed on steep uphill or deep snow.. even then its not the same as a normal vehicle.
I have owned a few 4wd trucks/suv's (F150 4x4,Ranger 4x4,...) and I am really impressed with the Escape Hybrid 4wd. Not a vehicle for radical rock crawl or pulling an 8,000 lb trailer like an F250... but it gets me where I want to go.
