We currently own two Scion TC's and are needing an SUV for our loving dog that is growing like a tree. We get what is advertised on our Scions of 23/30. My wife drives 30-40 miles a day in mixed driving for work.

I am a big toyota fan but dont want to shell out 32k starting for a Highlander.

I know that on the Ford website they say that the hybrid components are covered for 8 year/100,000 miles....does that cover the battery if it goes out?

I am a little shy about getting a Ford, but have heard goood things about the Escapes from various owners. None however have a hybrid.

Welcome to GH.

That's a good driving range for a Hybrid to get good fuel economy with.

Yes.

If you haven't, may I suggest reading the FEH FAQ? Outside of people who have had tremendous fluke problems (Like the vehicle had actually been in an accident before they took delivery), the FEH has a lot of very satisfied owners. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with it.

First 4WD Hypermiler

Have you read the FEH FAQ?

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Read My Automotive Blog at Rich Rambles

Yes, I have owned GM products in the past and will never own one again becuase they were utter junk. In fact all my family had owned GM products and now own all Jap.

I will read the FEH FAQ.

It covers all hybrid components, including the battery. Of course in the FEH system, the battery is treated pretty gently, so it appears there won't be any battery problems for a long time, but piece of mind is nice.

13. What about heat and AC?

You don't have to worry about baking or freezing, despite what you may have heard or read.

While it is true in the normal AC and recirculated AC settings, when the engine is off, so is the air conditioner, there are other settings that keep the engine on and the AC running, if you so desire, though it will come at the cost of your fuel economy.

As for heat, well, you may be really quite surprised, as you get heat almost immediately, and a lot of it, even when the ICE is off.


Ok, I live in the HOT and HUMID area of Houston Texas. I USE my AC ALL THE time. I usually live it on MAX on a low setting with the recirculation on. How much does this kill the milage? 27 mpg with mix driving is good in my book. My little car doesnt get this. I am a conservative driver, I took a 300 mile trip in a Honda Pilot and got 25 mpg which i was impressed with.

If you want the AC on all the time in a FEH, you can have it, but then you will never be in electric-only mode. And that is a large part of the fuel savings in this car. When you are stopped in traffic or at a light, your ICE will idle in order to keep the AC on.

I live in Washington DC, where in July/Aug it is typically in the high 80's low 90's and very humid. I thought it would be tough to not have the AC on full-time in the middle of summer. But what I do is I drive with the AC on full blast and recirculating, but not on "always on" mode. So when the ICE shuts off, so does the AC, however I also turn down the fan speed to minimum. The air will SLOWLY get warmer, but usually I am fine until I am moving again and the ICE (and therefore the AC) starts back up.

However that is just my own personal comfort level. If you need the AC on all the time to feel comfortable, your MPG will take a hit. How much of a hit depends entirely on your particular driving habits/conditions.

We currently live in Clearwater FL and it's heating up for summer already. Natalie commutes to and from the hospital about 3 miles away and works a 10 hour shift, therefore, the only time we run the AC is on the weekends on errands. I just drop the windows and open the sunroof to vent off the cabin heat (ours is black) and then roll em all up and use the AC low. we are comfortable and still manage respectable mileage.

We look at it like this; yeah we paid more for this than a non-hybrid but we are funding the technology for the future. More people ask us about hybrids than our cute puppy (peekachu). We are making a statement about the environment and how we are willing to invest in the planet. We could care less about the cost or mileage.

My four previous vehicles have been all Japanese - Toy, Isuzu, Honda - this Ford is well engineered where it counts. (If it is important to you, the two most critical hybrid components: the eCVT and the HVBattery are manufactured in Japan.)

Well, I have been reading on this website and now are thinking i am probably going to get a gas 4-banger. I know that there is a lot of engineering put into hybrids, and are disappointed that you have to suffer from the already higher price of a hybrid (AC cut, having to drive like a grandma). My wife would drive it back and forth to work, and she is a "zippy" driver. I am dissapointed that running an AC would impact that. We get what is advertised in our cars, and that is with AC on all the time. I think this is why I dont see that many Hybrids on the south side of Houston. With the heat index and Humidity it is in the upper 90s to 100s here in houston. I dont know why I would pay the extra for a hybrid when I could pay less and get more car/suv.

Running the AC will impact every car's gas mileage. Running "max AC" and keeping the engine on full time will certainly diminish one of the hybrid's biggest fuel saving measures: Idle shutdown and EV mode. But you don't have to use it. I rarely do. The engine runs at over 35mph for the most part so at those speeds the "normal" AC mode will provide plenty of cool air. In stop and go traffic, the fan will continue to blow cool air for a short time when the ICE shuts down....same with at red lights. The AC will come back on when the engine starts. If you are stuck in heavy traffic or at long lights, you can simply switch to MAX AC and the engine will kick in and you'll be cool again. I really think you ought to test drive the hybrid and see/feel the AC operation first-hand before writing it off. Also, the type of commute your wife has will make a difference as well. If it is all in-city driving with tons of redlights and stop signs then it might not be the right vehicle. If it is a suburban commute with 35-50mph speeds or some highway driving, then the hybrid is ideal.

-Tim

2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid AWD
Black with Pebble interior
Premium Package with Nav & Moonroof



Current ODO: 26,152
Typical Drive: 20 min crosstown in heavy traffic (3.5mi there and back twice a day)


532 Gallons of gas saved
That's 10,642 lbs less CO2 emitted