rxhybrid - you can buy whatever you want. The only person's opinion that matters is your own. BUT - you get what you pay for. TO YOU, $7k isn't worth getting a bigger, better, more reliable vehicle that will have much better resale value. No problem! Enjoy whatever purchase you make. That's all that matters.

BUT - don't try to justify it to US. You are the only person you should try to convince

I would not get a Ford Escape Hybrid ever, it's very slow and it's small. The Toyota Highlander has so much more power and only gets a few less mpgs. The Highlander is much more safer than the Escape also. The Escape was also not recomended by Consumer Reports because of safety in it's tip over rating. See Ford does no even offer electronic stability control as a feature on the Escape hybrid and side curtain airbags are only an option. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid has something called VDIM standard on all Highlander Hybrids, VDIM includes the eletronic stability control in it and in the government safety test the Highlander did not tip up in their test, the escape did because it did not have stability control. With the Highlander you have almost no chance of flipping because you are swerving.

Please see http://www.suv-rollovers.com/nhtsa-rollover-rating.cfm

Safest

Chrysler Pacifica 4-DR w/SAB13%No-tipFord Freestyle 5-DR13%No-tip


Toyota Highlander 4-DR.17%No-tipToyota Highlander 4-DR.17%No-tip


Ford Escape 4-DR.20%Tip
Mercury Mariner 4-DR20%Tip


Worst
Chevrolet Tahoe 4-DR.28%TipGMC Yukon 4-DR.28%TipFord Explorer Sport Trac 34%Tip


All motor vehicles can roll over.

Please drive safely!

RX - why do you keep posting in this forum if you own a Mariner? They have their own forum and I'm sure they will welcome you with open arms. You're just trolling for fights in this forum and it's getting old. (Might want a new screen name while you're at it!)

You are never going to convince people here that the FEH or MMH is a legitimate alternative to a Toyota hybrid model. Stop trying.

Wow, that's a find "How do you do."

I've been here longer than you. Let me educate you on something --
No one must own a specific model to post in a particular forum, as long as they're not deliberating trolling/inciting rancor among the group.

Your post, quoted above, is guilty of that whereas rxHybrid's post seemed to me from an initial reading to remind everyone that ALL vehicles can tip, and that SUVs and crossovers in general are more tip-prone than sedans.

- Shannon (Geeky, Wild Texan)

The Ford Escape Hybrid did get a tip up and is not recomended by Consumer reports because of that. Since Toyota likes their customers to stay alive they have standard ESC on their Highlander and therefore the Highlander recieved no tip up. The Highlander got 5 star front, escape got only 3

I take my Escape Hybid 4wd offroad all the time just to get to property up north (Michigan). I have been very impressed with it considering my last vehicle was an F150 4wd doing the same drives. While not a 'jeep' type vehicle... I get cross country very well. After 30,000 miles with no problems.. even considering the beating it takes for any Escape, I love it! I don't have killer tires like BadFrog, but I did replace the stock ones with Revos and it makes alot of diffrence offroad and in deep snow.
I'm sure the Highlander is a great vehicle also... And I would love to see someone post some video of what they can do...(Even though Toyota warns the Highlander is not to be taken offroad!)

Here is a link to a short video of BadFrog (red) and My (white) Escape Hybrids having a bit of really mild offroad fun... Its fun driving in the woods on electric!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1iHGwj7MUA

No Matter Where You Go.... There You Are.



Any information expressed here is my personal opinion.

soup:

Lighten up dude. You ought to check out the FEH/MMH forum. The Toy folks are over there pounding their chest in real numbers on a daily basis. The Toy folks work real hard to convince us FEH destiny is eternal darkness and confusion because we have not accepted into our heart the enlightended wisdom of the savior, Lord Toy.

The only thing I can figure is, someone paid too much for their rig so they gotta try to take it out on someone who didn't. Know what I mean? Oh and hey, where's your mpg sig, eh?

Take Care,
Steve
Oregon

Take Care,
Steve
Oregon

Please Don't Feed the Trolls


4WD

"You have received an infraction at GreenHybrid - Hybrid Cars"
At: http://greenhybrid.com/discuss/showthread.php?t=12748

I'd feel comfortable doing most of that in my 400h. I think Toyota is concerned about getting the bottom of the vehicle dinged or punctured, which I wouldn't even mess with anyhow. At the speeds you went on the video, I would feel just fine following (or leading ) in my 400h. Fun to get off the beaten path though. We've talked about getting a FEH for camping, but we like to sleep in the back (lay the seats down and throw an inflatable mattress down) but I don't think the Escape has enough space for that.

Huh? Used HiHy and 400h are often selling for the about same price as new when they're a year old - effectively zero depreciation (or darn close). (Sort of common for newer Japanese desireable models, happened with the CR-V for a year or two when they were new way back when) FEH and the elusive MMH aren't doing too badly on the used market yet, but domestic depreciation will catch up with them too. Bottom line - HiHy and 400h are on everybody's "best buy" list. FEH is only listed on any list because it's EPA number is a little better.

I haven't even filled up yet! I just bought my 400h a week ago!

I read somewhere that the sales of the Ford Escape HY were a little slow due to Fords poor reputation. (They felt the escape hy was a good vehicle)