The FEH is no slouch... in performance tests is basically performs like the V6 non-hybrid version of the Escape, but it gets fuel economy which is much better than the I4 non-hybrid version. The Escape Hybrid also has the highest fuel economy of any SUV.

I haven't driven the Highlander, but in the reviews that I read before making my latest purchase, it seems that Toyota was concerned about performance more than fuel economy. The Highlander actually does have a 6 Cylinder engine, but then stacks on the DC motor to suppliment even more torque. This makes the Highlander very peppy. It has more power than the Escape, but the Escape gets about 4 mpg better than the Highlander.

Keep in mind that the Escape is _not_ a sluggish car by any stretch. When I switch from driving my Prius to my Escape (I own both) I feel like I'm going from a 4 cyclinder car to a V8!

 

Wow.. You guys are really making me anxious! I cant find a MMH for test drive within 300 miles. Do you guys think that driving a 2008 FEH would be about the same asa the MMH, or do you think that the different body style would affect weight distribution, aerodynamics, road noise enough to make it too different? Am I making sense?

Thanks for all the great user opinions and technical info. Its really great to hear how much everyone loves their vehicle.

 

The difference between the FEH and the MMH is completely cosmetic and luxury. The base vehicle is identical. The 'Mercury' line is considered to have a higher level of luxury than the 'Ford' line (in all vehicles). Usually this means a little more chome and a little less plastic on the inside, leather seats, maybe seat heaters, etc.

You will find that you can order options on the MMH that just aren't available on the FEH, or features that are considered upgrades on the base FEH might be standard on the MMH.

Apart from that the fuel economy, the vehicle handling, the interior cabin space, etc. are all going to be the same.

BTW, how are you trying to find the MMH? Are you searching inventory on your own or relying on a dealer to do this?

If you contact any dealer, they have access to systems that can search across the country to find one and, if they find one you like they can generally arrange a swap with the dealer that has it and have it brought to your local dealer.

My FEH was factory ordered -- I think it took about 8 weeks to get it, but the nice thing was that since it was a factory order it was tailored to exactly what I wanted and I didn't have to settle for what I could find.

 

I phoned my two local Mercury dealers and one of them simply said, "no, we dont have any." and the other told me where the closed 2008 was, about 297 miles or something, and that there was an '06 about 120 miles away.

Are you saying that the dealer can arrange a swap just for a test drive (that'd be pretty sweet), or if Im gonna buy i t? I know I can order one when Ive decided, but I hate to drive 300 miles justfor a test drive. Thats why I was asking about test driving the FEH. I figure I can drive the FEH and get a feel for acceleration, handling, etc and then sit in the MMH (even if its not the hybrid) to see how I like the layout, seat comfort, etc.

 

The FEH and MMH are identical for all intents and purposes. Change the emblems on the outside, stick on a different grill, and switch the color of the internal plastic dash panels. They are the same. The only other differences are available "options". For example, in 2006, the MMH came with a lumbar adjustment on the driver's seat. That was not available on the FEH. The FEH had a 110V AC outlet in the dash as an option....not available on the MMH. Internal color choices were also slightly different, with the MMH having a two-toned seat. Seats, legroom, headroom, steering, etc. are all the same.

That said, when I drove my 06 MMH and an 06 FEH back to back, I felt like the MMH was a bit quieter. Could have just been the fact that the roads were different!

 

They'll usually arrange to get a car from another dealer (e.g. arrange a 'swap') if you're buying, but I very much doubt they'd do it for a test drive.

You could test drive a V6 powered Escape (or Mariner) to get a feel for the ride you can expect and the performance. I confess I haven't driven both side-by-side, but the reviews and tests indicate that it's performance most closely compares to the V6.

The interior layout will be nearly the same. At first glance they'll look identical. There are very subtle differences in the instrument panel and climate control. If you were to get a car with the Nav system, the hybrid's nav system has some screens with car information such as fuel economy graphs, etc.

Most of the other differerences in the car you would not notice unless someone pointed them out. There is no difference in interior space (the hybrid battery is hidden below the rear cargo floor). The car is "drive by wire" but you wont notice this in a test drive. The transmission is really just a digital input to the computer, as is the gas, brakes, and even the key/ignition/starter switch -- but these will all seem "normal" to you.

I appreciate that Ford designed the hybrid to seem like a normal car. I own both a Prius and the FEH. I hate taking the Prius to a restaraunt that requires valet parking -- there are very few Priuses around so most valet attendants have never been in one. They can't figure out how to start it, put it in 'park' or switch the car off. With the FEH the only problem I have is that when I pull up in front of the restaraunt they think I turned the car off and they try to 'start' the car to go park it in the lot and can't figure out why it wont start (I quickly point out that it's a hybrid and that it's already "started" and that they should pay no mind to the lack of engine noise... just put it in gear and go.)

I think the biggest "test drive" difference is that if you test drive a car that's fully warmed up so that the engine will shut off when you slow down or stop you get this eerie feeling like the car just stalled on you... it's *really* eerie if you turn off the climate control (so you have no fan noise) and turn off the stereo. The car sounds like it just stalled and makes absolutely no noise whatsoever -- of course it springs to life again when you hit the accelerator. This only seems eerie to new drivers... once you own one you get used to it in a hurry and think nothing of it.

When test driving it you'll probably assume that the engine automatically starts the moment you hit the gas. When you own one you develop a touch where you can accelerate gently on pure electric power and the engine wont really start until until somewhere around 15-25 mph. I say this because whenever I let my friends drive my car they don't have the touch -- they tend to put their foot into it too hard (they like jack-rabbit starts I guess) and the engine starts immediately because it wants to combine torque from both the electric and the gas engine for fast acceleration, which the FEH will provide.

 

A swap can normaly be arranged between dealers, however when I started looking for my FEH, the few that could be found were not being traded. I had to drive 250 miles out of state to get one. That dealer however had like 18 on the lot and 15-20 more on order at the time, but said they refused to swap.

Test drive a v6 Escape or mercury if you want to get a feel for size, features, comfort, etc. They are so near each other you probaly won't be able to tell the differance, other than the quietness the first time the FEH/MMH goes into EV at a stop, you'll think you broke it!

 

This is all very encouraging. I appreciate the in depth analysis, tcampb.

I'm going to try to find an '08 FEH first, but if I cant I'll test drive the V6 Mariner. Hopefully Ill have some luck with that this week.

I'll definitely keep you guys posted.. Thanks again!

 

I don't care how many people post saying that the performance is similar to the V6. It simply is not. It is markedly better than the 4 cylinder gas only version, but it is NOT the V6.

 

I completely disagree with that statement & all the road test results say you are wrong also.

I am quite familiar with the performance of both, I work at a car dealer & I drove a V6 Escape for a few months on dealer plates so I know how they run.

The performance of my 06 FEH is virtually identical to that V6. There are slight differences in the feel of the TQ curve, but it is so slight as to be immaterial. If the V6 was a noticeably better performer, that is probably what I would be driving -but it's not.

~John