I drive an Insight... the lightest weight hybrid out there... 1850 pounds empty.
I drive a FEH.... one of the heaviest hybrids out there.... 3850 pounds empty.

The FEH coasts in neutral like a puck on an air hockey table.
In neutral, the Insight feels like I'm pulling a drag chute by comparison.
In the light weight Inisght, I can't coast over all the gentle camel humps I'm used to in the Escape. Both cars have LRR tires, and I slightly over-inflate the tires on both cars.

Take that for what you will.

Percentage wise over EPA, the heavier car does better in city conditions.
I can get up to 60 MPG city in the Escape, which is 76% over EPA rating.
I can get up to 100 MPG city in the Insight, which is 50% over EPA rating.
I say if you like the "pulse & glide" drive style, weight is to your advantage.
I know... it's counter-intuitive. Blows me away, but the numbers speak for themselves.

-John

 

P.S. to the previous post...

I've never coast tested a heavy FEH vs. a light one. That would be a more valid comparison. Also, I can admit that the typical non-P&G driver will probably benefit from a lighter over-all vehicle. My point was, it's not all cut & dried.

 

That is correct. I quoted what was available from the Michelin website. This is the real energy saving tire from Michelin and not the LX model.


This is the tire some have claimed Ford will install on the 2009 Escape Hybrid models.