Worse, Ford requires the driver to change the navigation disc depending on location-CDs covering the United States are in the glove box. The two front speakers are in the doors, which is not exactly the optimal placement.Īlso due to the navigation system's use of the in-dash CD slot, the six-CD magazine for audio CDs in the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid is under the passenger seat, a seemingly unnecessary concession. Most important, few audiophiles would be impressed with the sound, which is average at best and uses only four speakers. Our test car's navigation-system option package ($1,995) also included the Audiophile audio system, which left us cold for a number of reasons. The Escape Hybrid's built-in inverter allows for an AC power outlet. The rear seat does split 60/40 for some cargo versatility, and total storage capacity is unchanged compared with that of the regular Escape, thanks to the placement of the 330-volt, nickel-metal-hydride sealed-battery pack under the load floor. The standard cloth interior (leather seating surfaces are optional) was satisfactory, but the rest of the cabin seemed relatively cheap. Dedicated buttons for home and current location were welcome touches, but finding mapped landmarks and services required a fair of amount of menu diving.Īt our 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid's $30,000-plus as-tested price, we expected better materials inside.

View options are limited to zooming in and out, and we wished for zoom levels between those offered, as getting an idea of one's surroundings using the map was made harder by the small screen. The basic features of the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid's navigation system work well enough, with GPS acquisition happening quickly and most route calculations taking just seconds. It continues to be a disappointment, as in other Fords we've seen, and in fact makes the audio experience substantially worse by monopolizing the in-dash CD slot, as well as precluding the option of satellite radio. The efficiency gains over the gas-only Ford Escape are noticeable, as well as the performance losses, and the extra weight of the hybrid systems is felt in terms of speed, agility, and some unexpected creaks from the rear of the car.įord's navigation system, which also includes an energy-flow display, is the only notable tech option in the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid. The result is a seamless, sometimes silent driving experience, but it's not all that different from a conventional drivetrain if one isn't paying attention.

Seven separate microprocessor modules make up Ford's vehicle system controller, which oversees it all. With two electric motors complementing the optimized Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder gasoline engine, as well as an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission to sort out the drive mode and ratio through a set of planetary gears, the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid needs serious computing.

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