2008 Ford Escape Hybrid

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Worth the price?

But are the improvements - and the hybrid powertrain itself - worth the approximately $3000 price difference between the least expensive version of the '08 Escape hybrid ($25,075 with front-drive) and the least expensive version of the gas-burning, V-6 Escape ($21,880 for the XLT front-drive)?

The answer depends on how much driving you do annually, how long you plan to keep the vehicle and ultimately, what the per-gallon cost of gas will be over that time period. Maybe you'll save some green; then again, maybe not. If gas prices float to $4 or $5 per, it could be the smartest thing you've done since ditching that iffy ARM mortgage for a sweet deal on a fixed interest rate, 30-year note. On the other hand, if gas prices stay around $2.25 or so for the next five years, you probably won't save a lot of cash - unless you drive more than 12,000 miles annually.

Regardless, you will definitely have the satisfaction of driving a "green" vehicle that not only uses less fuel, it pollutes a lot less, too. Full hybrids like the Escape produce just fractionally more emissions overall than a "zero emissions" electric car - and that's one aspect of performance a conventional, gas-only vehicle can't match.

That the whole package is both reasonably priced and well-equipped should bode well for the '08 Escape - and for Ford.

2008 Ford Escape Hybrid

Base price: $25,075 (front-drive); price as tested, $29,160

Engine: 2.3-liter in-line four,133 hp/124 lb-ft and 70-kW electric motor/330-volt battery pack

Transmission: CVT, front- or all-wheel drive

Length x width x height: 174.7 x 71.1 x 68 in

Wheelbase: 103.1 in

Curb weight: 3638 lb

Fuel economy (EPA city/hwy): TBA

Safety equipment: Dual front side and curtain air bags; anti-lock brakes with traction and stability control

Major standard features: Hybrid specific gauge package and interior, exterior trim; digital info center; dual-zone climate control; six-way power driver's seat; power windows/mirrors/locks; cruise control; AM/FM/CD/MP3 player

Warranty: Three years/36,000 miles; eight years/100,000 miles on hybrid components

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