At the time I bought it in 2006, this vehicle gave the best mileage for the amount of gear you could stow in it. I have variously loaded this vehicle with kayaks, bicycles, a topcase, and tons of scuba and camping gear, and the mileage doesn't really falter. Generally the mileage averages out to just a little north of 25 mpg. The handling seems smooth to me and I am pretty comfortable driving it. I have never had a serious mechanical problem with this car. It is a little strange when the hybrid engine shuts itself off and on again, and sometimes I am not sure if ignition is on...!

It's extremely reliable so far. The dashboard is very simple and easy to use. The car isn't complicated and doesn't have endless feature, which can be nice. It is decently fast when needed. It could ride a little bit better as sometimes it gets sort of bumpy. The headlights are sort of dim, which can be frustrating. It has plenty of cup holders, and the seat is easy to recline and adjust. All the mirrors are adjustable so that's nice. So far it's performed really well at almost 40K miles. I'd certainly recommend it to people who are looking for an easy car to drive. It isn't flashy or anything. The A/C in the car works really well. Plenty of leg space in the car. It has five seats total in the vehicle. It has lots of room for luggage in the back of the car. You can also use that space to haul stuff around. The car is tall enough to see very well while driving for the most part. You never feel too low to the ground, which is nice. I'd probably recommend it to anyone. It seems pretty safe so far. It isn't large or anything so you won't have too much trouble parking it.

Ford Escape offers impressive road manners for a compact SUV. It drives much like a tautly suspended sedan, with little body roll and responsive steering. The V6 is quite powerful, providing swift acceleration, but fuel economy is mediocre. The Hybrid model is just as quick, and returns outstanding fuel mileage.