Friday Fleet Notes: 4.11.08

This week's fleet notes takes on two competing hybrids, the Honda Civic Hybrid and the current champ, the Toyota Prius. In addition the Ford Focus makes an appearance, so if you're interested in how our staff felt about the Sync system, this might be a Friday fleet note you don't want to miss.

Toyota Prius

• Having driven a rental Prius in Denver a few months back, I was dreading the worst: an uncomfortable ride, a whiny engine at freeway speeds, a brake pedal that felt like a steel rod pressing up against the tires. Boy, was I surprised. This non-rental Prius could not have been more different. It was a much smoother ride. The engine, even at 70 mph, purred quietly. The brakes still felt a little funky, but I wasn’t in any doubt about their abilities and I still managed to get around 50 mpg. This experience gets the Prius off my hit list. — Patrick Olsen, Editor-in-Chief

Ford Incentives Up, Include Specialty Models

April has begun, and Ford has updated its incentives for the rest of the month. There are some very interesting deals to be had. We’ll break down all the models soon enough, but the most interesting tidbit of information for car enthusiasts is that both the Ford Mustang Bullitt and the upcoming Ford F-150 Chip Foose Edition are getting cash back just like their plain-jane brethren. 

The 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt is already on sale, and the Bullitt package costs an additional $3,310 on top of the cost of a regular Ford Mustang GT. Rebates range from $1,000 to $1,500, with an additional $1,000 offered in some regions if you go with Ford Credit to purchase the vehicle.*

Depending on where you live, that means you could pay just a $810 premium to have the special edition, which adds horsepower and suspension tweaks.

The 2008 Ford F-150 Chip Foose Edition isn’t on sale yet, but the roughly $55,000 sport truck will come to market over the next few months with between $3,000 and $3,500 cash back (plus that potential $1,000 in financing cash) on the intricately detailed hood.

Other rebates are more pedestrian, but still noteworthy:

First Drive: Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid

In connection with the New York International Auto Show, in a city where Ford Escape Hybrid taxicabs are an increasingly common sight, Ford offered me a test drive in an experimental plug-in version of its compact SUV.

The philosophy behind this vehicle is similar to that of the Toyota Prius plug-in, on which I reported from Detroit: to increase the battery capacity and to charge that battery in the home with a common extension cord before hitting the road. This supplements the normal hybrid with power that's comparatively cheap and potentially cleaner than gasoline, and that comes from North American sources such as coal, natural gas, nuclear, and, in regrettably rare cases, renewable energy like hydroelectric and solar. All current hybrids generate their own electricity with their gas engines and through recapturing the energy of motion during braking, which improves efficiency over that of a larger gas engine alone but doesn't meet the full potential of electric power.

2008 Geneva Motor Show: Ford Kuga

• Competes with: Honda CR-V, Saturn Vue
• Looks like: Ford’s found a good replacement for the Escape
• Drivetrain: 2.0-liter turbo-diesel with six-speed automatic
• Hits Dealerships: 2008 for Europe, not planned for the U.S.

What you see here is a really good-looking compact SUV from Ford. It will go on sale in Europe this year, but there are no plans for it to come to the U.S. That’s really, really too bad because the Ford Kuga looks like it could replace the current Escape in Ford’s line-up pretty easily and with some style.

Don’t believe us? The Kuga is almost identical to the Escape’s length and weight and comes in either front- or all-wheel drive. What’s really different of course is that the Kuga will go on sale with just one engine, a diesel. The 2.0-liter turbo-diesel will put out just 136 hp but a whopping 236 lb.-ft of torque which should propel it just fine. Mileage using metric conversion would be roughly 37 mpg combined city and highway.

Ford would have to tackle the diesel issue before adapting it for American consumers but we see no reason why they shouldn’t try. Perhaps they could bring it over at the same time as the new Fiesta in 2010. The company has previously said that it will leverage its global products in its latest turn-around strategy for the U.S. and we don't think they'll stop at the Fiesta. Check out the photos below and tell us if you think this should be the next Escape.

Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner Get More-Efficient Engines

Today in Washington, D.C., Ford will announce that its recently redesigned — the changes came for the 2008 model year — Escape and Mercury Mariner compact SUVs will get new engines for 2009. This is an unusual move, but obviously the public desire for fuel efficiency influenced the upgrades. The 2009 base model will get a larger 2.5-liter four-cylinder that produces 170 hp — up 17 hp from 2008 — but an estimated 1 more mpg.

The improvements are thanks to the engine itself, which features more-advanced technology like variable cam timing. The fact that it’s teamed with a new standard six-speed automatic transmission doesn’t hurt, either. The V-6 engine also gets a big boost in power — up 30 hp to 230 hp — and it too will get an estimated 1 mpg better fuel economy.

2008 Detroit Auto Show: Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid

• Looks like: A regular Escape with an electric outlet on the front fender
• Defining characteristics: It plugs into your wall for a charge and gets the equivalent of 100 mpg
• Ridiculous features: We still have to wait to buy one
• Chance of being mass-produced: Mass is a relative term; this is a prototype, and maybe someday before the end of the decade we’ll see it at a dealership

Ford is showcasing the prototype for its plug-in hybrid program in Detroit. It’s not really a concept and it’s not really production-ready. Instead, it’s one of the vehicles being tested by utility company Southern California Edison. We talked to Greg Frenette, the chief engineer of the Escape Plug-In, and he said this is indeed one of several Escape plug-ins being tested on real roads in the program. The full program will involve 20 Escapes.

The prototypes are basically the same vehicle as a standard 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid — the interiors are completely finished as well — but with a few differences. An outlet over the driver’s-side fender accepts a common 110- or 220-volt household plug that charges the SUV’s lithium-ion battery over six hours to deliver a 30-mile range on electric power alone. Then, a gas engine kicks in to charge the electric motor, producing an equivalent 100 mpg. Frenette said they’ve been testing the prototypes since early December, and so far they're returning 120 mpg in stop-and-go driving and roughly 70-80 mpg in highway driving.

Cars.com Reviews the 2008 Ford Escape

Joe Wiesenfelder takes his turn at the restyled, sort-of-redesigned 2008 Ford Escape. He’s happy with the new interior and quieter cabin, but is that enough to win him over? You’ll have to check out the review to find out, and hey, the Escape can be had with Sync!

2008 Ford Escape Expert Review

Ford Lends Hybrid, Chicago Buys Toyotas

Guess the city of Chicago had a better idea.

Ford Motor Co. donated an Escape Hybrid SUV to the city of Chicago a year ago so the city could evaluate the performance of hybrids as fleet vehicles.

Ford doesn't build the Escape Hybrid in Chicago, but it does employ Chicagoans who assemble the midsize Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable there, along with the Taurus X crossover. So donating the Escape Hybrid was being neighborly

"Thanks to Ford Motor Co., we're well on our way to understanding the benefits of using low emission hybrid vehicles in fleets,” said Norma Reyes, then-commissioner of Chicago's Department of Consumer Services.

The city must have been impressed, because the Associated Press is now reporting that Chicago has agreed to purchase up to 300 hybrid vehicles for use by its police and fire departments — from a Toyota dealer: 100 Prius hybrids, 100 Camry Hybrids and 100 Highlander Hybrid SUVs.

Honda CR-V Now Most Popular SUV

The Wall Street Journal has written a story about how the Honda CR-V recently passed the Ford Explorer as the most popular SUV in America. That’s true; there have been 104,179 CR-Vs sold through June of this year, versus 74,704 Explorers. The redesigned CR-V is seeing brisk sales, but Ford isn’t necessarily losing the SUV game. It’s Escape compact SUV, including a hybrid version, has sold 92,205 vehicles in the same time frame — up from last year — and is one of the company’s best-sellers. It’s also direct competition for the CR-V. Ford has also sold 58,783 of its new Edge crossovers, which it hopes will replace the Explorer as the family transport of the future.

Is Ford in bad shape because the CR-V has taken over the top spot? Not necessarily, but being No. 1 doesn’t hurt.

Ford, Honda Cross Paths on Sales of SUVs (Wall Street Journal Via GM InsideNews)

Related
Cars.com Honda CR-V Video (YouTube)
Expert Honda CR-V Review (Cars.com)
More Honda CR-V News (KickingTires)

Obama Goes Hybrid

We learned a long time ago not to talk politics on an automotive blog, but that doesn’t mean we can’t point things out. Presidential candidate Barack Obama was recently blasted for lecturing automakers about poor-mileage cars when he owned a Hemi-powered Chrysler 300C. We thought the criticism was unfair since he had a one car household, but we digress.

Now word from Obama’s camp is that the senator from Illinois has purchased a Ford Escape Hybrid. A story in the Detroit Free Press notes this happened before Bill Ford Jr. attacked Obama about his stance. We wonder if he regrets that given Obama is now a customer.

Of course, arguing about what kind of car any candidate is driving — John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney and others also drive hybrids — seems a tad silly as they all travel in a large caravan of cars, SUVs, tour buses and planes while on the campaign trail.

Obama Trades Hemi for Hybrid (Detroit Free Press)

New Ford Ethanol Hybrids Ready for Testing

Ford is sending 20 new Escape Hybrid flexible-fuel SUVs to fleet customers starting today to test out the ethanol-capable vehicles. Since both ethanol-based flex-fuel engines and gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles are commonplace, an ethanol hybrid seems like a no-brainer, but Ford says the vehicles had to go through months of testing before this limited number could be sent to fleets.

One of the recipients of the new ethanol hybrids was the Department of Energy. They might be interested to see if this vehicle can help with one of the major flaws of ethanol engines: their lower mileage. Most E85-capable cars and SUVs deliver roughly 20-25% fewer miles per gallon when running on ethanol fuel than on standard gasoline. Ethanol vehicles produce less carbon monoxide and more carbon dioxide. Carbon monoxide is considered a greenhouse gas.

Ethanol is a fuel derived mainly from corn in the U.S., and its high demand has led to price hikes in everything from an ear of corn to milk and steak. Figuring out how to get better gas mileage from E85 vehicles is a good thing, but finding a better way to produce ethanol using alternatives to corn seems like a much bigger problem. Americans can cut back on their driving, but they can’t cut back on milk.   

Related
More Hybrid/Alternative Fuel News (KickingTires)
Gas Alternatives (Cars.com)

Cars.com Reviews the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid

The gas price roller coaster over the past few months has created a huge surge of interest — again — in hybrid cars and SUVs. One of the newest models is the redesigned 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid. Mike Hanley sizes up the cute-ute’s green aspirations, along with the regular attributes every car shopper looks for. Check out the full review to find out where the Escape Hybrid really excels.

2008 Ford Escape Hybrid Expert Review (Cars.com)

Ford Recalls 500,000 Escape SUVs

Owners of 2001-04 model year Ford Escape SUVs will be getting recall notices soon to tackle corroded antilock brake connectors that can lead to engine fires. The recall affects 444,880 Escapes in the U.S. and 75,000 in Mexico, Canada and Europe. 

Ford said there have been roughly 50 engine fires due to this problem. That is an astonishing number of actual reports before a recall has been issued. 

Owners can bring their vehicles into a dealer to have them inspected for corrosion and to replace the connector and the ABS module, if necessary. Corrosion can be caused when water, brake fluid, road salt or other contaminants enter the connector. This can lead to the ABS warning light illuminating, smoke, or the connector melting.

For more information, owners can call Ford at (800) 392-3673.

[Ford Recalls 500,000 Escapes, AOL]

Urban DINK: Car Shopping List Update

If you read the earliest Urban DINK posts, you know that the wife and I are in the market for a new vehicle, probably a compact SUV. Today I snuck the new 2008 Ford Escape out of the office parking lot for a test drive, and to give the better half a look since it’s on our shopping list.

Bottom line, my wife, Courtney, liked it. It reminded her of her old Honda CR-V and felt more solid than her current Jeep Grand Cherokee. It’s also the right size for Chicago driving and parking.

She thought it handled a lot better than the 2004 Escape we tested before buying the Jeep. I still remember that test drive; you could almost hear the road in the backseat and the engine screaming for dear life. Obviously, we didn’t buy it. 

2008 Ford Escape Prices Lower Than 2007's

Last month Ford revealed its new 2008 Escape compact SUV at the L.A. Auto Show. The mechanics and engine may not have changed much, but the exterior and interior design are new and much improved over the outgoing 2007. Usually, such a change would warrant a price increase but we just received the figures for the ’08s and they’re a bit less than the 2007s. The base 2008 FWD XLS Manual starts at $18,580 compared to $19,320 for the 2007 model. Move up to the FWD 3.0-liter V-6 XLT and the 2008 price is $21,880, compared to $23,130.

The rest of the 2008 prices — including the Escape Hybrid — are below. Expect the new models to go on sale late February/March of 2007.

2006 L.A. Auto Show: 2008 Ford Escape

The Ford Escape is still the best-selling compact SUV on the market after debuting in 2001. That’s a considerable achievement, especially with competition like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V in the same segment. Ford has redesigned the exterior and interior of the Escape and given it new electric power steering for the 2008 model year, but the engines, suspension and almost all the underpinnings remain unchanged. The popular hybrid version is getting the same refresh and debuts alongside the standard Escape.

The 2008 Escape will still come with a choice of a 153-hp four-cylinder engine or a 3.0-liter V-6 that produces 200 hp. Even the hybrid powertrain is exactly the same for ’08, with its combined 155 hp from the four-cylinder and an electric motor.

Big changes are almost all design-related. Check out the beefier exterior – obviously meant to take on the more masculine Dodge Nitro rather than the Japanese cute-utes – and updated interior. We’re not sure if the redesign is perfect, but the simple change from Ford’s traditional green instrument lighting to blue here in the Escape is a much-welcomed end to a major nitpick of ours. 

More pictures can be found below.

Cars.com’s L.A. Auto Show Coverage

Ford Dealers Learn How to Sell Edge

When the all-new Ford Edge crossover arrives at dealers next month, salesmen are going to have a new tool to help them sell the car. Because the Edge joins three other Ford SUVs and crossovers in similar price points — the Escape, Explorer and Freestyle — the company created a guide to help customers find the “right vehicle” for them. The Edge could, and probably will, cannibalize sales from Escape and Explorer, but Ford dealers seem to prefer to lose a sale to another Ford buyer, instead of another automaker.

From the announcement of the Edge last January and the subsequent news that Ford would sell the aging Escape compact SUV right alongside it, we’ve wondered: Who will buy the Escape when a shiny Edge is sitting right next to it? Dealers suggest they’ll order more four-cylinder Escapes and V-8 Explorers to complement the V-6-only Edge in the showroom. That makes some sense and spreads the sticker price gap a bit more realistically between those three cars. We don’t expect those shopping for a three-row Freestyle to cross-shop the Edge, no matter what the pricepoint. 

[Stealing Sales, AutoWeek]