I'm strongly considering ordering an Escape plug-in hybrid, and I'm told it would hopefully arrive within the next 6 months or so (I live in Canada). I want a plug-in SUV and my first choice is the Lexus NX 450h+ but the wait time is around 2 years. I like the Escape but I do have a few concerns:

1. Road noise. I've heard it's really bad and it did seem fairly loud at high speeds when I test drove it, but it's hard to judge based on a 15 minute drive.

2. FWD. We get lots of ice and snow where I live, so I would prefer AWD, but I've also read that most AWD systems only engage when the car is at very low speeds....so perhaps this
isn't really an issue? But would it affect resale value?

3. Safety. Apparently the Escape didn't score very well in the IIHS side crash tests, which worries me a little since I'd be putting a small child in the rear. Does anyone know if it has
side air bags in the rear?

4. Reliability. I've only ever driven Toyota, so I'm hesitant to switch over to another brand since reliability will almost certainly be less. Is the Escape known to be reliable?

Any Escape PHEV owners on here? I'd appreciate any insight you have. Thanks!

 

I'm assuming the plug in hybrid has the 1.5L? I know the Bronco sport has the same engine and the longevity of that engine is predicted to be 80-100000 miles. That's not very good. I think I would pass on both.

 

The Escape plug-in has a 2.5 L 4-cylinder engine. Not sure if that's better than the 1.5L.

Any other thoughts? I'm surprised no one seems to be driving the plug-in Escape - I see quite a few Escapes but no plug-ins, despite the government incentives.

 

I'm not a fan of electric vehicles, a plug in hybrid at least gives you a gas option. I'm going to laugh when California goes full electric and they realize they don't have enough electricity for cars and houses. People will be living in the dark trying to get a big enough charge on their cars to get out of the damn place.

 

I wouldn't get an EV unless it was solely for use around town (and then a plug-in would probably suffice). The infrastructure is nowhere near ready for EVs in Canada and probably won't be for many years. PHEV seems like an ideal solution if you have a home to charge it at but unfortunately most plug-ins (especially SUVs) have long waitlists in Canada, so there's very little to choose from if you want something within a year or less....hence my interest in the Escape plug-in.