2008 Ford Escape - Styling Review

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Shopping for a 2008 Ford Escape? MSRP: $19,140 - $29,215

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The 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid, inoffensive in styling despite its attempts at "machisimo," carries on an old Ford tradition in terms of style--namely, the Expedition.

The 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid receives the same improvements in style, quality, and refinement bestowed upon the gasoline-powered 2008 Ford Escape compact SUVs—mainly, a new Expedition-like hood and grill, spiffy taillamps, and a new interior.

Car and Driver says the new style "adds style and flair...styling does toughen its image quite a bit." And yet, they also call the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid’s styling "banal."

Some other sources were more enthusiastic. World Car Fans calls the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid a "bold new design," as does the New York Times, reporting that "for 2008 Ford has given the Escape a new look." Cars.com, which agrees on this vehicle's resemblance to the Expedition, goes on to say that the "plunging chrome grille...would be equally at home on a Volkswagen Jetta or Golf." ConsumerGuide describes the Escape Hybrid's exterior as "freshened," with "cleaner styling."

Edmunds finds that most of the cosmetic improvements have taken place inside the passenger cabin, reporting that it "has received significant improvements, with much better materials and a more attractive design." It also says the "basic design is getting a bit old." Cars.com believes the “cabin styling is an improvement.” AutoblogGreen thinks “the style of the dashboard has a sort of mechanical Jeep-like look to it, again with more angular contours and several contrasting shades of brown and tan.”

TheCarConnection.com spent a few hundred miles in an Escape Hybrid, and found some clever details in the new cabin. The new dash layout has a more substantial-looking center stack off to the right that houses an information center/LCD screen on top and audio/optional GPS screen down below that. Between the seats, there's a much more useful "deep well," multitiered center console with removable storage trays and combo cup holders. All gauges and controls get "ice blue" LED-style backlighting, while the interior fabrics are made from recycled "post-industrial materials" that Ford says helps to conserve 600,000 gallons of water and 7 million kilowatts of electricity that would otherwise have been used to produce seat covers from "virgin" materials.