2008 Ford Escape - Features Review

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

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Reviews of the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid's features were generally positive, but not everyone was equally enthusiastic.

WorldCarFans reports an extensive list of standard features that come installed on the Escape Hybrid at no additional cost, which includes a front storage bin and charging station for a laptop and an MP3 audio jack. Available options include Sirius Satellite Radio, an upgraded seven-speaker audio system, and a DVD-based navigation system.

The New York Times was not particularly impressed by that last feature, however. Although it "did a fine job of giving directions" across country, it failed to provide local information adequately. When asked to search for hotels, the system reported nothing within 40 miles one minute and then reported one within a mile. Ford is preparing a new generation of navigation systems for its vehicles; it appears first on the 2009 Ford Flex.

Mother Proof reports some problems in working features such as the tailgate and the fold-down backseats, but the reviewer acknowledged that she "loved the standard auxiliary input jack" (for the MP3, and also compatible with the iPod) as well as the "110-volt outlet in the front." The Escape Hybrid's center console was also described here as a "huge benefit...[compensating] for the inadequate, narrow rectangular pockets in the rear doors."