I'm sure I've made some eyes pop out of your heads with the title, good. Convince me otherwise. I'm currently torn. My 09 FEH that I bought used two years ago has 65,000 miles on it. I am unhappy with the quality of workmanship of the car's interior. Also, as a volunteer firefighter/EMT/hazmat responder the hatch is stacked with gear and I now know why police and fire chiefs drive around monster Expeditions.

I get combined averages of 28mpg with a mix of 70% hwy and 30% city. If I lived in the city I can see how beneficial the FEH would be! Running the numbers on fueleconomy.gov the Edge's 18/25mpg isn't too far off. The Escape being a $410/yr savings it calculates.

I got rear ended merging onto a highway last week and currently am driving a 2013 Ford Escape rental car. Interior is amazing, and the V6 with ecoboost is a little more powerful that the FEH obviously but response is not smooth as the CVT. I noticed the interior molding and such is much more robust than my 09, reminds me of my VW! Additionally, the car handles better, very tight and feels strong like the Edge. Trouble is the new 2013 Ford Escape's are ugly. So I wouldn't buy one. Fair enough.

The car should be rebuilt as the accident was only moderate. I'm thinking if there is a time to trade in it might be once the vehicle is returned from repairs. I haven't required new tires or new brakes during my ownership and no problems! It has truly been a great car to me other than I'm not completely satisfied. I want the car to be worth something decent when I trade 7-12k or more. I'm worried about the hybrid battery going at 100,000 or 120,000 miles.

I have driven my uncles Edge a lot and like it. I'm an Environmental Geology student and like the hybrid idea however Ford is silent on this at the moment their SUV line doesn't have any hybrids right now and they never migrated the technology up to bigger models. Also, I can't believe the 2012 or 2013 models don't shut off the engine at lights or in traffic. I think it's a very anticipated time for hybrid vehicles. I'm all about buying used vehicles 2-3 years back not off the factory line so it's not bad timing unless you can advise me that it'd be worthwhile to keep my Escape for say 4 years before I sell it/trade it in.

Your thoughts on any of this would be awesome! I'm counting on you guys to be my balancing stone.

 

If you're thinking about the Edge, I would suggest the Nissan Murano which the Edge was modeled after. Right now Nissan is having trouble giving those away, and they're piling up on the docks here in LA...How does $8000+ off MSRP sound? Muranos have very solid build quality and good CVTs like you're used to with a nice V6 under the hood.
However if you can ride it out until the end of the year a diesel Mazda CX-5 will be out this summer (and a diesel Mercedes GLK!) , as well as a new hybrid Murano (probably) and maybe a plug-in hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander. Any of these should shame our old FEHs in mpg and performance. A new hybrid Escape will probably come out but not for year or two. Bottom line is a lot of higher efficiency new vehicles are coming out in 2013-14.

 

I wouldn't go with a trade, but sell it on Craig's List instead. Get book value and stick with that price like I did with my '05 FEH. Much more money than a dealer will give you.

I like the '11 Explorer and newer myself, and prefer the 3.5L over the 2.0L EB. They have a high efficiency A/C compressor that gives great mpg with it on. My Limited with the Hankook tires handles like a dream, so I drive it more than my '09 FEHL. The quality is also better!

GaryG

 

A 2013 V6 Escape? You would have the only one in the world. I believe they only offer V4 this year; a 1.6 Eco, a 2.0 Eco, a 2.4 Eco, and the normal 2.4 without Eco.

I'm not surprised that you might consider an Edge if you need more room, although I myself would lean towards an Explorer if I were in this situation (assuming you can afford it).

 

Thanks all for your great information as always! I'm not sure exactly where I'm headed. Scheduled to get my '09 FEH back this Tuesday. Thanks Gary, it does look like selling my FEH on my own would be the best option. There are not ANY available used at the local dealerships. Not sure what that means but resale might be decent... Looking at prices online it across the board. I scratch my head at the ones priced at well above kbb.

You are right stevedebi! The '13 Escape Rental FWD is not a V6. It is a 2.0L Ecoboost. I will say this powertrain really shows up the 2.5L in my '09 FEH. I can definitely notice the turbo lag in the rental, it's always when you really want to go as too... So Gary I can understand your liking of the 3.5L V6's. Both the Edge and Explorer, which I've now been considering have 3.5L's. The Police Interceptor Explorers must be a lot of fun to drive with dual turbos, wow...

Researching the diesel Mazda CX-5 - that technology is impressive. The big question will be if it is available in AWD/4WD... I've looked at TDI's from Audi before but the Quattro's aren't widely available in the USA just yet. SUV's are what I need though sorry Audi A3/A4. I think Mazda engineers were involved in the '13 Ford Escape design. It looks very Japanese. Also, what is up with switching the fuel tank to the passenger side!!! I do like cars built in the USA. I just wish Ford would hurry up and make some more of the safety features standard across their vehicles.

The interior quality of the '13 Escape has spoiled me. I know a car is just a car. So we'll see It might be best to wait a bit.

 

A 2013 V4 Escape? You would have the only one in the world. :-)

They're all I4's

I agree with Gary - We love our 2011 Explorer.

My friends 04 Murano just had it's rotted out K member (the thing that holds up the engine) replaced. Expensive.

 

Yup, I suppose they are indeed inline!

 

Warning ~ I know I'm late to this thread, however, if you check out the latest issue of Consumer Reports (the annual car issue) you'll see they specifically recommend AGAINST the Ford Edge -- a car they see as among the worst. Read the issue for more info.
Sorry to hear about your take on the interior fit and finish of your FEH, but ... is that really important? The FEH is truly 'green' and you mention that as being important. You haven't had any problems with it -- that's a BIG deal. My take has always been, if I have a good vehicle that serves my needs ... stay with it. The opportunities for getting a worse one are too high. Way too high.

 

I'm finished with Communist Reports. If the radio doesn't have enough *****, they'll rip the whole car to shreds.

 

Communist Reports? Come on now, that's just mean-spirited. You can do better.
I don't always agree with them ... but then I've never found that person that I do (completely). And for frequency-of-repair they are simply reporting the experiences of over half a million people's cars. Where else you gonna get that kind of information? Nowhere, that's where. Ignore it at your own risk.