We really want to discuss the Hybrid’s powertrain in depth, however today we’re going to discuss the interior. The
Ford Escape Hybrid’s interior is actually a nice place to spend some time. The seating position, with any SUV, is
upright and provides an excellent view of the road ahead. The interior is certainly not the worst we’ve seen. It is,
however, a little spartan. Everything works, however. None of the switchgear feels cheap, but it does not impress
you with thought out tactile feedback.
The Escape is not a luxury vehicle, however. For those looking for more luxurious appointments in a hybrid SUV,
right now the Lexus RX400h Hybrid is your only option. The Mercury Mariner Hybrid can be pre-ordered now, but,
depending on your location, the Lexus RX Hybrid isn?t really available for instant gratification either. So if you
absolutely need a hybrid SUV, but want luxury, get the Escape Hybrid but option it out with leather. Our tester came
equipped with leather seating surfaces. The leather does add a touch of class to the Escape?s interior. We said that
the Escape isn?t a luxury vehicle, but it does have a classiness that we weren?t expecting. Overall materials quality
is good, and everything seems pretty durable. The only exception would be the rear cup holders, we feel like they?re
just waiting to be kicked off the back of the center console.
The front seats are comfortable. The rear seats offer decent room for most passengers. Even this 6’4″ passenger
was able to get in there and find some comfort. This is one vehicle that would benefit if Ford decided to
sacrifice some ?ground? clearance for a deeper foot well or lower floor over all, however. The short wheel base of the
Escape means that there isn?t that much room from an interior perspective. We would say that is a lot roomier
than it appears from the exterior. The interior dimensions compare well to the other SUV hybrids. When we looked at
these numbers, we were shocked. We?ve seen the regular versions of both the Highlander and RX, but we would have never
put them up against the Escape. The Escape may not be as wide as the Toyota products, but it can almost compete with
their other dimensions. It makes the Escape more appealing, especially when you consider the price difference. All the
numbers below are in inches.
 Interior | RX400h | Escape | Highlander |
 Front Head |  39.3 | 40.4 | 38.6 |
 Rear Head |  38.6 | 39.2 | 37.8 |
 Front Shoulder |  57.9 | 56.3 | 57.9 |
 Rear Shoulder |  57.1 | 55.9 | 57.1 |
 Front Hip |  55.6 | 53.4 | 55.2 |
 Rear Hip |  55.1 | 49.1 | 54.6 |
 Front Leg |  42.5 | 41.6 | 42.9 |
 Rear Leg |  36.4 | 36.3 | 34.6 |