MKX will have a Hybrid option by 2010

[pro-five-oh]

http://www.metronews.ca/reuters_business.asp?id=130205

What do you all think?

[Sysanalyst]

Let me see. The Escape hybrid has a "down tuned" 4 cylinder engine coupled with an electric motor that brings it back up to the power of the standard 4 cyl engine. The Lexus hybrid has a powerful V6 240HP engine and adds an additional 80HP from the electric motor when pushed, and gets about the same mileage as the Escape hybrid. Ford could go in the direction of the Escape, or the Lexus; In my humble experiences with F-L-M, they generally take the cheap route. That is why I picked "Too late: Lexus RX Hybrid beat it to the punch". Again, very late in the game, and in the end I suspect it will read 'too little too late".

[megaforcer]

Let me see. The Escape hybrid has a "down tuned" 4 cylinder engine coupled with an electric motor that brings it back up to the power of the standard 4 cyl engine. The Lexus hybrid has a powerful V6 240HP engine and adds an additional 80HP from the electric motor when pushed, and gets about the same mileage as the Escape hybrid. Ford could go in the direction of the Escape, or the Lexus; In my humble experiences with F-L-M, they generally take the cheap route. That is why I picked "Too late: Lexus RX Hybrid beat it to the punch". Again, very late in the game, and in the end I suspect it will read 'too little too late".


The RX Hybrid gets crappy gas mileage; on the highway it averages about 18, city about 20 to 22. My old town car did better than that!

[Sysanalyst]

The RX Hybrid gets crappy gas mileage; on the highway it averages about 18, city about 20 to 22. My old town car did better than that!

RX400h - 31 mpg city/ 27 mpg highway

The non-hybrid RX330 - 18 mpg city / 24 mpg highway

Escape Hybrid - 36 mpg city / 31 mpg highway

[megaforcer]

RX400h - 31 mpg city/ 27 mpg highway

These are the official numbers; my wife works for Lexus, all customers are coming back and complaining that the RX does 18 to 19 on the highway!