toledoblade.com --

Drivers who want to join a star-studded list of people who drive vehicles that reduce dependence on foreign oil and dramatically curb emissions may be more likely to buy a Ford Escape Hybrid.

Drivers who want to save on fuel while getting the performance of a V-6 engine and the torque of a V-8 for hauling and off-roading may turn to upcoming diesel models of the Toledo-made Jeep Liberty.

Both versions of the compact sport-utility vehicle competitors have better fuel economy than their gasoline-powered twins.

The two alternative-fuel models will more sharply divide the followings of the two SUVs, with the Escape being favored by women also concerned with the environment and the Liberty being an option for truck-loving men, said Walter McManus, an auto industry analyst with J.D. Power and Associates.

But solely on which will create more buzz among those looking for green alternatives, the Escape and its low emissions will win, said Brett Smith, director of the Center for Automotive Research's product and technology forecasting group.

"The Escape has a stronger marketing angle," Mr. Smith said.

Ford Motor Co. has sold about 1,200 Escape Hybrids since the first ones were delivered in September, and the SUV's production is sold out through January, said Bryan Olson, marketing manager for the hybrid.

Prices for the Escape Hybrid, which typically uses an electric motor instead of its gasoline engine in speeds under 25 to 30 miles an hour, start at $26,970 for front-wheel drive and $28,595 for four-wheel drive.

The Toledo Jeep Assembly Plant will begin building diesel Libertys for U.S. dealers this month and is scheduled to have them on lots by the end of the year.

All Liberty diesels will have four-wheel drive and are priced starting at $25,125 for a Sport and $27,355 for a Limited.

Both alternatives to gasoline engines have a slate of pros and cons depending on what kind of driving is done, industry experts and officials for both Ford and DaimlerChrysler AG said.

Towing capacity for the Escape Hybrid is 1,000 pounds and for the Liberty diesel is 5,000 pounds, and the diesel will have more power for acceleration.

Sport and $27,355 for a Limited.

Both alternatives to gasoline engines have a slate of pros and cons depending on what kind of driving is done, industry experts and officials for both Ford and DaimlerChrysler AG said.

Towing capacity for the Escape Hybrid is 1,000 pounds and for the Liberty diesel is 5,000 pounds, and the diesel will have more power for acceleration.

Although the Escape Hybrid clearly gets better mileage in stop-and-go traffic, consumers will have to assess how much of that they do, said Richard Reuter, chief engineer for the Liberty.

"The diesel always gets better fuel economy," he said, than its gasoline-powered twin.

A V-6 Liberty gets 17 miles a gallon in the city and 22 on the highway and a diesel Liberty gets 22 miles per gallon in the city, 27 mpg on the highway while offering similar performance.

There isn't as high a premium on Liberty diesels compared with its gasoline-powered twins as on Escape hybrids, said Mr. McManus of J.D. Power.

Plus, the Liberty's diesel will pay for itself in three years through fuel savings and maintaining a high resale value, while the longtime value of a hybrid is hard to gauge, he said.

Escape Hybrid buyers aren't as concerned with the SUV's price as they are with the environmental benefits, Mr. Olson said.

The U.S. government gives hybrid owners a $1,500 tax credit, and Ford is working with the Internal Revenue Service to get final approval for the Escape Hybrid, he said. It gets 33 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway.

Maintenance is another area consumers should consider, automaker officials said.

Mechanics are familiar with diesels, but hybrids are more complex and not as well known, Mr. Reuter said.

But the Escape's hybrid-electric components don't require routine maintenance, and the SUV needs its oil changed only every 10,000 miles, one example of how customers save money and time in the shop, Mr. Olson said.

Other hybrid and diesel models are available in the United States, in light trucks as well as cars.

Contact Julie M. McKinnon at:
jmckinnon@theblade.com
or 419-724-6087.

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