Ford Kuga/Escape FHEV - real-life fuel economy test done by a professional ecodriver

[@garrido58]

I got the kuga fhev since some weeks. Following Hemut advice and with 20/40/40 (highway, road, city) the consumption has been 5.1 l/100km in 2.300 km. Excellent!. In the city it is easy to be between 3.8 to 4.5.

[@WEZ4136]

First time I’ve come across your channel and I must say I completely agree that drivers moving from fully ICE driving to hybrid driving must learn a new way of driving, I have several friends that never even use their regenerative braking in their hybrids and are reasonably happy with their consumption but, if they changed just that small part of their driving they should see significant improvements to their mpg, some say they cant get used to the way the vehicle slows in regen and some say they can’t trust the regen to slow adequately in time, yet they all trust the auto pilot cruse control 😂 I’m looking at taking on the Kuwaiti FHEV Vignale as my first full/self charging hybrid so I can take some of them out for a drive and maybe help educate them. Excellent video with simple to comprehend information that will help many new to hybrid drivers. Definitely a new subscriber for your channel, please keep up the good work.

[@alfontana6242]

Thanks Helmut for your video. My wife and I live in Seaside, Oregon, USA. Last week we purchased a 2022 RAV 4 Prime (plug in) SE model. We have nearly 400 miles on the odometer. My wife makes a 32-36 mile round trip commute to work and when she arrives home she still has between 6-8 miles of electric range left. Her speeds range from in town 25-30 MPH to 55 MPH-60 MPH on the highway. Still winter here with temps low 40's to low 50's F. When running on gas with the battery depleted our last trip nearly 200 miles(round trip) when we arrived home the dash displayed, (on just the gas motor) 43.1 MPG (US gallon) and 28 miles on electric, note: when we left the battery was only partially charged. Helmut looking forward to your review of the RAV 4 Prime to see what a professional eco driver can do.

[@ecodriver1746]

Thanks! I hope to get the RAV 4 Prime in April.

[@garrido58]

Thanks and congratulations for your work. I'm waiting for the Kuga FHEV for almost three months. I think it's a great car. I wish I could get a little bit close to your records. 🙂

[@ecodriver1746]

Thanks and you're welcome! You're right, it IS a great car and I'm sure you will be able to do this, if you watch maaaany more of my videos :)

[@cletotirabassi]

Superbly helpful video. I’ve been struggling to decide between the Kuga FHEV and PHEV, but all the pointers shared have made things a lot clearer for me. Thanks Helmut! 🙏🏻

[@ecodriver1746]

Thanks, you are welcome.

[@cletotirabassi]

@@ecodriver1746 Obviously the dealer is pushing me to take the PHEV (more commission for him). But from a purely driving pleasure point of view, which would you choose?

[@ecodriver1746]

It really depends on your driving profile, but mainly your opportunities to charge at home or at work. If you have those I'd go for the PHEV all day.

[@cletotirabassi]

@@ecodriver1746 Thanks Helmut. Makes total sense what you say and I'm 99% sold on that idea. Except, I would love to also have AWD 🤷🏻‍♂ Decisions decisions.

[@iandoolan8757]

Interesting to compare the PHEV and the FHEV on the same route. The PHEV was 76 mpg UK and the FHEV was 64 mpg UK. Of the 76 kms route the PHEV did 49 Kms on electric and the FHEV did 34 Kms on electric. As you’d expect the PHEV wins….but….the PHEV was tested in very warm temperatures and the FHEV was tested around 0 degrees or less. I wonder how close the FHEV would have been if it had been tested also in very warm temperatures. I think the FHEV result was pretty impressive in sun zero temperatures.

[@fhshsjx]

a good economical fhev like toyota yaris cross goes around 70% full ev in city in summer with 3 L% and a phev goes 100% ev with ~18kw% 18kw sells with 5.42 euro 3 L% sells with 3.91 euro for 30% more full electric drive you spend almost double the money and waste a lot of time to charge... for only 30% more ev in city on long highway distance they both run on gas ... tehnically i'd say a FHEV is better if they manage to make it closer to "perpetum mobile" in city (with added solar panells and more regenerative braking power)

[@MxAxRxCxIxNxO]

When testing PHEVs, no one takes into account the price of electricity, which does not fall like manna from heaven. Maybe PHEVs run longer on electricity, but is it cheaper?

[@TWARDOWSKY.]

14:40 Ford Hybrd = Toyota Hybrid. the difference is that Ford programmed the ecvt better so that you don't feel that typical "howl" because the combustion engine simulates gear changes.

[@CROMA1927]

Dear Helmut, another fantastic test! Keep up the great work. When it arrives, try the KIA Sportage HEV, please. 😊👍👏

[@ecodriver1746]

Thanks! Sportage HEV is promised to get so I hope soon.

[@FrankBurnside]

very informative video. With some practice you can really get great FE from an FHEV. Looks of regen breaking, anticipating traffic and the road ahead (junctions & traffic)

[@BaaLaaN]

15:01 PEBSWAC - Problem Exists Between Steering Wheel And Chair

[@xzen3c]

Dear Helmut, thank you for a great video. I saw that you changed to eco in the dashboard settings, did you also drove in a special settings during this drive to achieve your results. (Where you in hybrid/el mode, or El only or/and L mode while Electric only mode) would be interesting to learn how you drove approaching the climb and down the hill.

[@ecodriver1746]

Hi Mauricio, thanks and you're welcome. I was in Hybrid-Mode throughout, except maybe just when reaching the top of a hill where I tried to force the EV-Mode, as going down wouldn't require a lot of energy and the batteries would be filled anyway. I didn't use "L" as this starts the engine to assist the brakes and I don't like the noise and it's not of help on those small-ish descents. It only makes sense on really long descents.

[@kendzo92]

My question is: Is this a good choice if I drive mostly highwai at around 100 km/h? My work is 45 km away and most of that is highway where speed limit is either 90 or 110 kmh.

[@FrLW68]

Hello. Interesting video. So you see that anticipation is very important. I have learned to anticipate more since I got a truck driver's license, and I also apply this when driving with a caravan. I try never to stand still. Above all, keep rolling. I am looking for a PHEV and especially for a car that can tow a 1200kg caravan well and economically. Things like: do I have enough electrical energy left in the mountains? Does an electric motor work well on a long trip from the Netherlands to Spain? (with long steep hills like at Lyon and at the border crossing with Spain) I'm deciding between the Lynk & Co 01 and the 2023 Kuga PHEV with respectively 1800kg and 1500kg towing weight. Are you going to test more cars? I'm especially curious about the above. Thanks.

[@yoker84]

Thank you. How much do you think the results would change with 20” wheels?

[@francescos6101]

nice and helpful of simple but useful suggestion ! thanks so much , ciao from italy

[@francescos6101]

and , i forgot , i subscrive your channel.

[@samoutobi2716]

Thank you for the good work. I'm interested to know if you have any updates on when the PHEV RAV4 will be available for you ? I'm very much considering getting one and from my search so far it's sounds like the car to get.

[@ecodriver1746]

Thanks. RAV 4 Prime isn't on the market here yet, but will be shortly. I've agreed with the dealership to get it a.s.a.p.

[@PaulCotor]

Hi, this is a helpful video. Do you know if there is any way to see the status of how much is the battery charged/charging for Kuga FHEV? (like in Renault Clio which you showed in another video)

[@bkirovski]

Thanks Helmut, any plans to test Tucson HEV? I know you did the PHEV but I'm curious on HEV as I've seen mixed feedback on it's fuel efficiency.

[@ecodriver1746]

I hope to get it soon.

[@muresansergiubohdan]

Can you remember if this was the AWD or the front wheel drive version of the hybrid? I might have missed it but I could not find it in the video. Also you compare it with the Toyota Rav4 and the Toyota seems to do a bit better, but you said in the video that the Ford was on winter tyres. Can you remember what tyres were on the Toyota? In the Toyota video it's not mentioned. I think tyres play a role in this too.

[@ecodriver1746]

Ford Kuga Full Hybrid is always AWD, as was the RAV4. You find the tyre-details in the table during the analysis.

[@muresansergiubohdan]

@@ecodriver1746 actually Ford sells the Full Hybrid with front wheel drive only also.

[@ecodriver1746]

Ah ok, yes, you're right, over here people only buy AWD and the dealer told me that they only sell AWD. I got this confused. So this one was definitely AWD.

[@muresansergiubohdan]

@@ecodriver1746 I also got the AWD, actually main reason I chose the FHEV over the PHEV. I was also looking at the Toyota but it seems fuel consumption should be very similar in warmer weather and with summer tyres.

[@muresansergiubohdan]

@@ecodriver1746 also thank you for the hard work. Very useful videos!

[@Allwillbealrightinfuture]

Good job!! Thanks for this)

[@ecodriver1746]

Thanks, you`re welcome!

[@frantisekbaranec1976]

Could you please tell me if for example Kuga fhev makes 10km and the trip computer shows 50% electric, does this figure mean that 5km were done on purely electric motor or does it also include Kms when both engines were running together (battery supported the combustion engine)

[@fabiannov19]

Hello Helmut. Great videos and tests. I’m currently driving Nissan leaf but planning to change into plug in hybrid. Which one do you think would be good: Ford kuga or Toyota Prius ? Thanks

[@richtewari]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤1❤❤1❤❤❤❤❤1❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤1❤❤1❤1❤❤❤❤❤1

[@vladmihai306]

does AC work with engine off? that is, AC compressor is electric on this car? Thanks!

[@michafigielek3492]

Herr Helmut, kann mann fragen was für ein Auto fahren Sie privat?

[@Cloppa2000]

Where on earth do they get the 235mpg figure from???

[@danielandre1749]

Hello. Really impressive result ! Bravo. I want to know what kind of fuel you used to make this test. Is it SP95, SP98, E10 or E85 ?

[@ecodriver1746]

I didn't fuel the car, but here c. 99,9 % of people fill SP95. In Austria there is no E10.

[@mihaivatafu2505]

Hello! It was AWD or FWD?

[@gregorkert5085]

It would be interesting to see actual consumtion on most eco motorbike Honda CB125F (wltp 1,50 l/100km). Fill all the way up is very accurate on motorbike with cca 10 liters fuel. You can be acuratte on 0,1 liter. :) If these would be near my home i would do these loope on Aprilia Atlantic 300 and I m sure it would be cca 2,6-3,0 l/100km :) Not much diference between motorbike and car a?

[@ecodriver1746]

I agree, should be interesting. But as I don‘t ride motorbikes I fear I am the wrong person for that 😉

[@hendrikspysschaert1688]

Can you do the same whit the L monde on?

[@ecodriver1746]

Why? I tried to get a good result, so I avoid L.

[@hendrikspysschaert1688]

Can you explain the function of the L monde?

[@ecodriver1746]

Basically it brakes the car harder when you lift your foot off the accelerator, either by using the electric motor or switching on the combustion engine to work as an engine brake. Ford recommends in the manual not to use this mode over a lengthy period of time as it increases fuel consumption. If it brakes using the electric motor there is higher regen, but not more as if you step on the brake pedal. And as the car is then constantly braking that means that you need to use more energy to keep it at speed. An EV (or Hybrid in EV-Mode) normally only regens around 35-45% (battery-to-battery) of the used energy so it's a massive waste of energy to brake. I've done a series of videos about this, e.g. this one kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnOnmYCLg9CLl80

[@hendrikspysschaert1688]

Thx for the explanation

[@Alexdaylight]

Is this not the model that has been recalled in service? I wonder if they have fixed the problem

[@adrenalinafdt5135]

it is 4x4 ?

[@ecodriver1746]

yes