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Wow! You could double that in a hybrid, and still remove good oil. .

Ecoboost can buy based on price, or octane if performance gains are desired. Hybrid won't care as much about octane, but it will benefit from ethanol-free gas.. Benefit, but not pay for itself. It's about fewer stops at the gas station.

Not recommending Generals, per se, but rather offer this as a look at performance tradeoffs moving from all-season to mild AT all the way to dedicated mud tires. Rolling resistance at the bottom...

Aerodynamic drag may not change when adding a tonneau cover. The problem is the cab. A vertical rear window has always caused a problem (remember NASCAR Monte Carlo?) because the airflow can't make the turn. You'd think a bed cap is the answer, except a low-drag cap will taper to the rear...

37 miles in 53.5 minutes is 47.1 mpg @ 42.5 mph. I find the Escape Hybrid does 45 mpg @ 45 mph very well, so there's more of that to come.

And 10% of speed in "Slippery" mode... where you'll also notice a real reduction in throttle response, compared with ECO. Brakes, are very soft, too, consistent with a reduced traction mode.

You certainly can change the exhaust note by changing the exhaust components, but its cosmetic, only. It won't affect performance. The main performance gains from aftermarket exhaust are at high RPM, because top speed needs HP. Since engine speed is tied to wheel speed, the engine must run...

My Escape Hybrid has a numeric power reading. I haven't tried them all, (or L) but... - Normal mode gives off-throttle regen braking of 20% of the speed (eg. 8kW if going 40 mph) - ECO mode doubles it, to 40% of speed (16kW if gong 40 mph) - Slippery mode halves it, to 10% of speed, 4 kw @ 40 mph.

You're right to ignore anyone who doesn't post round trips. Knowing the weather is just smart. Hypermilers don't. Speed variation is your friend. That's the whole point of riding the terrain; ICE uphill, EV down. The ICE burn will be more efficient if you sacrifice some speed on a steep hill...

Do you have Hill Assist / Descent Control turned on? In Escape, it's a settings option. It will add regen braking up to the inverter capacity, then I think you'll engage the engine for braking - a Jake brake. Very effective, if loud.

This January was well below average temperature. I'm retired, so I drive in the warmth of the day. My January tank was 34.7 MPG, against a 44+ mpg lifetime average. Wait for Spring before coming to any conclusions. If you were driving in the cold of very early morning, you did good!

Hybrids will enjoy ethanol-free fuel, if you're looking for the best gas. Mileage improvement will not pay for itself, but it's the secret to really long distance tanks.

The size change is not a problem, but check the load rating. Unless the snows are XL-rated (extended load), a smaller tire usually carries less load. It may not seem like a problem, but insurance companies might notice if you have a tire-based accident. I put a slightly-undersize tire on my...

Read post #3!

Diesel engines are a poor fit. They can't compete with the low-RPM torque of a motor, and can't make the high-RPM power needed to generate electricity for that motor. Remember, gas engines have hit 40% efficiency; there's no gain to be had from all the diesel cost and weight. That's a poor fit.

On earlier hybrids, you had an option in the settings menu for "Hill Assist" which would use the engine in a manner very much like a Jake brake. It's not something I'd call "normal," rather "as designed" or perhaps "special" since you need a really long steep hill to activate it in mine.

Still stuck in the BEV/PHEV paradigm.... batteries in HEVs are life-of-vehicle parts because the are never fully charged.

Put a set on the Escape a few months ago. They do come with a rolling resistance hit, compared with OEM Ecopia's, but that's about all you can criticize. I have years of experience with them on my wife and kids' cars. Highly recommended, they may be a better wet/dry tire than a snow!

Yes, you're feeling the hand-off from regen to friction brakes. It's normally not intrusive. My Escape reads 5% high on the dash display, compared with the pump. The C-Max was the same.

The volunteer should carry a spare can of fuel, so that when the car dies (it can't EV to the station), you won't be calling AAA. C-Max owners went a little nuts seeing how far they could go.... until ptjones made 900 miles. +1 One reason I pay extra for ethanol-free...