To answer the question: can a 4X4 SUV be affordable and cost effective? The answer is: Almost.

INTRODUCTION:
First and foremost to clear any doubts let me assure you that I am not – er WAS not a ford fan before I got this vehicle. I had a mustang that broke down frequently, thusly I boycott all ford products. This vehicle has since changed my mind about Ford.

SAVE THE PLANET?
If you buy a Ford Escape Hybrid to save the planet, that's great. I know you could buy a 90's model V8 Jeep 4X4 that gets 10MPG, cut down on the purchase price but that costs money down the road in fuel. That is not a very wise investment for the long term and even less so for the daily driver.

WHY THE ESCAPE HYBRID?
I bought the Ford Escape Hybrid to save money at the pump. Compared to my last vehicle (A 1999 V6 Chevrolet S10 4X4) the Ford Escape Hybrid 4X4 gets an overall increase of 75% according to fueleconomy.gov of gas savings over my S10. Comparing the 16MPG of my S10 to the 28mpg of the Escape I will refuel (for the sake of simple arithmetic) slightly less than half as often, which puts me at around once per month, or more specifically once every twenty days, more or less.

COUNTING THE COST, DOES IT PAY OFF?
I normally spent about $37 to fuel my S10's 15 gallon tank and my last Escape bill was 11.17 gallons (low fuel level indicator was on) at $25.92. Since gas prices vary depending on time and location I will not rely on the price but rather the MPG for this comparison.
Here is the data used for the calculations:

purchased 14 aug 09
Opening fuel: 15 aug 09 10.297 gallons
24 aug 09 300.5 miles on trip and 11.84 gallons added (300.5/11.84=25.38MPG)
2 sep 09 320.2 miles on trip and 11.17 gallons added (320.2/11.17=28.67MPG)

I basically went from spending $0.18 per mile to spending $0.08 per mile.

I expect better numbers than 28.6MPG next fillup because all my tires were at 30PSI for part of the 2 sep 09 trip when the tire manufacturer specifies 40PSI. Thus, the vehicle does get the gas mileage that it is advertised to get which is a HUGE selling point in my opinion!! A vehicle that actually does what it claims to do!
Factor in the possible tax incentives for driving a fuel efficient vehicle and it becomes even more difficult to ignore.

HOW DOES IT WORK?
The Ford Escape Hybrid works using an electric motor and an inline four cylinder internal combustion engine (ICE.) On a typical drive to and from work/school/etc. I can expect the engine to turn on and not shut off until the engine has reached a certain temperature. This allows the engine to turn on and off as necessary during your commute without damage. Sooner or later I will have to brake, and this is normally the first time my tachometer will display NO RPM – because I am now in Electric Vehicle Mode!
Usually this is when I am stopped at a sign or a light, while waiting, I am producing no emissions. It is useful to plan stops as far ahead as possible to turn the ICE off by braking earlier, thus saving the maximum amount of fuel, and charging the batteries with the regenerative braking system.
The Electric Motor (EM) will engage and propel me forward with gentle pressure on the accelerator, for up to 30MPH, after which the ICE resumes the majority of power to the vehicle.
The ICE usually does not turn off unless I brake or I'm going extremely slow with little or no pressure on the accelerator.

OK SO WHAT ELSE DOES IT DO FOR ME?
Maybe you don't need a 4X4 but I live in Oklahoma where it ices (not snows) almost every winter. I learned not to use a 4x2 vehicle in that sort of weather as I typically get stuck in the slush. I consider the 4x4 capability indispensible.

The ride seems firm and reliable, well manufactured. All the fabrics seem stretched very tight, even on the door trim panels, which gives the interior a very modern look. The seat fabric is tight and the seat cushions are firm, the drive is very straight and stable. I can not complain about driving this vehicle, it is everything a well designed automobile should be.

The back seat will fold down to allow me to use the vehicle in a similar manner as my pickup truck except now I don't have to exit the vehicle to reach items stored in the rear. The back glass opens without opening the lift gate, which is great for being able to stack items behind the rear seat, like groceries.

Towing capacity is 1500 lbs. UHAUL says that the escape hybrid can tow their 5x10 trailer when loaded properly. The 5x10 is the second to largest trailer that UHAUL offers. The largest being the 6x12 which is a towing possibility depending on the load, but not 100% recommended. Personally I tend to agree, I think that a 6x12 would just be too much for the little Escape to handle and brake safely.

The Escape I bought did not have the navigation system (I got mine used because I don't want a 30K new car bill, and honestly it is not worth 30K, but I got mine for 8K with a trade in, and I feel that is worth the money!) It gets points for having the option though, and the non nav unit has a 6 cd changer with am fm. The display however is a lackluster monochrome LCD type, and is VERY BORING and non futuristic (I bought a hybrid I want to see futuristic instruments!)

The instrument cluster is very basic: tachometer, speedometer, charge/assist guage, and fuel level guage. They are all analog... disappointing... I want digital!! There is also an info LCD indicator near the odometer and trip meter that displays an instant economy guage, estimated range, mpg calculation, metric/english unit display and a complete system check that checks all systems such as 4x4, electric energy, lights, doors, etc.

THE BOTTOM LINE?
It does not have the technology to cure the planet of polution so you might as well just enjoy the ride, and the benifits of a reduced fuel bill.
I am extremely pleased with my escape, I have owned almost 10 cars in my life now and I think this one is the smartest one I have purchased.
Definately one to consider when making your next vehicle purchase.
Amount Paid (US$): 8000
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2005
Model and Options: 4X4 Automatic Hybrid non-nav