Even SUV owners can be environmentally-conscious. As silly as that sounds – really – the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid delivers guilt-free driving, with all the yummy calories we want from our cargo-laden people wagons. It’s all in that fancy hybrid powertrain, see, that gives the Escape Hybrid the power of a V6 with the fuel economy of the four-cylinder and a very eco-friendly tailpipe. The Escape Hybrid is a full hybrid that runs on either a small four-cylinder engine, electric power, or both: drive it in stop and go traffic and you’ll notice when the electric motor propels you, and when the engine actually kicks over and lends a hand. Inside, the Escape Hybrid is pretty much the same as a regular Escape, though the Hybrid model has a higher load floor in back. Not much is new for 2006 – pretty much just black paint, so you can be a stealth greenie. Drawbacks of the Escape Hybrid include poor handling, some dicey fit and finish on the inside, and a high base price. Plus, we’d really like to know how this SUV flips.

Buy one today, and feel better about yourself.