* 2009 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner earn governments top 5-star ratings for front- and side-impact tests - adding to Fords leading number of five-star vehicles.

* This fall, Escape and Mariner add a new 171-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with enhanced performance and fuel economy better or equal to the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV-4.

* Escape Hybrid and Mariner Hybrid also achieve five-star crash ratings.

* Ford plans to double hybrid sales in 2009 on the strength of safety ratings that out-perform Toyota Prius.

DEARBORN, Mich.- The 2009 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner compact sport utility vehicles added to Fords leading number of top-safety-rated vehicles by earning five stars in each of the governments crash-worthiness tests. The results top the Toyota RAV-4 and, with the 2009... // WebWire

Auto Spectator (Enlarge photo)

DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 18, 2008 - The 2009 Ford Escape and 2009 Mercury Mariner compact sport utility vehicles added to Ford's leading number of top-safety-rated vehicles by earning five stars in each of the government's crash-worthiness tests. The results top the Toyota RAV-4 and, with the 2009 Escape's improved fuel efficiency, offer better combined safety and fuel efficiency ratings than the Honda CR-V.

* 2009 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner earn government's top 5-star ratings for front- and side-impact tests - adding to Ford's leading number of five-star vehicles.

* This fall, Escape and Mariner add a new 171-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with enhanced performance and fuel economy better or equal to the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV-4.

* Escape Hybrid and Mariner Hybrid also... // Auto Spectator

The 2009 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner compact sport utility vehicles added to Ford''s leading number of top-safety-rated vehicles by earning five stars in each of the government''s crash-worthiness tests. The results top the Toyota RAV-4 and, with the 2009 Escape''s improved fuel efficiency, offer better combined safety and fuel efficiency ratings than the Honda CR-V.

2009 Escape Hybrid and Mariner Hybrid also achieved five-star ratings, the highest possible scores, in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests to outpace the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Toyota Prius. The Escape Hybrid arrived in 2005 as the world''s only hybrid sport utility vehicle and today remains the only sport utility to offer at least 30 mpg city and highway ratings.

"Ford is a leader in... // Prdomain Business Register

Ford Escape Earns 5-Stars, Tops Toyota And Honda

The 2009 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner compact sport utility vehicles added to Ford's leading number of top-safety-rated vehicles by earning five stars in each of the government's crash-worthiness tests. The results top the Toyota RAV-4 and, with the 2009 Escape's improved fuel efficiency, offer better combined safety and fuel efficiency ratings than the Honda CR-V.

2009 Escape Hybrid and Mariner Hybrid also achieved five-star ratings, the highest possible scores, in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests to outpace the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Toyota Prius. The Escape Hybrid arrived in 2005 as the world's only hybrid sport utility vehicle and today remains the only sport utility to offer at least 30 mpg... // PaddockTalk