The Ford Escape Hybrid first went on sale in 2004.
Ford launched the Escape Hybrid in the United States during calendar year 2004, although it was marketed as a 2005 model-year vehicle. That timing explains why some references list 2005: they are identifying the model year rather than the year sales began. For a question asking when it first went on sale, 2004 is the accepted answer.
The Escape Hybrid was a major milestone because it was the first hybrid SUV sold in the United States. Its gasoline-electric powertrain combined a four-cylinder gasoline engine with electric motors and a battery pack, allowing the vehicle to operate in different combinations of engine and electric power depending on speed and load.
Ford developed the system for the Escape and related Mercury Mariner Hybrid. The program also involved a 2004 technology-licensing agreement with Toyota, though Ford engineered and built its own version of the powertrain. The vehicle helped bring hybrid efficiency to the practical, higher-riding SUV format.