Maximum Towing Capacity of a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid with 2.3L Engine  

Expert Reply:

According to the owner's manual, the maximum towing capacity of your 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid with the 2.3L engine is 1,500 lbs. Therefore, I cannot recommend you use this vehicle to tow a 4,500 lb trailer. If you find a trailer within the above capacity then you will need a trailer hitch, trailer wiring, and ball mount/hitch ball in order to tow it.

For a trailer hitch, I recommend using the Draw-Tite Max-Frame Trailer Hitch Receiver part # 75751 which is Class III rated and has a 2" receiver tube opening. Then for a wiring harness, I recommend the T-One Vehicle Wiring Harness part # 118551 which is an almost completely plug and play option. Lastly, I recommend using the Ball Mount Kit part # 989900 as long as the rise/drop of the included ball mounts match your vehicle/trailer. You can use the attached help article to determine this.

I have also attached an install video of both the hitch and harness for you to see as well.