Ford has a winner. Very fews complaints. I think the reviewer is completely wrong on the handling part of his review. The Milan hybrid does have excessive body roll but the Fusion is very much under control for a 4 door mid sized car. Takes corners like a sport sedan (not the best but very good). The brakes are also mis-represented by viewer. During most of the braking, the electric motor is actually slowing down the car and generating electricity for the battery. Only in the last few feet does the brake pads actually come into play to stop the car from about 3-5 miles per hour. The regen is 90% efficient. Amazing! The switch from the motor to the brake pads is felt but not objectionable. I'm sure that the passengers (not the driver) will even notice it. There is a little "stutter" if you let the car creep slightly but then you learn not to do that! Yes there is no pass through or folding rear seats. I'm surprised the reviewer didn't complain about the smaller trunk...all because of the battery that the hybrid needs. I hope car buyers are smarter than the reviewer assumes them to be and can see for themselves the trunk size, the non-folding seats and no pass through. These are nit-picking complaints compared to the tech and design that went into this car. If you want a hybrid, drive a Prius (slug), the new Lexus (overpriced, lower MPG and handles like a slug) and then the Fusion. You will be as amazed as I am. Averaging 40 MPG and getting better over time.
|
|
|
|
I am coming up on 3,500 miles in my Hybrid Fusion, and I like the car more with each mile. I have been driving conservatively, and my total mpg is just over 42. Driving has become more and more about watching the mileage, and after several months it hasn't gotten old at all. My previous cars included a Z4 and a G35, and I honestly rarely miss the sporty acceleration or handling. Having said that, this car is no barn burner, and you won't be seeking out curvy country roads to enjoy the drive.
The ride is incredibly smooth, and the interior is borderline luxurious. The leather seats are a must, and the premium sound system is terrific - better than the cars mentioned above. Controls are very clear and accessible with top notch tech. The backup camera that pops up in the rear view mirror is great.
I had 6'2" and 6'3" passengers in the back seat for a 2 hour drive with no complaints, though perhaps they were preoccupied as they made use of the very handy AC plug in the back.
The fixed back seat is less than ideal; however, the passenger seat will fold all the way forward to create more space. I was actually able to place (carefully) a 6 foot stepladder in the passenger cabin without compromising my driving position, though no one else was getting in the car at that point. A normal 700c bike with the front wheel taken off fits behind the front seats easily.
I'm not a fan of the big front grill, and it has not grown on me as I had hoped it might. I've only seen one other Fusion Hybrid on the road, but standard Fusions are popping up all over. Soon this will be unique only by the subtle hybrid badges and fairly bland wheels.
Using the A/C puts a big dent in mileage - I believe more than a normal car, but that could be because I watch it so closely. (after a while its habit forming, and ending each trip with anticipation of what the trip mileage report will say is unavoidable)
At first these were selling at or close to sticker, but with a large tax credit. Now that the credits on this car have been cut down or are gone I'm not sure what the dealing is like. Even at sticker the car is still a good value.
Overall I have no regrets!
Updated on Jan 16, 2010
I stumbed into purchasing this car after primarily looking at poor-mileage SUV's to fit my 5-person family + guests. I saw this 2010 Fusion Hybrid in the showroom and was very impressed by the technology. A few weeks later my job situation changed requiring that I drive 500 miles a week. The 7-passenger suv with 15 -20 mpg no longer made any sense. The test drive was underwhelming. It is so hard to get good use of the EV without driving around for for 10 min or so to charge the battery. Long story short, I bought it based on the MPG rating and the incredible interior and technology (sync, nav, smartguage, bluetooth, usb, etc), hoping that I would get the EPA mileage.
It was a great gamble, within 2 weeks I was able to get 50.0 mpg on a 100-mile (mostly highway) trip. When I am stuck in Chicago traffic and everyone is frustrated, I am enjoying the fact that my mileage goes UP at these slow speeds (in EV mode). At first I thought the growing leaves was gimmicky but after 2 months with the car, I still think it is great whenever I have a lot of leaves (my max is 23 leaves - but I know I can do better!). My wife calls me obsessed. I never gave a hoot about my gas mileage before (our minivan and old suv averaged 15 mpg). Now it is a source of pride and accomplishment. With 5,000 miles on the car I am above 40 mpg. I don't "hypermile" but I use some care to keep in the EV mode when possible. I still travel the highways at 75 mph. I admit that sometimes I try to accelerate solely on electric power and I am a traffic hazard. I have mostly given that up as an inconvenience (unless I am close to my 23 leaf max). The most convenient and yet still efficient method is to get up to speed on the gas engine and then cruise on the electric motor.
Driving is fun again to me, despite my long commuting hours. "Best Hybrid Ever" per USA Today. Well, I say "Best Car Ever".
-BeMo
The first 6 months we owned the car, we were getting around 42 mpg. Then with no change in driving habits or routes the mileage dropped to 32 mpg average and the mpg meter on the right will jump all over the place on the straight and level. Took it to Ford and they said there was nothing they could do since there were no error codes. So much for old fashioned trouble shooting, like clean the injectors etc. So here we are with a nice car that doesn't get any better gas mileage that a conventional car!
This car is the best. Ford, I will buy your cars until I die.
We clunked our old minivan for this car - and it's our new favorite vehicle. The hybrid technology works fabulously and seamlessly. So far we're averaging 42.5MPG on varied terrain and a good mix of city and highway driving. Would buy another one in a heartbeat.
Like the problem because of the smart design and choice of advanced features, and because of the smooth electric-only drive at low speeds. I want more -- more battery capacity and plug-in capability in the future, please. Reply if anyone can help me get my Fusion Hybrid serviced the way it should be, I'm less than fully satisfied despite the good design and functionality.
I live in California, so handsfree is a must. I tend to shy away from Bluetooth headsets because of the poor sound quality and the hassles of pairing, unpairing, etc. I have to say that I have been blown away at the high quality of the sound and the elegance of the bluetooth's pairing and unpairing. When you get in the car, it automatically pairs with the device you've set as your favorite. It can remember at least half a dozen different devices, from phones to PDAs and computers, and the system allows the user to switch the connection between any of the devices at the touch of an on-screen button (on the navigation system, of course. I can't speak for the non-navi version). This doesn't sound like a big deal, but to those of us with separate phones for work and personal use, this is HUGE.
Don't sell yourself short by choosing the Camry Hybrid or the Altima Hybrid. Although, if your budget is tight, the cheaper Insight or Prius may be the way to go. This car is in a class of its own, in my opinion. I know that Hybrids will continue to take significant steps forward every few years, but with this car I am confident that I won't be wishing I had waited for the technology to improve.
Mileage: Contrary to EPA numbers, my best mileage is on the highway--anywhere between 42-53 mpg, my average being around 46mpg. When I have a lead foot, I still get 35mpg on the highway. For trips of more than 5 miles, I've never registered less than 30mpg.
Other useful info: For those that are planning to purchase, and don't mind doing a little negotiating, I did manage to catch a glimpse of the dealer invoice on my 502A package FFH, and the factory holdback was $932. I just wish I had seen that before I was sitting in the finance guy's office with an agreed-upon price...
Updated on Sep 23, 2009
This car has everything above, plus it is an American product. I have owned Hyundai, Nissan, Lexus cars prior to buying this Ford Hybrid Fusion. According to Consumer Reports, Motor Trend and Car & Driver, the new Ford cars meet or exceed Toyota and Honda in quality. If this is Ford's new M.O., they will not only be the leader in North America, but around the world. Although Obama is the new defacto CEO for GM and Chrysler, he keeps a Hybrid Escape back home in his Chicago garage. You should check it out!!
I've been writing about this car in my blog at http://ffh.squarespace.com for several months. Drop by and leave a comment at ffh.squarespace.com
Updated on Sep 7, 2009