This study here finds the Ford Fusion Hybrid the #2 hybrid that money can buy, all things considered. Only the Prius ( #1 ) tops the FFH.

The FFH actually ties for second place with the Honda Civic Hybrid.

One "negative" that could have helped to beat the Civic was cost.
Over $3000 of the price tag comes from "forced features".
The Hybrid comes with "premium features" that are not options like they are on other cars... artificially inflating the price tag.

However, if you are a person who always likes cars "fully loaded" and you would get it that way regardless, then the FFH would beat a "fully loaded" Civic and hold second place by itself.

http://www.hybridcenter.org/driving_...pread_the_Word

 

Well it looks like the test was written by Toyota given that the three main areas in the scorecard cover highest mpg, hybrid value(similar to highest mpg), and forced features.

Me? I want a vehicle that looks like a car, drives like a car, handles like a car. The Prius is distinctive and looks a lot like the old Pontiac Aztek, ugly to me. I will admit the 2010 is much better looking.

As far as the fully loaded point, yes, the FFH comes with many options as standard and after using them for almost 10 months I have to admit they are great. After all why does someone who wants to drive an environment friendly vehicle have to be stuck in a spartan econobox?

The prices will come down especially after the energy credit expires.

Dan

 

I agree and add that the EPA ratings of the '10 Prius have gone down from 2007 60/50mpg to 51/48mpg. Even worse is that the top hypermilers can't even keep up with the mileage I'm getting in my '09 FEH using E10 when they use straight gas in their '10 Prius. If you put the top MPG drivers in the '10 Prius, '10 HCH and the '10 FFH, the Prius is third, the HCH is second and the FFH cleans both of their clocks big time. The results is the same with average drivers in real life mileage. When I ask the person on the street what kind of mileage they get in their Prius, they say they have gotten up to 40mpg on trips in the city. I know their not really averaging as good as the average FFH driver is.

I've been hired to test drive new cars by people who write these kind of articles and they generally don't know dick about anything with cars. The FFH and FEH is by far the best hybrids on the market hands down!

GaryG

 

That is a really silly joke. I test drove the Civic, the Prius, the Camry hybrids, and really, it's a silly joke. The Civic is a real, and I mean real, tin can. And when you are 6'4" and try to drive a Prius, you'd best be willing to lose your pelvis in a frontal impact. The fusion is so far superior to the Civic and every way, they really aren't comparable.

BTW, did I mention how wonderful the FFH is? !! Just under 11K now and the thing is truly an engineering masterpiece.

Noel

 

I meant this to be a positive article.
Gary, you missed the point were I said 'all things considered'.
In the aspects important to you, it is #1.

My mom and dad just boought one based partly on my advice.
I get to drive it next month. Then I'll post a REAL review.

My parents voiced the same negative as the article.
They couldn't buy a less expensive "base" model.
They only come "fully loaded" more or less, and not everyone likes that.

Knock $3000 off the price tag, and then you'll have a winner, "hands down" no contest.

I guess they are not selling that well in Los Angeles.
My Folks got $5500 off MSRP and they don't have any employee discounts or anything. They just paid cash, and I don't know if that is incentive these days or not, since dealers make $ off interest.

 

Gary there are so many excellent things about Ford's implementation of gas-electric hybrid engineering. The FFH is so perfectly tuned for performance, longevity, fuel economy, handling, cabin layout, storage compartment options, LCD glass cockpit, the trunk isn't half bad for a mid-size hybrid, electric A/C and climate control, the Sony audio, the MS Sync w/ 3y of voice guided business search and navigation, (I'm REAL happy with it in every way), the blend of features, solid engineering . . . all that and quiet to boot. The Civic's lack of ability to cruise up to . . . 47mph in EV mode is unfortuante as well. I do really like Honda, but the Civic Hybrid was not a nice thing IMO.

 

Noel, I agree fully and when you compare the FFH or newer FEH to any luxury hybrid, the price tag is cheap. The fact is, I've driven the highest priced hybrids and they don't even come close to the drivetrain in the FFH or FEH newer models. In fact, Ford has stated they are putting this same drivetrain in a Lincoln.

John is right, you can buy a cheaper hybrid but that's exactly what it is. I've downgraded from Lincoln Towncars, Mark's and Navigators over the years paying more and getting less. If I wanted to drive a striped down Pinto and pay much less, I could have. The Honda has way to much road noise and I have to climb into and out of it like a go-cart. I carry a 165Qt Igloo cooler for shopping at Costco, Sams Club, and BJ's, try that in a HCH or Prius. Not to mention I can open the lid inside the FEH to load and unload the thing from the rear hatch window. I bet the FFH can carry the same in the trunk from what I've seen.

I want a luxury FEH and FFH at a good price and that's why both my FEH's are loaded. My '09 FEH Limited drives better than my '99 Navigator did new and gets 4X the mileage and has Navi and SYNC for $10,000 less. The FEH has a better resale to boot.

GaryG

 

Folks who know and are willing to test drive a FFH will toss the yotas and Hondas aside unless they are looking to buy a stripper. Ford has knocked it out of the park with the FF and the FFH. I can not wait to see a Prius killer Fiesta Hybrid. It is known that this could surpass the Prius in mpgs. What Ford needs to do is design in house it's own hybrid transmission. Once they do this then they will not be limited by foriegn interests to limit Ford hybrid production numbers.

 

Don't think the trans is the limiting component - more like the battery stack. Ford chose to sign up for a relatively low volume - and that has been a constraint ever since.

 

The size battery in the FFH is better than most non plug-in hybrids. In fact, Ford has the right package for the best non plug-in hybrid on the planet right now. After all, we're comparing a mid size FFH to a compact Prius and HCH for MPG. That's because you can't even compare the TCH or HAH mid size hybrids to the FFH.

The only way you can compare a hybrid is by its EPA City/Highway rating. The FFH has are ready proven to go 1445.7 miles on a single tank of gas at 80.527mpg with a combined EPA of 209.16%.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/index.php?pa...9&viewcar=2951
This is the highest full tank EPA rating recorded by any hybrid ever.

If you look at the same drivetrain in the FEH, I have a lifetime (20,000 miles) true EPA rating right now and growing, of 158.32% which is 51.453mpg. No other non plug-in hybrid can claim this high of a lifetime true combined EPA rating so I think Ford is the winner here even in MPG.

GaryG