For more pictures, check out our high resolution Ford Fusion Hybrid gallery at the bottom of the post. Click on the images for bigger versions.
At the New York International Auto Show I got the opportunity to test drive both the 2011 Ford Fiesta and the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and check out their gas mileage. The Ford Fiesta test drive went well, and I was very impressed with the small car’s feel and performance. Next up was the Ford Fusion Hybrid, the Fiesta’s larger, more expensive sibling.
When the car was release at the LA Auto Show, I was a bit skeptical of it. How could such a large, expensive vehicle put up any kind of decent fuel economy numbers to make it worth driving? Even after the car scored a 41 mpg EPA estimate I remained skeptical. Was it really capable of that mileage, or was it optimized for the EPA testing cycle?
Ford Fusion Hybrid – Impressive Gas Mileage for a Large Car
As the Ford tech I drove with was keen to point out, this car is designed for ecodriving. It takes advantage of the two-mode hybrid system in order to exploit the most common techniques that are used to get better gas mileage. Also important are several aerodynamic tweaks on the hybrid version that allow the car to passively get better fuel economy without changing the overall look of the car.
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However, the most striking feature of the Ford Fusion Hybrid is Ford’s new Smartgauge, an all-digital dash display that almost gives you too much information. Besides the expected standard gauges (including fuel economy), you get an ecodriving skill rating and a very helpful EV mode gauge. The EV mode gauge, which is perhaps my favorite thing about the entire car, tells you how much work the electric engine is doing. Most importantly, it indicates the small window in which the car will run completely on the electric motor, allowing precise control of the vehicles two-mode hybrid system.
The Smartgauge is what made this car such a pleasure to drive. Even though I didn’t pay attention to the ecodriving rating, trying to keep the car in EV mode while monitoring the battery charge became quite a fun game. During the test drive, I wasn’t paying attention to my fuel economy but rather testing out the many functions of the car. Even so, it was hard to ignore the temptation to ecodrive, especially considering how easy the car makes it.
Not only is the car roomy and comfortable, but it offers as good of a drive as you can expect from such a large sedan. Not considering fuel economy at all, this impressed me as a quality car from Ford. When you toss in the Smartgauge and two-mode hybrid system, the Ford Fusion Hybrid is an absolute pleasure for any ecodriver looking for something larger that can still throw down some good fuel economy. On my full-throttle test drive around midtown I still managed 40.4 mpg, better than I would’ve expected with any car.
Perhaps this car will be a real winner for Ford.
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I recently purchased a ford fusion hybrid 2011 fully loaded and my mpg stays at 26. I expected so much more from this car. What could be the reason for this? The ford escape, much bigger car, offered me the same mileage!
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