Ford Fusion Hybrid: Good Choice for Family Looking for High MPG
Posted Jun 22 2009 11:14am
Ford's 2010 Fusion Hybrid delivers the goods:
* It meets my minimum standard for high fuel efficiency for a family car by getting 37 mpg on the highway, 41 in the city, and 39 mpg overall, goals achieved thanks to the car's gasoline engine boosted by an electric battery.
* It's roomy enough to seat three adults comfortably in the back, for total seating capacity of 5 overall.
* The in-car GPS system can direct you to the nearest, cheapest gas station or the most direct route, saving you money on gas and reducing the amount of gas you use.
What's the downside - apart from driving a fossil-fuel burning car at all? It's expensive, around $28,000 base price and as much as $32,000 for a "fully loaded" car that includes skylights, leather seats, a Sirius radio system, and GPS.
I test drove the vehicle for three days, morning, noon and night, and in the rain. Here's what I had to say:
Ford's 2010 Fusion Hybrid delivers the goods:
* It meets my minimum standard for high fuel efficiency for a family car by getting 37 mpg on the highway, 41 in the city, and 39 mpg overall, goals achieved thanks to the car's gasoline engine boosted by an electric battery.
* It's roomy enough to seat three adults comfortably in the back, for total seating capacity of 5 overall.
* The in-car GPS system can direct you to the nearest, cheapest gas station or the most direct route, saving you money on gas and reducing the amount of gas you use.
What's the downside - apart from driving a fossil-fuel burning car at all? It's expensive, around $28,000 base price and as much as $32,000 for a "fully loaded" car that includes skylights, leather seats, a Sirius radio system, and GPS.
I test drove the vehicle for three days, morning, noon and night, and in the rain. Here's what I had to say:
Intrigued? Here's a good explanation of how the Fusion Hybrid technology works.
USA Today compares the Ford Fusion hybrid to its Camry and Nissan Altima counterparts here.
For a cheaper hybrid option, you might want to compare the Fusion to the new Prius and the Honda Civic hybrids.Want a hybrid minivan?Sign this petition urging Toyota to bring its Sienna hybrid minivan to the U.S.
Don't forget to check fuel efficiency ratings for all vehicles at fuelefficiency.gov.
These eco-friendly suggestions will help you save money using less gas driving the vehicle you currently have.