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http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/AmericanFlag.jpg The Fusion Hybrid’s worst enemy could turn out to be the conventional Fusion, which offers many of the same attributes for less money. (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/automobiles/autoreviews/21fusion-hybrid.html?hpw)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2010_Ford_Fusion_Hybrid_News.jpgJerry Garrett - NYTIMES (http://www.nytimes.com) - June 18, 2009

Another enthusiastic review! Hopefully customers are planning ahead enough the hybrid is the clear vehicle of choice. --Ed.

FOR the next few hundred words, I am going to detail all the great attributes of the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and explain why you might want to buy such an economical car with so many cool features. Then I’m going to explain why you will probably ignore me and decide not to buy one.

First, let’s talk fuel economy: it is stellar for a car this large and useful. The Environmental Protection Agency rates the Fusion Hybrid at 41 miles a gallon in the city, 36 on the highway and 39 in combined driving. That is an incredible 8 m.p.g. better than the similar-size Toyota Camry Hybrid in city driving and 2 m.p.g. better on the highway.

The Fusion Hybrid is also refined and comfortable. Like most of today’s hybrids it combines a gasoline engine with electric motors, but it drives and performs pretty much like a conventional car, without many of the quirks — squishy brakes, abrupt power transitions, odd noises — that hybrid owners take for granted.

Indeed, the new gas-electric Fusion is not only a standout among hybrids, it may well share honors — with the redesigned 2010 Toyota Prius — as the most well-rounded hybrids yet. At last, consumers have a choice of no-excuses hybrids that leave little to be desired.

What message does this Detroit-bred standout send us about the beleaguered American auto industry — you know, the one that reportedly can’t build high-mileage cars, the one that supposedly can’t... http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/automobiles/autoreviews/21fusion-hybrid.html?hpw

Good review, although someone should tell him about the 1445 mile tank that was recently accomplished by Wayne and the Ford engineers.

Back when I still had my HCH, I never had squishy brakes; quite the opposite in fact. Barely tapping the brakes could send people through the windshield if they weren't wearing seat belts, ha ha!

I'm glad that Ford has a product that can beat the TCH. It's a shame that a $30k car isn't in my future. I wonder if Ford can work similar hybrid magic on a Focus or Fiesta?

If the author can only get 1 mile out of the battery pack, then he isn't paying enough attention to the "leaf gauge". I can routinely get around 1 mile in the FEH, so it should be good for at least 2 miles or more with the lighter weight and the 20% improvement in battery output.

Looking at fuel economy.gov, it looks like it's the Ford Fusion S that gets 22/34 mpg. The regular 4cyl one gets 22/31 mpg, and the hybrid is rated at 41/36 mpg.

Unfortunately, all too often people seem to look at and focus only on the highway rating, when in reality most people get something closer to the combined mpg rating. For the Fusion S it's 27mpg, 25mpg for the regular fusion and 39mpg for the hybrid.

I'm a little tired, but (39/27)= 44% mpg improvement by driving the hybrid instead of the Fusion S?

That's true. People do that with the Jetta to and the amount of "junk" that clogs up the forums on gasbuddy becomes an eyesore after a while.

This makes me wonder what they're going to do with the European version of the Fusion, we still have the old hatchback version and really looks out of place with the new Ford lineup. I hope they bring it over here, but then if they did, it would be a direct competitor to the Mondeo.

Unfortunately, all too often people seem to look at and focus only on the highway rating...

And that trend has been strengthened by the GM advertisements about all the vehicles they sell that get over 30 mpg highway.

Then you have the wierdos like me that prefer to look at the city mileage. That's the one that tells me how good the FE is while accelerating.

I drove a friends newly purchased 2008 Fusion S Auto for a 3 mile town-loop about 2 weeks ago. With squishy tires, I was able to stop-and-go around town in it for an average of 29.8 MPG.

All I can say is when I was done, I *KNEW* I could have done better.