I test drove a Fusion Hybrid

**TonyPSchaefer** · 07-20-2009, 09:50 AM

Yes, that's my sheep.
And yes, that's my 72.9mpg (upper-right)

a priori · 07-20-2009, 10:07 AM

That's it? Just another excuse for you and your sheep to go for a roll?

(Am I better off NOT asking for a comparative review?

)

2000

Politburo · 07-20-2009, 11:16 AM

What's that funny looking gauge all the way on the left?

**TonyPSchaefer** · 07-20-2009, 12:22 PM

I was in a meeting and just wanted to initiate the thread for fear that if I didn't do it when I was thinking about it I would forget completely.

I have to admit that I didn't really spend a whole lot of time admiring or criticizing the car. It is very comfortable. It took me a while to find the key (how 20th century). When I turned it, I powered up the car and found it rather annoying that I couldn't tell that I had powered up the car. Apparently there's a little car icon in the bottom-right corner of the dash telling you that it's powered up. This is in lieu of the [READY] that we're all accustomed to.

Overall, I found the dash itself very nice. I wish Toyota had implemented as nice an LCD dashboard as this. Colorful and friendly and inviting. Even better: configurable. I am one who suggested that the MFD should have configurable settings. This would allow the "get in and drive" crowd to view only what they want whereas the hypermilers could be provided with additional information. The leaves that grow and fall off the screen had to go away and within a few minutes I had figured out the "Settings" buttons and replaced them with a 10-minute consumption screen, showing 1-minute bars.

There are screens not in the Prius. One shows the current "appliance" draw on the battery such as radio, A/C heated seats, etc. This is like hooking up a Kill-A-Watt to your house to remind you that you should turn some things off or at least down. Another nice display I liked was one that showed the available stealthing capacity and the current stealthing demand. Let me explain: when I'm stealthing along in Priapus, I am constantly trying to judge speed, terrain, and other demands in order to stay in stealth. This display shows you exactly how hard you're pushing the car and exactly where stealth will (and will not) engage. I had fun pressing the pedal a little harder and watching the demand bar go up. At the very moment that it crossed the "stealth threshold" the ICE kicked in. I coasted a little while and when the demand bar dropped back below the threshold I was gliding.

My overall impressions are positive. My wife will be looking seriously to buy a car in the near future and I will prompt her to test drive the Fusion Hybrid.

I also drove the Milan Hybrid. This one had the sunroof and NAV. With the NAV option you also get the MFD providing the familiar Energy and Consumption screens. Again, I didn't spend a whole lot of time playing with the instrumentation because I was driving.

a_gray_prius · 07-20-2009, 12:27 PM

Configurable display = awesome

john1701a · 07-20-2009, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyPSchaefer

Another nice display I liked was one that showed the available stealthing capacity and the current stealthing demand. Let me explain: when I'm stealthing along in Priapus, I am constantly trying to judge speed, terrain, and other demands in order to stay in stealth. This display shows you exactly how hard you're pushing the car and exactly where stealth will (and will not) engage. I had fun pressing the pedal a little harder and watching the demand bar go up.

Kind of sounds like a description of the new ECO-METER in the 2010 Prius.
.

**TonyPSchaefer** · 07-20-2009, 01:01 PM

I think you're right, John. Same concept, different display.

**Tideland Prius** · 07-20-2009, 07:26 PM

Love the LCd instrument cluster. I haven't test driven the Fusion Hybrid yet.

rickkop · 07-20-2009, 08:01 PM

I also test drove the Fusion Hybrid and I thought it was very well done. The only problem I had was the Ford dealer wouldn't budge one nickel off the sticker where as the Camry Hybrid I ended up buying (and am very happy with) had a $2500.00 rebate plus the Toyota dealer gave me $500.00 more for my trade and knocked an additional $2000.00 off the msrp. The Toyota dealer told me a year ago I wouldn't have got a rebate or a discount off the msrp and there was a 12 week wait. Mine was sitting on the lot. Funny how a $2.00 drop in the price of gas can change things. Rick

WPWoodJr · 07-22-2009, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyPSchaefer

Yes, that's my sheep.
And yes, that's my 72.9mpg (upper-right)

Wow, I'm impressed! I haven't gotten mine over low 60's in any meaningfully long trip, and that was mostly downhill.

How long was your trip? Was it flat, moderately hilly, hilly?

On a round trip of 14 miles slightly hilly, I have made 55 mpg. On that same round trip I made just over 70 mpg in a gen II Prius.

07-20-2009, 09:50 AM	#1
TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Far-North Chicagoland Posts: 10,498 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 39 Thanked 164 Times in 105 Posts Friends: 23	I test drove a Fusion Hybrid Yes, that's my sheep. And yes, that's my 72.9mpg (upper-right) Attached Thumbnails

07-20-2009, 10:07 AM	#2
a priori Canonus Curiosus Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chicagoland (West) Posts: 2,663 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: V Package: Adv. Technology Thanks: 150 Thanked 297 Times in 181 Posts Friends: 18	Re: I test drove a Fusion Hybrid That's it? Just another excuse for you and your sheep to go for a roll? (Am I better off NOT asking for a comparative review?) 2000

07-20-2009, 11:16 AM	#3
Politburo Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 192 My Car: 2009 Prius Model: Package: #4 Thanks: 3 Thanked 36 Times in 22 Posts Friends: 0	Re: I test drove a Fusion Hybrid What's that funny looking gauge all the way on the left?

07-20-2009, 12:22 PM	#4
TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Far-North Chicagoland Posts: 10,498 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 39 Thanked 164 Times in 105 Posts Friends: 23	Re: I test drove a Fusion Hybrid I was in a meeting and just wanted to initiate the thread for fear that if I didn't do it when I was thinking about it I would forget completely. I have to admit that I didn't really spend a whole lot of time admiring or criticizing the car. It is very comfortable. It took me a while to find the key (how 20th century). When I turned it, I powered up the car and found it rather annoying that I couldn't tell that I had powered up the car. Apparently there's a little car icon in the bottom-right corner of the dash telling you that it's powered up. This is in lieu of the [READY] that we're all accustomed to. Overall, I found the dash itself very nice. I wish Toyota had implemented as nice an LCD dashboard as this. Colorful and friendly and inviting. Even better: configurable. I am one who suggested that the MFD should have configurable settings. This would allow the "get in and drive" crowd to view only what they want whereas the hypermilers could be provided with additional information. The leaves that grow and fall off the screen had to go away and within a few minutes I had figured out the "Settings" buttons and replaced them with a 10-minute consumption screen, showing 1-minute bars. There are screens not in the Prius. One shows the current "appliance" draw on the battery such as radio, A/C heated seats, etc. This is like hooking up a Kill-A-Watt to your house to remind you that you should turn some things off or at least down. Another nice display I liked was one that showed the available stealthing capacity and the current stealthing demand. Let me explain: when I'm stealthing along in Priapus, I am constantly trying to judge speed, terrain, and other demands in order to stay in stealth. This display shows you exactly how hard you're pushing the car and exactly where stealth will (and will not) engage. I had fun pressing the pedal a little harder and watching the demand bar go up. At the very moment that it crossed the "stealth threshold" the ICE kicked in. I coasted a little while and when the demand bar dropped back below the threshold I was gliding. My overall impressions are positive. My wife will be looking seriously to buy a car in the near future and I will prompt her to test drive the Fusion Hybrid. I also drove the Milan Hybrid. This one had the sunroof and NAV. With the NAV option you also get the MFD providing the familiar Energy and Consumption screens. Again, I didn't spend a whole lot of time playing with the instrumentation because I was driving. __________________ Proud father of Priapus: the '04 Tideland BC9 with an OEM EV button and sense of self-righteousness Current Mileage Chicago Prius Group Website Chicago Hybrid Group on FaceBook Find me on faceBook

07-20-2009, 12:27 PM	#5
a_gray_prius Rare Under-30 Priuschat Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 538 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: N/A Package: #3 Touring Thanks: 9 Thanked 32 Times in 23 Posts Friends: 9	Re: I test drove a Fusion Hybrid Configurable display = awesome

07-20-2009, 01:01 PM	#7
TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Far-North Chicagoland Posts: 10,498 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 39 Thanked 164 Times in 105 Posts Friends: 23	Re: I test drove a Fusion Hybrid I think you're right, John. Same concept, different display.

07-20-2009, 07:26 PM	#8
Tideland Prius Moderator of the North Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 19,606 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: N/A Package: Technology Package (Canada) Thanks: 227 Thanked 343 Times in 242 Posts Friends: 23	Re: I test drove a Fusion Hybrid Love the LCd instrument cluster. I haven't test driven the Fusion Hybrid yet.

07-20-2009, 08:01 PM	#9
rickkop Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Syracuse, New York Posts: 39 My Car: Other Hybrid Model: N/A Package: N/A Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: I test drove a Fusion Hybrid I also test drove the Fusion Hybrid and I thought it was very well done. The only problem I had was the Ford dealer wouldn't budge one nickel off the sticker where as the Camry Hybrid I ended up buying (and am very happy with) had a $2500.00 rebate plus the Toyota dealer gave me $500.00 more for my trade and knocked an additional $2000.00 off the msrp. The Toyota dealer told me a year ago I wouldn't have got a rebate or a discount off the msrp and there was a 12 week wait. Mine was sitting on the lot. Funny how a $2.00 drop in the price of gas can change things. Rick

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