If it is true, then it is exactly 5 mpg better than the camry hybrid as advertised.

I'm telling you people, buy Ford stock, they are poised to really have some tremendous products out there, and its been a secret that the last head of Ford knew this day was coming and has been turning Ford around. GM and Chrysler are a long way off yet compared to Ford.

Why the Fusion? The Fusion is a newer vehicle, its not even really 'tested' on its non-hybrid version yet.

The Taurus has been one of Ford's most successful vehicles ever, behind the F-150 I believe. It gets decent highway fuel economy already (28mpg), but its city FE isn't too hot (18mpg). Slap a hybrid system in there, and you got a vehicle that would quickly outsell the Prius! The Taurus has lots of space, its made in America, it would probably be fairly cheap still....and it has a legacy that would sell itself.

There choice to optimize for efficiency in Fusion should prove wise, if the next choice is to produce lots of them. Limited numbers could do more harm than good.
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39 MPG in a car comparable to the TCH is laudable. i actually heard figures in the 40's which i consider the MINIMUM MPG's to survive the market today.

No less than 39 mph - sounds like a sequel to Speed!

Hi All,

This looks to be an excellent Midsized car. Only issue I have with it, is why it took so many extra years than the FEH to happen.

I was in a Taurus while on a buisness trip to Atlanta. Its a quite large car now, on par with the Crown Vic, but taller. And they have a nice shelf behind the rear seat, just perfect for the battery.

This Fusion Drive Train (2.5 liter - 150 some HP) is about right for the Taurus, and a little overpowered for the Fusion. Which is closer to Prius sized than Taurus sized. My impression from driving near Fusions on the road is that its just a little smaller than the present Camry, and similar to the traditional (first 5 years) Taurus.

i thought i read somewhere that the Fusion Hybrid would be slightly larger?

From Wikipedia:

"A hybrid electric version of the Fusion was announced at the 2005 NAIAS, along with the public introduction of the original 2006 Fusion. It is scheduled to be introduced in early 2009 for the 2010 model year, for $27,270. It will use Ford's GenII hybrid design, which will eventually replace the layout in the current Ford Escape Hybrid. The number of cells are reduced while keeping the same capacity of 1.3 kWh, so the battery is now 30% smaller in volume and weighs 23% less than the Ford Escape Hybrid unit. A variable voltage controller is added to compensate the voltage drop to 270V. Electric motor is rated 93kW, while generator is rated 70kW."

PS: Doesn't Ford use Toyota's HSD in their current Escape Hybrid? Question Answered! NO!

The Escape Hybrid uses technology similar to that used in Toyota's Prius. Ford engineers realized their technology may conflict with patents held by Toyota, which led to a 2004 patent-sharing accord between the companies, licensing Ford's use of some of Toyota's hybrid technology in exchange for Toyota's use of some of Ford's diesel and direct-injection engine technology.

I test drove the Focus and Fusion recently and I was really impressed. Fit and finish were great. Both cars were quiet and suprisingly large inside. I haven't bought a domestic vehicle for over 10 years but I could see doing it. I agree that Chrysler and GM are much further behind in developing this technology. In the short-term because of gas prices GM and Chrysler might get a little traction out of their hybrid assist vehicles none really offer much improvement on highway mpg. I'm eager to see what Ford does.

The Fusion is Ford's mid-size car introduced in 2006. It is on the same platform as the Volvo S60 and the Mazda 6. The Fusion is midway through its' life cycle and just got a facelift for 2010. (The Mazda 6 is moving to the next generation platform for 2009 as all Mazda's are one generation ahead of the Ford models.) The Fusion has been very well reviewed by journalists and has received excellent reliability ratings from CR and JD Powers.

It is the same EPA class and size as the Chevy Malibu and Toyota Camry
------------ Interior / Cargo Volumes -------- Engine Size / HP
Fusion ----------- 101 / 16 ----------------------- 2.3L / 160 HP
Malibu ------------ 97 / 15 ----------------------- 2.4L / 169 HP
Camry ----------- 101 / 15 ---------------------- 2.4L / 158 HP
Note: All are 2009 base models

150 HP is quite a bit of HP compared to the cars of the 80's and 90's but the minimum starting point for today's mid-size car. (Toyota's V6 Camry is a 3.5L that makes 268 HP, more than a C4 Corvette @ 245 hp)

I have not doubt that the Fusion Hybrid will be a very nice vehicle. The Fusion marked the start of Ford's push to focus on making desirable and quality cars that lead in their market segment.

I almost bought the Ford Fusion instead of the Prius. I have always preferred American cars and have always had good luck with the ones I have owned. What completely turned me off of the car, "BUILT IN MEXICO". In my opinion that makes it less American then a Toyota Camry built in the Kentucky or a Honda Accord built in my home state of Ohio. By the way I traded in a very reliable 16 year old Ford Explorer for the Prius.

Too bad Ford didn't have this car and a hybrid based on the Focus a few years ago with the Escape hybrid. Ford is best positioned to compete with Toyota and Honda, but they just weren't aggressive enough in their hybrid program like the Japanese. That's why they were in Washington this week.

I rented a Fusion two months ago in New York for four days and driven to Vermont for total of 550miles. It is basically a Camry clone, fit and finish is as good as the Camry.
It performs well and as quiet. Other than the long term reliability, it is a very good car.

I think the hybrid version will be as good as the TCH.

uhh camry fit and finish sucks. are you saying the fusion is just as bad?

Mulally had done great things for Ford; the Fusion Hybrid is one, the 2011 Fiesta is another, so are the upcoming Eco-Boost engines. But I think the best thing he has done for Ford is to improve their quality and reliability, which according to Consumer Reports is now on par with the best Japanese cars.

Frankly, I'd say Ford is worth trying to save. GM maybe, but their quality still trails. Chrysler, not a chance.