2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid Test Drive! Sam Fiorani

Your favorite road tester takes the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid out for a spin, explaining why it's the best hybrid on the market today!

Follow Sam at www.twitter.com/samfiorani

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• 2011
• ford
• fusion
• hybrid
• test
• drive
• sam
• fiorani
• automotive
• traveler
• car
• driving
• automotivetraveler
• toyota
• camry
• prius
• honda
• accord
• automobile
• wild

[Mattomega]

What an odd thing to include, that is, the "off-the-line," test. Kind of antithetical to driving a hybrid in general. That's like putting a trailer hitch on a Civic and saying that it doesn't tow as much as your standard pickup. I really wish reviewers would stop comparing hybrids to "regular cars," and either a) present them as "regular cars" because that's where the future of the automotive industry is, or b) present them as a class unto themselves just like when reviewing any other car class.

[HudsontheDog]

@Mattomega I beg to differ. The buyer of this car will want to know how it compares to their "regular" car. Nearly everybody needs to merge into traffic or negotiate through tough conditions where knowing how your car accelerates is necessary. Hybrids should be treated as "regular" cars and therefore should perform similarly. I've driven gas, diesel, hybrid, fuel cell, and fully electric cars and I expect each of them to do what I need, which may include the occasional quick start.

[Mattomega]

@HudsontheDog I generally agree with you, but if driving habits are going to be part of owning a hybrid (or any car) in an era of 4-dollar-plus gas and energy alternatives, then it's got to be said that "look, this is a hybrid, it's not a Challenger, it's not going to haul your family of 8. This is a family sedan and commuter car that is fuel efficient." It only reduces the appeal of hybrids when you hold hybrids up to the old, dispassionate appeal of driving.

[HudsontheDog]

@Mattomega I didn't compare the car to a Challenger but rather to a standard four-cylinder Fusion. It was not my point to demonstrate the optimally fuel efficient way to drive, which may come up in the future. Rather it was to compare a standard model to a hybrid for the person who might be moving that direction for the first time. And showing how favorably the hybrid and the non-hybrid drive works to INCREASE the appeal of a hybrid model.

[JET997u]

I've heard the Fusion Hybrid drones annoyingly at freeway cruising speeds, e.g., 75 mph. Wondering if this is a good car for long-haul trips (apart from the mpg).

[HudsontheDog]

@JET997u No problems at all on the highway. It gets excellent fuel economy around town and is much like a "normal" car on the highway. There's little improvement in fuel economy at highway speeds so if you're not doing a considerable amount of driving in stop-and-go traffic, you might be better off with the standard four-banger.

[JeffSoHorny]

@Mattomega

I've been searching for a new car for a couple of years now, and honestly, the test made the car more appealing to me. It's one thing to drive a Prius that can get like 50mpg, but only has like 80 hp. To me, I liked knowing that I only have to sacrifice some hp to get higher fuel efficiency, than sacrificing all of the hp to get the best fuel efficiency. It's definitely a personal preference. It's just nice to know that if I need to get somewhere faster, I still can even w/ a hybrid

[HudsontheDog]

@JET997u Other than the increased gas mileage and the start/stop at low speeds, the car drove like a regular car most of the time. I've driven hundreds of cars and didn't find this one to be annoying around town or on the highway.

[HudsontheDog]

Yes, aside from the timing of the valves, the engines (Otto-cycle and Atkinson-cycle) are very similar (both Duratec 2.5L fours). I wasn't aiming for a technical overview, which makes most people glaze over. The idea was for a basic primer to make people more interested in the car.

Thanks for checking it out!

[1rfruth]

Good stuff dog but the same 4 cylinder motor as the gas only ? (hybrid = Atkinson cycle engine) as you must know