Getting ready to buy a Fusion Hybrid...help!

[redfusion]

Email meHii Everyone,

 

This is my first post. My husband and I are going to get a new car, Either the Fusion SE or the Hybrid. I bet you already know who wants the Hybrid.

We are replacing my 2000 Taurus. It is my turn to pick the new car, Hubby just wants to pick the engine,

I want the Fusion SE, Has the same fold down back seats I like and a cool spoiler. I know it is a gas guzzler but its time to hand it over to someone else. The idea of having a row of batteries in the car is unnerving. We were told they will run 80,000 miles and cost $3500 (today) to replace. If you get hit will the batteries blow up. Don't laugh I don't know.

 

I have several questions about the Hybrid.

Has anyone had trouble with the batteries? We live in SE Michigan, USA and we have some harsh winters. How does the car operate in the snow or hot summers?

My understanding is that you have to drive 45mph or under to get the benefit of the batteries and higher mph.

 

Do you like your car? if you had to do it over again would you?

 

to those of you that got the backup camera on the rear view mirror do you like it? is is worth the extra money?

 

Have you had problems with your car?

 

 

What kind of mileage do you really get?

Thanks so much for your input and votes......

 

Eileen Herron

 

I tried to set up a poll not sure it worked.....

[rfruth]

hey red i had to vote for both the SE and the hybrid for my vote to take but i say hybrid all the way ! The row of batteries is no big deal (ya ride around with a half a tank of explosive gas & don't give it a second thought) forget the battery - 40 MPG mixed city highway is easy the Fusion hybrid costs more up front but less in the end add some pin stripes and a spoiler if you like

[FFH & Flex]

Email meHii Everyone,

 

This is my first post. My husband and I are going to get a new car, Either the Fusion SE or the Hybrid. I bet you already know who wants the Hybrid.

We are replacing my 2000 Taurus. It is my turn to pick the new car, Hubby just wants to pick the engine,

I want the Fusion SE, Has the same fold down back seats I like and a cool spoiler. I know it is a gas guzzler but its time to hand it over to someone else. The idea of having a row of batteries in the car is unnerving. We were told they will run 80,000 miles and cost $3500 (today) to replace. If you get hit will the batteries blow up. Don't laugh I don't know.

 

I have several questions about the Hybrid.

Has anyone had trouble with the batteries? We live in SE Michigan, USA and we have some harsh winters. How does the car operate in the snow or hot summers?

My understanding is that you have to drive 45mph or under to get the benefit of the batteries and higher mph.

 

Do you like your car? if you had to do it over again would you?

 

to those of you that got the backup camera on the rear view mirror do you like it? is is worth the extra money?

 

Have you had problems with your car?

 

 

What kind of mileage do you really get?

Thanks so much for your input and votes......

 

Eileen Herron

 

I tried to set up a poll not sure it worked.....

 

I think you would be happy with either car. I had a 2006 Mercury Milan 3.0 V6,( pretty much the same car as the fusion SE,SEL) and averaged 27.2 mpg for about 50,000 miles. That was mostly highway miles. In July 2009, I purchased the Fusion hybrid. I also live in SE Michigan, and both car do equally well in the snow. Have not really had problems with either car per say. A couple of minor things that I never bothered to take back to the dealer to get repaired. My mileage on the hybrid thus far is 40.32 mpg for 17,750 miles of combined city and highway. During the winter months the mileage will drop; however once the car warms up, the mileage will improve ( combine the short trips). The back up camera is nice to have. The hybrid batteries will also assist with mileage at highway speeds. One thing to note about the hybrid is that the trunk is somewhat smaller and the rear seat backs do not fold down. Check out the fusion forum and also the 2.5 hybrid area. There is a lot of good information there. Good luck and happy motoring!

Edited April 7, 2011 by FFH & Flex

[lolder]

Get the hybrid and your hubby will be in your debt forever. You'll enjoy driving it and he should go wild. Get at least the 501 package for the camera, BLIS, CTA and Moonroof.

[HarleyJoel]

I've had my Milan Hybrid for a year and a half, put 46,000 miles on it so far and still love the car. Getting between 37mpg (winter) and 42mpg (summer). The heater fan was replaced while the car was still under warranty but that's been the only problem. The rear deck is kinda high so the rear camera makes sense. Mine is fully loaded. No complaints whatsoever.

Edited April 7, 2011 by HarleyJoel

[Jfold]

I too live in SE Michigan. I purchased my FFH last fall and for the most part couldn't be happier. My current mileage is low at just over 30 but it has been a cold Winter and I primarily drive to and from work, about 3.5 miles. The short commute to work is what hurts my mileage more than anything. If I were 10 or so miles from work the mileage would increase significantly. I have noticed even now that it's in the 40's and 50's that my mileage is starting to improve. When the car is warmed up it is not at all hard to attain 50+mpg. As far as the trunk space I was initially worried about not having fold down seats, but I also have an old Ranger so hauling things is not much of an issue. While the trunk does seem cramped it does hold a cart-full of groceries just fine. The battery is designed to work the lifetime of the car and has an 8 year warranty. In general hybrid battery replacements are exceptionally rare and I don't think there is any danger of explosion in an accident.

If your decision comes down to mileage and mileage alone and you primarily drive 8 or more miles than it's hybrid all the way. If your daily commute is less than 8 or so miles then you might be just as well off getting the SE. If I had it to do over again I would still go with the Hybrid. Even though my mileage is not currently at it's most stellar, I love the way the Fusion Hybrid drives. It has more than adequate pick-up, transitions between EV and ICE are exceptionally smooth and the gauges encourage miserly driving habits. On a side-note I tested a 2012 Focus SE the other day and and my biggest complaint was that the Focus felt more like a hybrid than the hybrid I currently drive--it was just too sluggish and the Focus was not a hybrid.

As far as features I have the 501A package with sunroof, 12-speaker sound BLIS and backup cam. I really like both the cam and BLIS. One of the downfalls of this car and many of its competitors is that it has a big butt. The camera really helps in tight parking situations and BLIS is just all around a nice feature.

Edited April 8, 2011 by Jfold

[redfusion]

I too live in SE Michigan. I purchased my FFH last fall and for the most part couldn't be happier. My current mileage is low at just over 30 but it has been a cold Winter and I primarily drive to and from work, about 3.5 miles. The short commute to work is what hurts my mileage more than anything. If I were 10 or so miles from work the mileage would increase significantly. I have noticed even now that it's in the 40's and 50's that my mileage is starting to improve. When the car is warmed up it is not at all hard to attain 50+mpg. As far as the trunk space I was initially worried about not having fold down seats, but I also have an old Ranger so hauling things is not much of an issue. While the trunk does seem cramped it does hold a cart-full of groceries just fine. The battery is designed to work the lifetime of the car and has an 8 year warranty. In general hybrid battery replacements are exceptionally rare and I don't think there is any danger of explosion in an accident.

If your decision comes down to mileage and mileage alone and you primarily drive 8 or more miles than it's hybrid all the way. If your daily commute is less than 8 or so miles then you might be just as well off getting the SE. If I had it to do over again I would still go with the Hybrid. Even though my mileage is not currently at it's most stellar, I love the way the Fusion Hybrid drives. It has more than adequate pick-up, transitions between EV and ICE are exceptionally smooth and the gauges encourage miserly driving habits. On a side-note I tested a 2012 Focus SE the other day and and my biggest complaint was that the Focus felt more like a hybrid than the hybrid I currently drive--it was just too sluggish and the Focus was not a hybrid.

As far as features I have the 501A package with sunroof, 12-speaker sound BLIS and backup cam. I really like both the cam and BLIS. One of the downfalls of this car and many of its competitors is that it has a big butt. The camera really helps in tight parking situations and BLIS is just all around a nice feature.

[Alexdad]

I bought a Mercury Milan hybrid in November, so I went through the break-in period during the winter (mid-Michigan). Even so, my overall gas mileage was in the low 30's, and that's with the heat on and lots of short jaunts where the hybrid assist never even came on. Now that the weather has started to turn nice, my overall gas mileage has been in the mid 30's to low 40's. Lots of times, I don't even try to drive so as to maximize efficiency (horrors!), and I still get good mileage.

I have no experience with the non-hybrid Milan/Fusion, so I can't compare it to the hybrid. However, my prior car was a 2004 I-4 Camrey, and my Milan has more pep, is more comfortable, and handles better on the snow that my old car did. My only complaints are (1) its hard to get in and out of (which is probably the same for the non-hybrid version as well), (2) the trunk is smaller (but it can still handle a couple of suitcases, and I haven't yet had to leave something becuase I couldn't pack it), and (3) the back seat doesn't fold down (a feature which I hardly ever used in my old car anyway). I love the rear view camera, nav screen and BLIS. If you can afford the premium for the hybrid, I highly recommend it.

[ChuckJ]

We own a Fusion Hybrid fully equipped. The car drives smooth and quiet with good acceleration (better than our old Camry Hybrid) and gets 10-15% better mileage. It truly is fun to watch a car this size routinely get over 40MPG with our normal around town driving. This is our 3rd hybrid and it is the best. We had engine (ICE) trouble with our first hybrid (Accord) significant enough that they took it back. We had no maintenance issues with the Camry hybrid. The regen not only puts energy back in the batteries when stopping, but reduces wear on the break pads to the point that we required no break pad replacement by the time we had sold it at 60,000 miles. The Fusion hybrid instrumentation outperforms the Camry's also. Regen indication is better than the Camry because there is indication of exactly when the regen is on as well as a qualitative indication of the amount of regen. There is a gage that shows how much power is being provided by the ICE and how much is being provided by the traction battery / motor. This same guage also indicates when power is being used from the battery or being replaced back into the battery. The Fusion permits EV up to 47 MPH whereas the Camry only permits 40. This allows much more driving in EV mode which probably is a major factor in the better mileage. The Fusion permits partial EV power above that. The E-CVT transmission is a pleasure to drive. The battery pack is made smaller then normal by use of a recent battery improvement, making the trunk slightly larger than the Camry. The car is vertually the same overall length as the Camry. The backup camera on the dash (navigation option) is nice to have and the GPS map is the best and most intuitive we’ve had in any of our vehicles. I think the price of either the ICE or Hybrid versions are the same and they can be purchased for $100 over invoice. Our 3 ½ year old Camry with 60,000 miles brought more than 50% of what we paid new so they do hold their value relatively well. This is truely the most cost effective "full size" hybrid available.

 

Chuck

PS A really great technical article for you or your husband is at:

http://www.gizmag.com/2010-ford-fusion-hybrid/10634/

Edited June 5, 2011 by ChuckJ

[lolder]

Email meHii Everyone,

 

This is my first post. My husband and I are going to get a new car, Either the Fusion SE or the Hybrid. I bet you already know who wants the Hybrid.

We are replacing my 2000 Taurus. It is my turn to pick the new car, Hubby just wants to pick the engine,

I want the Fusion SE, Has the same fold down back seats I like and a cool spoiler. I know it is a gas guzzler but its time to hand it over to someone else. The idea of having a row of batteries in the car is unnerving. We were told they will run 80,000 miles and cost $3500 (today) to replace. If you get hit will the batteries blow up. Don't laugh I don't know.

 

I have several questions about the Hybrid.

Has anyone had trouble with the batteries? We live in SE Michigan, USA and we have some harsh winters. How does the car operate in the snow or hot summers?

My understanding is that you have to drive 45mph or under to get the benefit of the batteries and higher mph.

 

Do you like your car? if you had to do it over again would you?

 

to those of you that got the backup camera on the rear view mirror do you like it? is is worth the extra money?

 

Have you had problems with your car?

 

What kind of mileage do you really get?

 

 

Thanks so much for your input and votes......

 

Eileen Herron

 

I tried to set up a poll not sure it worked.....

The HVB (high voltage battery) is a non-issue, Ford says it will last "the life of the car". It's guaranteed for 8-10 years and 100,000 -- 150,000 miles. They don't "blow up". The rear seat back does not fold down, however. The car is superb in all climates. The mileage decreases a lot in cold weather but is still much better than non hybrids. Speed is not a factor other than the faster you go, the lower the mpg. The car gets 45 mpg. at 50 mph and 60 deg. F. Mpg. increases 0.2 mpg for every 1 deg. F. increase in temp. Mpg. decreases 0.6 mpg for every 1 mph increase in speed. I am ecstatic with the car. The best value is the 501 package with the camera, moon roof, BLIS and CTA ( Cross Traffic Advisory ). My long term mileage since new is 41 mpg. at 25,000 miles.

Edited June 5, 2011 by lolder

[Sapper60]

The HVB (high voltage battery) is a non-issue, Ford says it will last "the life of the car". It's guaranteed for 8-10 years and 100,000 -- 150,000 miles. They don't "blow up". The rear seat back does not fold down, however. The car is superb in all climates. The mileage decreases a lot in cold weather but is still much better than non hybrids. Speed is not a factor other than the faster you go, the lower the mpg. The car gets 45 mpg. at 50 mph and 60 deg. F. Mpg. increases 0.2 mpg for every 1 deg. F. increase in temp. Mpg. decreases 0.6 mpg for every 1 mph increase in speed. I am ecstatic with the car. The best value is the 501 package with the camera, moon roof, BLIS and CTA ( Cross Traffic Advisory ). My long term mileage since new is 41 mpg. at 25,000 miles.

 

I too have the FFH, just picked it up on Sunday and love it. Here in sunny, hot, humid FL. I've had great MPG out the gate, even when it's relying on the gas engine for power. After just 4 days, my long term avg has moved from the start of 21 mgg to 30.3. Granted my commute is 25 miles one way, with a mix of city/toll road, but I'm still getting between 38 and 41 mpg per trip.

 

Have the 502 package, because that's what they had left, but that'll come in handy visiting the relatives in Indiana next winter. :)

[srader]

Eileen,

I live in Texas so I can't comment on the performance in the snow LOL.

 

I bought my FFH 26 months ago. I continuously get about 38MPG but I drive mostly highway miles. It has been in the shop only once for a sync issue which turned out to be my iPod and not the car. I am currently having my first real problem with the car after nearly 50K miles. It's going in to the dealer tomorrow to look at the speedometer, it stopped working today. From reading posts on this forum, it sounds like it might just be a software issue. I love my FFH. Everyone who gets in it falls in love with it. It's a fairly smooth ride, pretty luxurious but sporty as well. It's plenty powerful and it has been VERY DEPENDABLE. As you can see from the miles, I spend alot of time in this car and the seats are comfy and roomy. I recommend you go for it. Get the extended warranty. I did it just in case the batteries need to be replaced. The warranty was $900. The replacement batteries were $7500 when I bought the car. it was kind of a no-brainer for me. I think the batteries have come down in price but do yourself a favor and check it out. They are only supposed to last 70-80K miles.

 

I do have the back-up camera but hardly ever use it. I do use the driver vision package a lot. l love this feature.

 

Good luck!!

Susan

[dennisw]

I have a 2010 FFH, my wife and I both love the car, and could not be happier. We have a little over 25,000 miles with not one problem and we can get over 40's on the highway with out even trying. Our best trip was 50.2 mpg on a 265 mile trip mostly country roads at speeds of 60 mph. Some say you can do as good in town with a gas Fusion but this is not true. Even in the winter months when the ICE (internal combustion engine) is running more you will still better any 4 or 6 cyl Fusion by alot. The reason the ICE runs more in the winter is to keep the radiator hot for the heater to heat the car, there is no heat if you run in electric during half of your in town commute.

[HybridFan]

Get the Hybrid - a special car. Compared to that, the SE is boring...

[red hybrid]

I'm still waiting for delivery of my Fusion Hybrid... : (

Does it seem like April to July is a long time to wait for delivery of a Hybrid???

 

 

Just talked to Ford customer service... They tell me the car may have been damaged in transit, and will sit in transit, till someone has time to look at it, and decide to fix it or send it on for delivery... They have no idea how much longer this will take... : (

Edited July 15, 2011 by red hybrid

[Chicago Sandy]

I'm still waiting for delivery of my Fusion Hybrid... : (

Does it seem like April to July is a long time to wait for delivery of a Hybrid???

 

 

Just talked to Ford customer service... They tell me the car may have been damaged in transit, and will sit in transit, till someone has time to look at it, and decide to fix it or send it on for delivery... They have no idea how much longer this will take... : (

A month ago, I had been planning to buy one when my 2002 Taurus SEL was to eventually give up the ghost (I had just spent about $2K in various cooling, suspension, steering, and electrical doo-dah, plus the 100.000-mi. servicing). For me, it was down to the Fusion Hybrid or the Prius V "microvan" (which isn't out yet and Toyota is not saying when it will be in the US). The regular Prius IV is just a tad too narrow, with cargo capacity less than you'd think. We rented one on a trip last year--the handling is sluggish and the seat cushions too short for my tall husband. I can't imagine carrying adult passengers in the back seat.

 

Well, Friday night en route to my son's midnight improv show, about a mile out from my house I stopped for a couple gallons of gas. Leaving the station and turning on to the street leading to Lake Shore Drive (our urban freeway), as soon as I finished the turn--with foot off the pedals--the Taurus started accelerating like crazy. I had to stand on the brakes to avoid crashing into the car 2 blocks ahead of me waiting at the last intersection before L.S. Drive. I put my left foot on the brake and tried to lift the accelerator with my right--no success. I tried shifting first into N, then P, then turning the engine off and back on again. Each time I shifted, the transmission clunked and the car jumped like I'd been rear-ended--and it was revving way into the red. I realized there was NO WAY I'd dare get on the freeway! I could have turned right after the light turned green and pulled over, but standing there were a police car AND three fire trucks in front of a church--I didn't want to be stopped across the street from a fire. It was almost midnight, and the streets were otherwise deserted. I was barely a mile from home, so I turned around and drove home, braking so hard all the way that I still have shin splints. I had to wrestle this now-raging bull (Taurus was never before a more fitting name) through the alley and into my garage--I had one chance to get it in straight. Made it, turned off the engine, shined my maglite at the accelerator--no debris around it, no floor mats other than the factory-installed one still anchored in place and not touching the pedal assembly. Stepped out of the car--the fan was going like gangbusters, I smelled burnt brakes, and the hood was blazing hot.

 

So I went online and asked the two closest Ford dealers (in the near n. suburbs) for bids on a fully-loaded Fusion Hybrid. Found out one was owned by the same guy who owns the dealership in the south 'burbs where the Taurus was serviced (my husband's on staff at two nearby hospitals), so I arranged for a tow up there Sat. morning. Got a prelim. bid on the F.H. that looked good. Tow operator had a difficult time wrangling the Taurus out of my garage and on to the flatbed (it was roaring and bucking), and the service staff at the dealership were terrified of it--as if I'd brought them a rabid pit bull. While I was waiting for the estimate, the second north suburban dealer called and tried to talk me into a regular Fusion because there were no dealer incentives on the hybrids. I said I wanted the real thing and they said they didn't know when they'd be getting one in. Meanwhile, the estimate came in--between the throttle, brakes and transmission I was looking at another $2K repair. So I knew I was walking out with a new car. I asked the salesman if he had a fully-loaded FFH (the bid they'd given me was for the base trim line). He asked me what I wanted, and I reeled off all the bells & whistles my Taurus had. He led me outside to a baby blue with the full "moon & tune" package, with SYNC nav & Sirius, plus BLIS and a rear-camera. We did the math, and it came in $3000 below my limit (including the protection package I'd normally have eschewed but for the brutal salt-and-snow winter and two hailstorms we'd just had). Declined the extended warranty--it's never worth it, and my insurance includes mech. breakdowns.

 

I am two days into owning it and I can't wait to get back behind the wheel. Even in today's near-100-degree heat, with the A/C cranked I got 43 mpg. on a 60-mi. round trip drive I took today--which included both freeway speeds and traffic jams. The stereo is awesome, the backup camera and BLIS saved me from two potential accidents, I was able to raise the seat high enough that getting in & out was easy. The nav works better than my Garmin portable did. My iPhone synced without a hitch (knock wood). I have only two quibbles, both relatively minor: because the car's narrower than my Taurus, so is the trunk; and the trunk is, well, truncated because of the battery array. The back seat doesn't fold, but in the nearly 10 years I'd owned the Taurus I'd never used that feature. I am a touring musician in an acoustic duo; for long trips where we'll need full-sized suitcases and a P.A. system, we'll still have to take my singing partner's Forester (which I hate-- it has "meh" fuel economy, barebones trim, and because of its height it's horribly unstable in crosswinds); but for short ones where we can take small suitcases, two guitars & dulcimers and won't need a P.A. the FFH is fine. (The trunk won't hold those giant packages of t.p. and paper towels from the Costco, but big deal--the back seat will). The other downside is that I've subscribed to XM for 6 yrs, mostly to listen to "The Village" folk channel. I found out Sirius has that ONLY via internet, not on-air. So I can either sign up through the Sirius deal or keep the XM subscription and plug its receiver into the power port and audio-in jack. I chose the former option--I can stream via web on my other phone that has unlimited data.

 

There is a steep learning curve for those unaccustomed to cars that are smarter than we are, but I'm getting there. Gave my husband the old GPS unit, and am giving him my XM receiver because his has a broken display.

 

Oh, and I found out that my new FFH is one of only FOUR available (in any trim line) in the entire Chicago area. So be patient--it'll be worth the wait.

Edited July 19, 2011 by Chicago Sandy