should I get the gas version instead?

[clummus]

I have a hybrid on order, but am wondering if I should have gotten the gas version instead. I've been reading some of the tips and tricks to hybrid driving. So what type of gas mileage can I expect if I don't "baby" the car.... just drive it as I would any car, with less "lead foot" hopefully.

[aaronj1159]

I average anywhere from 42-48 MPG (depending on weather) without even trying. I drive probably 80% highways (65-70 MPH) and I'm still getting those results. I would do much better if more of my driving was in town, though everyone is right, short trips won't help you much. You'll do better with the hybrid than you will with the gas, even if you don't quite make the EPA numbers. And some of us do.

[clummus]

If I can get at least upper 30's I'll be happy. I just know I won't drive it much different from any other car. Thanks for your input! Sounds like u are doing great!

[acdii]

You can flog it and still do better than you will driving conservatively in the gas version.

[MXGOLF]

It all depends on where you live and if you get a good one. I got a lemon and would not buy a hybrid Ford again knowing what I know now. That being said I love the car a lot but wish the gas mileage was close to what they say it's supposed to get. Since it's not I am very frustrated and just want to enjoy the car but it's hard to when you constantly are trying to get the best mpg and drive like an old lady and still not coming close to what they say. I mean over 40 would be ok but 33 come on!

[acdii]

Drive it like you stole it and see what happens. Would be fascinating if it actually did better.

[hybridbear]

You should easily get 40s in the nice weather. Being that you're in TX where it's warm your gas mileage should be excellent except in the extreme heat of summer when the AC use will consume your battery. It seems that the sweet spot for these cars is city commutes greater than 10 miles. If many of your trips are all city driving and more than 10 miles then you'll get excellent mileage.

[ny2oc1996]

Should you get the gas version instead? I don't think it's useful trying to guess at the hybrid mileage that you might get in order to answer that question. The hybrid will get better mpg than the gas version (more on that in a minute). So the only question to ask yourself, is how long will you be keeping this car? If the answer is 5 years or less, go with the gas version. If the answer is more than 6 years, go with the hybrid. Heres my rational.

 

How much better mpg does the hybrid get compared to the gas version? To answer that you can go to fuelly.com and average out 20-30 cars of each and you'll get a rough estimate as to the difference. I did not do the math but I did take a quick look and at first glance it looked something like 10 mpg. Believe me , that number is less important then the number of years that you'll be keeping this car.

 

Ok, so if you get 24 mpg in the gas version at 10,000 miles a year, you'll use 417 gallons. If you then get 34 mpg in the hybrid, you'll use 294 gallons a year. That's a 123 gallons of gas saved per year. If we fiqure over the next several years that gas will average out at $4.50 per gallon, that's a yearly savings of roughly $550.00

 

Now the price difference between a gas Fusion SE and a hybrid Fusion SE is $3,370.00 (27,200 minus 23,830). So, take the $3370.00 and divide it by the $550.00 year savings calulated above and you get roughly a 6 year break even point. So if you're not keeping the car more than 6 years, what's the point?

 

Don't get lost in the thinking of "yeah but what if I can get 42mpg in the hybrid?" The reason I say that is if you do better than average or worse than average in the hybrid, the same should be true in the gas version so therefore the savings relationship should stay the same.

 

There are many theories being put forth to explain the differences in mpg that us hybrid owner's are getting. It has been suggested that the earlier built cars are lower yeilding mpg vehicles or there are some lemons that come off the assembly line. There simply is no evidence to support these theories. In fact, the evidence seems to disprove these assertions. I averaged every 2013 Ford Fusion hybrid on fuelly.com and that average was 37.4 mpg as of 2-10-13. When I did that, I noticed that the early built Fusions had the same "some mid 40's mpg and some mid 30's mpg" that the later built ones had. The early built ones can be identified by the number of fillups listed. At first, I thought the better mileage was being made by the people who knew how to drive these hybrids for maximum mpg. After reading this board it became clear that was not the case as some experienced hybrid drivers were among the lower mileage people.

 

So what explains the vast differences? There are a few contributing factors but it seems clear to me that the most relevant is your commute. Hyrids really shine under certain conditions and if your commute is outside those parameters, you're simply not going to hit those high numbers. I'm very new to all this but for my limited experience, I've found that using the dash Empower display educates me the best. Even driving like an "old lady going to church" there are times in my commute that I simply can't get that EV mode. So whatever your mileage is lately, enjoy the car and just realize that your commute would turn in those corresponding bad numbers in the gas version.

[Eliotmal]

Of course if you drive 20,000 miles in a year like I do that 6 years would be 3 years (all else being equal).

[srogers]

 

Ok, so if you get 24 mpg in the gas version at 10,000 miles a year, you'll use 417 gallons. If you then get 34 mpg in the hybrid, you'll use 294 gallons a year. That's a 123 gallons of gas saved per year. If we fiqure over the next several years that gas will average out at $4.50 per gallon, that's a yearly savings of roughly $550.00

 

Now the price difference between a gas Fusion SE and a hybrid Fusion SE is $3,370.00 (27,200 minus 23,830). So, take the $3370.00 and divide it by the $550.00 year savings calulated above and you get roughly a 6 year break even point. So if you're not keeping the car more than 6 years, what's the point?

 

If you purchase the Tianium trim instead of the SE the price difference is only $2100 and your break even point changes to 3.8 years.

[B25Nut]

The fact that having a hybrid Fusion makes driving a more pleasurable experience must also be factored into the rationale for paying a higher price for a FFH. Silence is golden.

[hybridbear]

Should you get the gas version instead? I don't think it's useful trying to guess at the hybrid mileage that you might get in order to answer that question. The hybrid will get better mpg than the gas version (more on that in a minute). So the only question to ask yourself, is how long will you be keeping this car? If the answer is 5 years or less, go with the gas version. If the answer is more than 6 years, go with the hybrid. Heres my rational.

 

How much better mpg does the hybrid get compared to the gas version? To answer that you can go to fuelly.com and average out 20-30 cars of each and you'll get a rough estimate as to the difference. I did not do the math but I did take a quick look and at first glance it looked something like 10 mpg. Believe me , that number is less important then the number of years that you'll be keeping this car.

 

Ok, so if you get 24 mpg in the gas version at 10,000 miles a year, you'll use 417 gallons. If you then get 34 mpg in the hybrid, you'll use 294 gallons a year. That's a 123 gallons of gas saved per year. If we fiqure over the next several years that gas will average out at $4.50 per gallon, that's a yearly savings of roughly $550.00

 

Now the price difference between a gas Fusion SE and a hybrid Fusion SE is $3,370.00 (27,200 minus 23,830). So, take the $3370.00 and divide it by the $550.00 year savings calulated above and you get roughly a 6 year break even point. So if you're not keeping the car more than 6 years, what's the point?

 

Don't get lost in the thinking of "yeah but what if I can get 42mpg in the hybrid?" The reason I say that is if you do better than average or worse than average in the hybrid, the same should be true in the gas version so therefore the savings relationship should stay the same.

 

There are many theories being put forth to explain the differences in mpg that us hybrid owner's are getting. It has been suggested that the earlier built cars are lower yeilding mpg vehicles or there are some lemons that come off the assembly line. There simply is no evidence to support these theories. In fact, the evidence seems to disprove these assertions. I averaged every 2013 Ford Fusion hybrid on fuelly.com and that average was 37.4 mpg as of 2-10-13. When I did that, I noticed that the early built Fusions had the same "some mid 40's mpg and some mid 30's mpg" that the later built ones had. The early built ones can be identified by the number of fillups listed. At first, I thought the better mileage was being made by the people who knew how to drive these hybrids for maximum mpg. After reading this board it became clear that was not the case as some experienced hybrid drivers were among the lower mileage people.

 

So what explains the vast differences? There are a few contributing factors but it seems clear to me that the most relevant is your commute. Hyrids really shine under certain conditions and if your commute is outside those parameters, you're simply not going to hit those high numbers. I'm very new to all this but for my limited experience, I've found that using the dash Empower display educates me the best. Even driving like an "old lady going to church" there are times in my commute that I simply can't get that EV mode. So whatever your mileage is lately, enjoy the car and just realize that your commute would turn in those corresponding bad numbers in the gas version.

Fantastic analysis!!

 

The fact that having a hybrid Fusion makes driving a more pleasurable experience must also be factored into the rationale for paying a higher price for a FFH. Silence is golden.

B25Nut is absolutely right. It is so relaxing to drive the FFH, I really love being behind the wheel.

[acdii]

Now if you get an MKZ Hybrid, there is no cost difference....just sayin! Anyhow ny2oc1996

pretty much nailed it.

[HenryVIII]

This YouTube Video also sums things up.

 

[milleron]

Loved the part where the talking head claims that when you look in the trunk "you don't even see the battery."

Edited May 8, 2013 by milleron