2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid

City fuel economy for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid almost doubles the city efficiency of the non-hybrid Fusion.
Ford hit a grand slam last year with the introduction of the all-new Ford Fusion Hybrid. It was awarded the North American Car of the Year prize at the 2010 Detroit auto show. A panel of 49 North American automotive journalists selects the winners based on innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value. One month later, the Hermance Vehicle Efficiency Award, organized by BermanWorks, the publishers of HybridCars.com, gave its inaugural prize to the 2010 Fusion Hybrid. The car was also named Motor Trend’s Car of the Year and was one of Car and Driver magazine’s "10 Best Cars for 2010."
Hermance Award: Essays about Fusion Hybrid
• by John DeCicco Ford Fusion Hybrid: A Cleaner Machine for the Masses
• By Lindsay Brooke Calibration and the Ford Fusion Hybrid
• By John German Ford Fusion Hybrid: Toward an Integrated Hybrid Future
Why did the Fusion Hybrid rack up awards? Because the vehicle established a new benchmark in hybrid technology. Marrying a seamless, sophisticated hybrid powertrain to the outstanding Fusion platform—positioned solidly in the middle of the mainstream market—proved to be a winning combination. It’s fun to drive and speaks of refinement all around, from handling and braking through comfort and convenience. The accolades have not gone unnoticed by hybrid car buyers—through the end of October, the Fusion hybrid is number two in hybrid car sales for 2010, edging out the Honda Insight and soundly besting the Toyota Camry Hybrid.


2011 Fusion Hybrid Added Features
Compare the Fusion!
If you're thinking about buying a Ford Fusion Hybrid, you might also consider a Toyota Camry Hybrid or a Toyota Prius. Compare these vehicles.
Given that the Fusion underwent a major refresh for 2010, the 2011 Fusion Hybrid and gasoline-powered models are largely unchanged. However, it does receive new technology features, like MyKey, HD radio and rain sensing windshield wipers that appeal to buyers who, according to Kelly Blue Book, "need the practicality of a well-appointed, well-engineered and crisp-handling family-sized four-door." MyKey will keep parents at ease when their teen drivers are behind the wheel. It chimes continuously when seat belts aren’t buckled, gives earlier low-fuel warnings, limits radio volume to 45 percent and can sound chimes at 45, 55 and 65 mph.

Correcting the Bad Rap Against Hybrids
"The Toyota Prius and other hybrids are great for eco-geeks who hold fuel efficiency, low emissions and high-tech auto technology as sacrosanct—and all other car features as sacrifice. But drivers looking for a smooth, comfortable ride—with a modicum of style and performance—might as well forget hybrids." So goes the old opinion of many auto journalists who historically dinged hybrids for lackluster driving characteristics, squishy brakes, and clunky transitions between gas and electric power. But that was before the Ford Fusion Hybrid, a family sedan that offers 41 mpg in the city—and more importantly, some fun and refinement behind the wheel.


USA Today emphatically stated, "The Ford Fusion Hybrid is the best gasoline-electric hybrid yet." And Car and Driver said the Ford Fusion Hybrid "wipes the floor with the Toyota Camry Hybrid." Comparisons with the Toyota Camry Hybrid and Nissan Altima Hybrid (only available in eight states) make sense. They were the three leading hybrid contenders in the mid-size family sedan category before the arrival of the Fusion Hybrid. The Toyota Prius hatchback—with its unique aerodynamic design, slightly smaller interior, smaller engine and 50-mpg rating—will probably appeal to a different buyer.

From Gas to Electric and Back
The Ford Fusion Hybrid’s 41 city/36 highway mileage ratings handily beat the Camry Hybrid’s 31/35 and the Altima Hybrid’s 33/33. Ford engineers also did a remarkable job of eliminating the flutter-rumble that many hybrids make when transitioning from gas engine to electric mode. In the Fusion Hybrid, the gasoline engine seamlessly starts up and shuts down "with only the very faintest shudder" according to Automobile magazine. USA Today goes further: "There was no—none, nada, zip—vibration or shimmying in the test car when the gasoline kicked in to help the electric. No other hybrid—not even that $107,000 Lexus—can make that claim 100 percent of the time."
The Fusion Hybrid—and its sibling, the Mercury Milan Hybrid—were the first vehicles to use Ford’s second-generation hybrid system. Hybrid-electric vehicle systems engineer Gil Portalatin told us that the control logic for the new hybrid system provides much tighter integration of engine operation and power delivery. The new logic goes as far as to vary the engine’s valve timing, fuel delivery, and spark timing to match the power delivered through the electric motor, permitting very aggressive fuel shutdown under light loads. As a result, the Fusion Hybrid’s 2.5-liter engine shuts itself off twice as often as the earlier Escape Hybrid, with the electric system providing more power. In addition, new control logic for the regenerative brakes recaptures up to 94 percent of the braking energy and feeds it to the battery.


Zesty Drive
Enthusiasm from the auto press is also extended to the Fusion Hybrid’s road manners. Car and Driver said, "While most hybrids squeeze the fun out of driving, the Fusion has nicely weighted steering, a nimble chassis, and rides in a controlled, supple manner. You can hustle the car down a back road and get a smile on your face, which is not something one can say about the Camry hybrid." Consumer Reports wrote, "The ride/handling balance remains a Fusion strong point, with responsive steering and taut body control that makes for an enjoyable drive. The ride is firm yet compliant, much like that of an upscale sports sedan." Nadaguides.com said the Fusion Hybrid’s 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine provides plenty of power for freeway ramps, while hugging the road and offering a comfortable ride.
The combined output for the Fusion Hybrid’s engine and motor is 191 horsepower. Besides the Hybrid, the 2011 Ford Fusion lineup offers a choice of three different engines: a 2.5-liter inline-4 with 175 horsepower; a 3.0-liter flex-fuel V6 with 240 hp; and a performance-tuned 3.5-liter V6 with 263 hp.
The one consistent criticism regarding the Fusion Hybrid’s drive is that Ford exaggerated when it claimed that the sedan can go 47 miles per hour, and as much as two miles, in all-electric mode. That requires just the right conditions for acceleration, load, battery charge level, weather—and proper alignment of stars. Unless you exert extreme care to stretch the electric drive, you shouldn’t count on more than a few blocks at relatively low speeds.

Exterior & Interior Design
The entire line of Ford Fusions—including the base S, mid-level SE, well equipped SEL, and the Fusion Hybrid—were spruced up for the 2010 model year. Car and Driver said, "The refresh makes the Fusion sharper looking, particularly since the weird headlamps of the original have been replaced." Reviewers said the Fusion Hybrid looks like an uplevel Fusion SE or SEL. But not everybody likes the design. Bloomberg wrote, "From the lackluster rims, which look like they’re made of plastic, to the generic sedan shape, the Fusion has no flash whatsoever." The interior, especially the high-tech features, gets mixed reviews, but mostly positive. Detroit News said, "The new instrument cluster looks much more sophisticated, and the dash has an easy flow. The touch points are soft, and every inch of the cabin uses high-quality materials." Car and Driver added, "Inside, the Fusion also receives a new instrument panel, redesigned seats, and more stylish trim, although the quality of some of the materials isn’t yet on par with those of the class leaders."
The Fusions offer Ford’s popular Sync voice-activated digital entertainment and integrated mobile phone system. Other options include blind-spot information mounted on the outside mirror, a backup camera screen cleverly hidden in the rearview mirror, cross-traffic alerts when reversing, and real-time traffic and weather through the Sirius Travel Link satellite radio system. Other standard features include bags, belts, 110-volt outlet, six-CD stereo (instead of the typical single setup), dual-zone climate control, auto on-off headlights, and auto-dimming mirror.


The Fusion Hybrid uses a new nickel metal hydride battery with 20 percent more power, in a package that’s 30 percent smaller. That means the Fusion Hybrid sacrifices only a negligible amount of trunk space compared to the standard version—but not enough to retain rear folding seats, which are not available in the Fusion Hybrid. The Camry Hybrid managed to keep folding back seats.

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