Test Drive: 2010 Ford Fusion is best gas-electric hybrid yet
— -- OK, let's just get it out there: The 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid is the best gasoline-electric hybrid yet.
What makes it best is a top-drawer blend of an already very good midsize sedan with the industry's smoothest, best-integrated gas-electric power system. It's so well-done that you have to look to the $107,000 Lexus LS 600h hybrid to come close.
Fusion's $28,000 starting price is more or less in reach, the driving feel is good, and the interior has a premium look and feel.
There are three facets to consider in evaluating a gasoline-electric hybrid: the underlying vehicle itself, the hybrid system and the mileage.
Assuming the preproduction Fusion hybrid test car was representative — Ford says it was — the Fusion's scores in those three categories are good, great and adequate, but potentially, very good.
The Toyota Prius crowd will protest. Prius is lower-priced, has about the same room inside, has a handy hatchback configuration, gets better mileage — and most of those attributes could improve when the 2010 Prius goes on sale in a few months — so how could Fusion be the best hybrid?
Simple. Fusion drives better. A car is, after all, a driving machine. Brownie points for saving somewhat more fuel or offering a cargo-friendly hatchback, but driving feel is most important.
And there, Fusion is without equal among hybrids.
Here's a look:
•The car. A slick machine, regardless of powerplant. Smooth looks. Good manners. Adequate space. Comfortable accommodations. Above-average ambience.
Ford launched Fusion as a gasoline-only car in 2005 as a 2006 model.
It's getting a midcycle update for 2010, including a hybrid version for the first time, which will begin arriving at dealers mid-March.
The hood has a wide, demi-dome bulge, and the grille and rump are tweaked a bit.
The grille now looks as if it was done that way on purpose.
A commendable change: The turning circle is 2 feet narrower. No more back-and-forth getting into or out of a tight parking spot at the shopping mall. The change makes the car feel more nimble overall, not just when docking in a narrow slot.
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