Fusion Hybrid at (almost) 15K
It's easy to remember the day I bought my Ford Fusion Hybrid. The story of Michael Jackson's death was all over the radio the day I signed the papers. I've put almost 15,000 miles on it so far, thanks to my 80-mile round-trip commute, so I think I've had it long enough that the oooh-aaah stage is over and I can post some level headed comments. That said, to sum it up in one sentence:
You need this car.
In general, it's just as all the car magazines have said. It's a regular car that happens to be a hybrid. In particular:
Here's what I miss (unavailable on the Ford):
The only other downside is the tiny trunk and lack of folding rear seats, since the hybrid battery pack is mounted just behind the rear seats.
What I don't miss from the Audi are the need for at least plus grade fuel, and the insanely expensive parts. I would say I miss the free service for the first 50,000 miles, but Audi doesn't offer that any more.
So far, the only thing that has gone wrong was a glitch in the sound system that a hard reboot fixed. It involved pulling the fuse, so if it happens again I don't have to take it back to the dealer (although getting to the fuse panel is a pain without a third joint in my arm). Also, the sound system doesn't play nicely with my iTouch--it's a known problem to both Apple and Ford. In the meantime I'm using an older iPod which works beautifully.
Overall, I love the electronics. The configurable dashboard tells me all kinds of cool stuff without being distracting. The Sirius Travel Link will probably pay for itself just in helping me find cheap gas, and I generally don't bother listening to traffic reports any more, because the GPS graphics are updated faster than the radio people. And the backup camera is truly a beautiful thing.
The overall graphic design looks a bit 1995, and there are some usability issues (like when you're done playing something, does it really have to go back to the top of the menus, instead of returning you to the most recent menu?). But there's a major update coming out in a couple months that should have a lot of refinements. And, if you have an Air Card, you can use it to turn the car into a WiFi hot spot. Combine that with the 110V outlet in the back seat, and you won't mind not having bought that $2000 built in DVD entertainment system to keep the kids occupied.
Oh, and did I mention that in warm weather this thing averages 42mpg? I've been getting about 38mpg in the winter, because of oxygenated fuel, and the fact that it won't switch to all-electric if the battery is too cold.
Fully loaded, I paid right near $30K for the Fusion. I'll get some tax credits for buying a hybrid. Cash-for-clunkers hadn't started yet, but it didn't matter, because the Audi's mileage was too high to qualify.
So yeah. You need this car.
You need this car.
In general, it's just as all the car magazines have said. It's a regular car that happens to be a hybrid. In particular:
- Its 8-second 0-60 won't snap your neck but unlike the Priuses and Insights of the world, you won't be left in the smoke from Taylor Swift's tour bus.
- You can't tell at all when the brakes switch back and forth from regenerative to conventional mode. None of the clunks and bumps and loss of precision other hybrid owners complain about.
- It's a Fusion. It handles like a Fusion, which is to say, as well as any midmarket FWD sedan. The tires are low-rolling-resistance, but they don't feel like they've been taken off a Conestoga wagon.
Here's what I miss (unavailable on the Ford):
- Memory seats: Unlock the car with your key, and the seats move to where you had them set.
- Rear seat heaters (my son misses them).
- Only the inside mirror auto dims in the Ford; in the Audi the outside mirrors did too.
- High beams that could light up a stadium (even though both cars use the same bulbs).
- Built-in rear sunshades.
- Right outside mirror tilted downward in reverse, so you could see the curb.
- Break-over mirrors (come on guys, you can get those on a Nissan Cube!)
- I'll admit it: Snob appeal
The only other downside is the tiny trunk and lack of folding rear seats, since the hybrid battery pack is mounted just behind the rear seats.
What I don't miss from the Audi are the need for at least plus grade fuel, and the insanely expensive parts. I would say I miss the free service for the first 50,000 miles, but Audi doesn't offer that any more.
So far, the only thing that has gone wrong was a glitch in the sound system that a hard reboot fixed. It involved pulling the fuse, so if it happens again I don't have to take it back to the dealer (although getting to the fuse panel is a pain without a third joint in my arm). Also, the sound system doesn't play nicely with my iTouch--it's a known problem to both Apple and Ford. In the meantime I'm using an older iPod which works beautifully.
Overall, I love the electronics. The configurable dashboard tells me all kinds of cool stuff without being distracting. The Sirius Travel Link will probably pay for itself just in helping me find cheap gas, and I generally don't bother listening to traffic reports any more, because the GPS graphics are updated faster than the radio people. And the backup camera is truly a beautiful thing.
The overall graphic design looks a bit 1995, and there are some usability issues (like when you're done playing something, does it really have to go back to the top of the menus, instead of returning you to the most recent menu?). But there's a major update coming out in a couple months that should have a lot of refinements. And, if you have an Air Card, you can use it to turn the car into a WiFi hot spot. Combine that with the 110V outlet in the back seat, and you won't mind not having bought that $2000 built in DVD entertainment system to keep the kids occupied.
Oh, and did I mention that in warm weather this thing averages 42mpg? I've been getting about 38mpg in the winter, because of oxygenated fuel, and the fact that it won't switch to all-electric if the battery is too cold.
Fully loaded, I paid right near $30K for the Fusion. I'll get some tax credits for buying a hybrid. Cash-for-clunkers hadn't started yet, but it didn't matter, because the Audi's mileage was too high to qualify.
So yeah. You need this car.