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Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan Hybrid

1144 messages,  Last post on Apr 19, 2012 at 4:15 AM

You are in the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrid Forum.

What is this discussion about? Ford Fusion Hybrid, Mercury Milan Hybrid, Hybrid Cars, Sedan

Messages Page 5 of 115

#40 of 1144 Re: Fusion Hybrid '10 availability [jd25] by coldcranker

Jan 04, 2009 (8:14 pm)

Replying to: jd25 (Jan 04, 2009 1:29 pm)
Its true hybrid cars have never been a great economic decision, unless you put over 15,000 city-driving miles on the vehicle each year. Taxi service qualifies, and some other heavy-use stuff. The premium is just too much for most people. That said, some people see a victory over foreign oil there.
 
It looks like Honda, with their newest Insight hybrid, to be out sometime in 2009 or early 2010, will make a $20,000 small hybrid, within reach of more people. If you want a car bargain now, its hard to beat a new 2009 Ford Fusion S 4-cylinder, which I think you can get for around $17,000 now, with Ford discounts. It will get good MPG, and the cost is not that much compared to a $24,000 Prius. Thats $7,000 worth of difference, which buys a lot of gasoline.

#41 of 1144 Re: Fusion Hybrid '10 availability [jd25] by akirby

Jan 05, 2009 (7:03 am)

Replying to: jd25 (Jan 04, 2009 1:29 pm)
March is theoretically possible, if they start hybrid production on day one and there are no launch delays. But remember - when Ford launches a new product they require 5 consecutive days of error free builds before they start shipping. One error on one vehicle and the 5 day clock starts all over. So it could be end of February before they really start shipping.
 
We should get more details at the Detroit auto show starting next week.

#42 of 1144 Re: Fusion Hybrid '10 availability [coldcranker] by kdhspyder

Jan 05, 2009 (10:08 am)

Replying to: coldcranker (Jan 04, 2009 8:14 pm)
Its true hybrid cars have never been a great economic decision, unless you put over 15,000 city-driving miles on the vehicle each year.
 
This is not competely accurate. The first part is correct in that unless you drive a goodly number of miles such as 15K or 25K or 35K it really doesn't matter which vehicle you drive. The second part about they being only good for city driving is a common misconception, for two reasons.
 
1. The current hybrids as well as the new FFH will get at least 20% better fuel economy on the highway as a non-hybrid version.
2. This is almost always misunderstood, the pricing often has little or nothing to do with the decision. Why? Buyers that are on a tight budget normally don't look at $28000 vehicles. Buyers that expect to pay $25000 to $35000 for a vehicle see no problem with a hybrid in this range. That's what they normally spend.
 
This is the real question that you have to ask. 'In the $25000 - $35000 price segment what vehicle can you buy that get the fuel economy of this new Fusion hybrid.' The only one close is the TCH. Nothing else qualifies. That's a nice position to be in....for both manufacturers.
 
Ford and Toyota are making vehicles for this demographic segment. They are not making vehicles for the under-$20K segment...that's Honda's territory. That's also not a coincidence.

#43 of 1144 Re: Fusion Hybrid '10 availability [kdhspyder] by akirby

Jan 05, 2009 (12:06 pm)

Replying to: kdhspyder (Jan 05, 2009 10:08 am)
The current hybrids as well as the new FFH will get at least 20% better fuel economy on the highway as a non-hybrid version.
 
Camry I4 - 21/31
Camry I4 hybrid - 31/34
 
That's only 10% better. The Fusion numbers will be higher for both but the ratio should be similar. The improvement for city driving is so much higher than the highway improvement that people focus on the city MPG.
 
As for the pricing - I've seen countless owners of $50K+ vehicles who use regular instead of premium just to save 20 cents/gallon. People who buy a $30K Fusion are just as likely to be concerned with fuel mileage and fuel savings as someone in a $20K vehicle.

#44 of 1144 Re: Fusion Hybrid '10 availability [akirby] by larsb

Jan 05, 2009 (12:31 pm)

Replying to: akirby (Jan 05, 2009 12:06 pm)
TCH has combined MPG of 33 and the non-hybrid I4 has a combined MPG of 26.
 
That's a 26.9% improvement.
 
Just Sayin'.

#45 of 1144 Re: Fusion Hybrid '10 availability [larsb] by bigt

Jan 05, 2009 (12:35 pm)

Replying to: larsb (Jan 05, 2009 12:31 pm)
Does anyone think the extra 5k will be worth it to get the Milian hb?

#46 of 1144 Re: Fusion Hybrid '10 availability [bigt] by gregg_vw

Jan 05, 2009 (1:38 pm)

Replying to: bigt (Jan 05, 2009 12:35 pm)
It is not $5K more than the Fusion hybrid. Equipped the same, the two will be at most a couple hundred dollars apart, and in real world sales prices, they will be the same (comparing Fusion and Milan hybrids). If you mean the hybrid over the 4 cylinder Milan, then it depends on what you want. I'd get the hybrid myself...uses less petrol--whether or not it ever pays me back that way--is a quieter car with more gadgets, has more panache, and will have much better resale.

#47 of 1144 Re: Fusion Hybrid '10 availability [larsb] by akirby

Jan 05, 2009 (1:55 pm)

Replying to: larsb (Jan 05, 2009 12:31 pm)
kdhspyder said the highway mileage was at least 20% better on the hybrid vs. non hybrid. The example I gave showed 31 vs. 34 for the TCH which is a 10% improvement, not 20% - on the highway.

#48 of 1144 Re: Fusion Hybrid '10 availability [akirby] by kdhspyder

Jan 05, 2009 (2:08 pm)

Replying to: akirby (Jan 05, 2009 12:06 pm)
The realworld number for all TCH's according to GreenHybrid is about 36+ mpg day on a day-in day-out driving, both highway and city. Most customers that have the TCH report 38-41 mpg on long highway trips ( 500 mi or more ).
 
Of the 4 Camrys I've owned the lifetime averages have always been about 31 mpg. 85% of my driving is Highway.
 
I'd expect both the TCH and certainly the FHH to approach 40 mpg all the time on the highway. The two that I've driven for more than 300 mi at Interstate speeds both got 38-39 mpg. From the available data and my own personal experience I think that the difference is about 20% on the highway, I'm pretty certain that I could push that towards 30%.
 
 YMMV.

#49 of 1144 Re: Fusion Hybrid '10 availability [akirby] by kdhspyder

Jan 05, 2009 (2:17 pm)

Replying to: akirby (Jan 05, 2009 12:06 pm)
As for the pricing - I've seen countless owners of $50K+ vehicles who use regular instead of premium just to save 20 cents/gallon. People who buy a $30K Fusion are just as likely to be concerned with fuel mileage and fuel savings as someone in a $20K vehicle.
 
Yep that was precisely my point. Buyers who expect to pay $25000+ for a vehicle with certain amenities will not flinch a bit at the FHH or TCH in the $28000 range. This is the demographic toward which these vehicles are aimed.
 
These vehicles are NOT airmed toward the budget conscious buyer limited to vehicle prices in the $20K or lower range. That's Honda's territory.

Messages Page 5 of 115

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