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Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan Hybrid Real World MPG

26 messages,  Last post on Dec 30, 2012 at 12:19 PM

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

What is this discussion about? Ford Fusion, Mercury, Hybrid Cars, Fuel Efficiency (MPG), Sedan

    

Messages Page 3 of 3

#17 of 26 To worry or not to worry is the question!! by anabel

Apr 11, 2012 (1:42 pm)

I have a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid with 43,000 miles. I love this car. And it is so fun to drive.
 
All those things aside, I believe I get in tune with my vehicles way too much and I don't know if that is a good thing or bad thing. Because this vehicle has been the first fuel efficient car we have ever had, I have been watching the MPG rather closely. Hoping to come close to what EPA says. I have always driven my vehicles like you are told to drive this hybrid. Try to coast and light on the gas pedal and stop slowly and never jack rabbit. Those things help save gas on normal cars that are not hybrid. So I am more than accustomed to that type of driving.
 
Now, I live in Lakeway Texas and the hills out here are pretty good. Climbing up and around them everyday. I would understand the MPG's would suffer a bit. I have been driving this car for three months now. Got it used. My MPG's were very stable at about 35.4. Even on long trips straight highway driving. Maybe it would finally creep up to just over 36 MPG. So for us, I would expect we would get better MPG's on long road trips than where we live because of the hills.
 
This weekend we went to San Antonio and spent the night there. In the morning when I went to start it and drive all was fine, but on our way to our destination, the MPG's dropped. It ended up at 27 mpg at the lowest and would climb back up slowly (to about 29) to recover then as soon as I hit the gas to get into highway traffic, it falls back down to 27. It is not acting stable in anyway any longer. On the way back home, a one and a half hour drive, it climbed to 37mpg's at one point, which in the past it had never done. Driving along the hills again, I am back down to 34mpg's. I suspect there is a regulator/relay issue, but I called Ford to ask them if there was something I was doing wrong. He told me that indeed there seems to be a relay issue, but to not worry about it. The gas meter is also showing the effect of the MPG's. Has anyone seen anything like this, and should I not worry about it? I don't want to trust Ford. Maybe they just want me to run out of warranty. What are your thoughts?

#18 of 26 LOUSY mileage by pootle

Apr 16, 2012 (7:26 pm)

Hi all - apologies for posting the same message twice. I'm really upset and hoping to find some good advice. Anyway, here goes:
 
I just bought a '10 FFH. My measured consumption for the first tankful was 22.5mpg This is crazy, yes? Granted, most of my driving over the 420km / 260m was on freeways with the cruise control set at 130kph/80mph or a little more, although some of it was careful in-town driving. I know hybrid efficiencies aren't really operating at those speeds, but I would still have expected better from a reasonably aerodynamic vehicle with an allegedly super-efficient engine. Most people seem to get low 30s under similar conditions. One thing that worries me and might be relevant is the frequent appearance of the little yellow wrench symbol during high-speed cruising. Obviously, I'm going to get it checked out ASAP, but I still wonder if anyone has any thoughts about this fuel consumption.

#19 of 26 Re: LOUSY mileage [pootle] by anabel

Apr 16, 2012 (9:36 pm)

Replying to: pootle (Apr 16, 2012 7:26 pm)
My 2cents worth, I don't believe this type of vehicle is gonna do any good going that fast. It's a 4 cylinder. It will be working extra hard. Just my thoughts on that part of ur driving. Also the cruise contol uses more gas if used than would your foot by driving yourself. Just my thoughts. I haven't noticed to much lose on mps's going that fast cause I usually don't drive more than 80 and usually not for any extended period of time. I did notice the very small engine working very hard and I backed off. Good luck!

#20 of 26 80+ mph with cruise control on ?? by wilcox

Apr 20, 2012 (1:59 pm)

Well , your reward should be low mileage and some tickets for speeding. I'd but you are one of those people who drive as fast as you can to the next redlight in town too.
 
We're averaging overall 38 mpg's coming out of winter and one month into Spring. I expect to average 41 mpg in a couple of months...just like last year.

#21 of 26 Re: 80+ mph with cruise control on ?? [wilcox] by pootle

Apr 20, 2012 (2:43 pm)

Replying to: wilcox (Apr 20, 2012 1:59 pm)
Ahhh - the self-righteous flame. I should have expected one, I suppose. No, I never drive like that in town and despise people who do. I only cruise fast on freeways when conditions allow it, which, fortunately, is most of the time. Modern freeways were designed specifically for safe high-speed cruising and the very low speed limits are largely hangovers from oil crisis days. In any case, they are typically ignored. On the freeways I usually use, in Ontario and northern NY, the usual cruising speed is around 120kph/75mph, so 130kph/81mph is not dramatically faster and the speed differential, the really important safety factor, between myself and most other cars is only 10kph/6mph.

#22 of 26 Easy by pf_flyer HOST

Apr 21, 2012 (5:59 am)

Let's stick to the mileage and avoid the personal conflicts please.

#23 of 26 Re: Easy [pf_flyer] by pootle

Apr 21, 2012 (3:12 pm)

Replying to: pf_flyer (Apr 21, 2012 5:59 am)
Second that.

#24 of 26 Long term update by acdii

Dec 27, 2012 (7:14 pm)

So far my MPG is rock solid right in the range, 36-41. During the Summer it finally broke its cherry and started getting really good FE, up to 43 MPG for a long time, and now that the cold is back its in the 37-39 range again. I never drive it over 70, wastes gas if I do, but if I can get it in a grove doing 65, I can easily crack 50 MPG in it. I surprised myself one day and got 50.2 over a 65 mile trip.
 
I also have a 2013 FFH, and sadly the old 2010 gets better MPG than the new one, by at least 2 MPG. Not too thrilled with the new one right now.

#25 of 26 Re: Long term update [acdii] by mb013962

Dec 30, 2012 (11:52 am)

Replying to: acdii (Dec 27, 2012 7:14 pm)
That's weird because consumer reports got 25mpg city 40hwy 34combined in the 1st gen fusion hybrid but 35city 41hwy 39combined in the new one

#26 of 26 hybrid v. I4 by pod

Dec 30, 2012 (12:19 pm)

I have a 2010 MilanI4 (2.5L) automatic and have consistently recorded 31-33 mpg average (measured miles/ measured gallons) in mixed driving which only include 5-10% stop and go city but does include 60% residential (non-highway) driving. On the highway I estimate that I get about 36-37 mpg going 67 mph in mostly flat terrain (the computer says 37-39).
I am not a hypermiler or slow driver but I am a realtively slow accelerater. From a light it may take me 8-10 secs to get up to 50-55 mph residential traffic which does not seem to bother the traffic patterns at all (people are not tailgating me and swearing at me). The car cost $18.8 new and I have put only 29,000 miles on it.
It is a great handling, tight, quiet car. The only maintenance has been oil filter and oil change and tire rotation every 5000 miles ( a package at local ford dealer for $30 per service). I changed the air filter at 15,000.
If economy is the principal reason that you are considering a hybrid, consider how many years or miles it would take to "pay off" the difference between a new hybrid and an outgoing 2012 fusion 4 cylinder ICE model without the (mainly unnecesary even stupid gismoes) say in the trim level just above base trim. Yes the 2013 looks different (better to most; meh to others) but how much is a pretty face worth? Going hybrid requires many many city miles to get pay back on the purchase price difference.
My conclusion is that city driver who see lots of stop and go are the major beneficiaries of hybrids. Other drivers are unlikey to see a cost benefit for many many years if ever. There is no ICE that does well in stop and go traffic even with the newer stop/start technology which is obtrusive in its early execution.
Fortunately the lower trim Fusions have all engineering excellence of the gussied up models and handle as well. In fact, I would not even consider buying a car with screens that need to be read and that would take my eyes off the road. Never. Ever. I expect that in time the NHTSB will ban such screens after they are proven to cause accidents. If economy is your aim consider the lower trim Fusion 2012s which are nicely incentivized and getting better all the time as they are fewer left on the lots.

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