2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
Based on analysis of 13 Fusion-Hybrid reviews and test drives.
Ford Fusion Hybrid - What the Auto Press Says
The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid ranks 1 out of 21 Affordable Midsize Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 13 published reviews and test drives of the Ford Fusion Hybrid, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.
The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid is the 2010 North American Car of the Year. Many reviewers are calling it the best hybrid sedan yet. It holds its own against the Toyota Prius, and in some ways, it may be a better car.
The Ford Fusion has not been completely redesigned for 2010 -- this model still shares its basic archiecture with the Fusion that has been around for several years. But the improvements Ford has made to the car have led many in the automotive press to treat it as if it were an all-new model.
Perhaps the most substantial improvement for 2010 is the development of a hybrid edition. The Fusion Hybrid offers an upscale interior of high-quality materials, and unique technology features that set it apart from its competition. More important to many reviewers, it offers an engaging driving experience that, according to many, bests the somewhat-artificial feel of previous hybrid cars. The Fusion Hybrid is so successful at blending the benefits of a hybrid with the driving experience of a conventional sedan that the automotive press named it the 2010 North American Car of the Year.
With its midsize car practicality and a fuel economy rating that beats most other hybrids, the car is versatile enough to find its way onto the lists of hybrid and non-hybrid shoppers.
The 2010 Fusion Hybrid arrives at a crucial time, and many reviewers can't help but see it as a politically important car. "Hear that, Capitol Hill?" writes Motor Trend. "Detroit is building the trendsetting, high-mileage, high-quality cars (the Fusion tops both Camry and Accord in the 2008 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study) you claim they can't build." The Los Angeles Times agrees, saying, "The scolding undercurrent of recent congressional hearings on the auto-industry bailout was the notion that Detroit had failed to invest in next-generation technology that could help wean us off foreign oil. Not so. Had Ford made a few hundred thousand of these cars available in June...the streets of Dearborn, Mich., would be repaved with diamond cobblestones."
Whether you're shopping for a political statement or just a comfortable, appealing midsize car that won't cost a fortune at the pump, the 2010 Fusion is worth a close look. It bests its closest competitors, like the Toyota Camry Hybrid and Nissan Altima Hybrid, on fuel economy. And with its upscale cabin and gadget-heavy interior, it might even offer a cheap-to-own alternative to some entry-level luxury cars like the Acura TL.
The Fusion Hybrid comes in one well-equipped trim level, with three optional upgrade packages.
- "Overall I'd say this is the best mid-size hybrid you can buy." -- Automobile Magazine
- "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." -- USA Today
- "We did not want to return the Fusion Hybrid at the end of the test week, during which we tried all sorts of things to make it run out of gas. After a week in the oh-so-smooth, technologically transparent Fusion Hybrid, I've not only become more of a believer in hybrids, but I've also moved closer than ever to buying a hybrid automobile...I really like this car, mostly because it feels and looks like a nice, high-quality, midsize family sedan instead of a science project." - Washington Post
- "It betters its meager hybrid competition in more areas than any other rival (including the Altima, Camry and Chevy Malibu hybrids). It is more engaging to drive than all but the Altima, and is more spacious and features a much nicer interior than them all. It also achieves the best fuel economy. Of course, the Prius and Honda Insight achieve better fuel economy, have more cargo space and are cheaper, but they're also much slower, weirder and dull to drive. In other words, your hybrid choice just got a whole lot better." -- Edmunds
- "From its inventive and entertaining TFT displays to its competition-busting mpg numbers, it's apparent that Ford has put plenty of blood, sweat and tears into its 2010 Fusion Hybrid." -- Popular Mechanics
Fusion-Hybrid Performance - 9.1 (Excellent)
The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid drives much like a non-hybrid car. It combines the nimble handling of the standard Fusion - always one of the more athletic midsize family cars - with a hybrid powertrain that reviewers find remarkably smooth. Its regenerative brakes feel soft to some reviewers, but in the track testing performed by many publications their performance is typical for a midsize sedan. Read More
Fusion-Hybrid Exterior - 8.9 (Very Good)
The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid is indistinguishable from the 2010 Ford Fusion to the casual observer, except for three small hybrid badges. For 2010, the exterior has been modified to look a bit more aggressive, with a wider grille and heavier use of chrome accents. On the whole reviewers like the look. Read More
Fusion-Hybrid Interior - 8.9 (Very Good)
The passenger cabin of the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid has received excellent reviews. Auto writers are impressed with the soft-touch materials and the tight fit and finish of the interior. Mostly, though, they focus on the electronics. From the standard SYNC infotainment system to the new Smart Gauge instrument cluster that coaches drivers toward fuel efficiency, the Fusion's interior boasts many high-tech features not found on other cars at this price. Read More
Fusion-Hybrid Safety - 9.9 (Excellent)
Safety agencies have only begun testing the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, and full results are not yet available. The federal government awarded the car five stars for protecting drivers from a side-impact crash, and four for protecting front-seat passengers. Frontal-impact testing results have not been released, nor has the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety revealed any test scores for the Hybrid, though the standard Fusion did well in Institute testing. Read More
Fusion-Hybrid Reliability - 9.0 (Excellent)
The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid reliability score shown is the Predicted Reliability rating provided by J.D. Power and Associates. This score is based on trending the past three years of historical initial quality and dependability data from J.D. Power's automotive studies, specifically the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) and the Initial Quality Study (IQS). Ford provides a three-year/36,000-mile warranty on the Fusion Hybrid. A separate warranty covering hybrid powertrain components lasts eight years or 100,000 miles. Read More
