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I own one. Love it for the most part. There are minor issues - mostly with MyFord Touch - but I enjoy the car.
My question for those here - and you've likely heard it. My average MPG is 42. I'm ok with that number.
I also can hit 46 in a trip, but averaging 47? Seems doable but you'd have to drive the car like an old person.
It also assumes a lot. Like
NO steep hills. None. Not up, not down. Up, you're not making it on EV mode. Down, you can't extend the brake distance to offset the energy consumption properly.
Every light must be timed, not weighted plate. The problem is that most metros really do enjoy weighted plate or they'll make it timed only when it's rush hour. When it's wide open, the problem with weighted plate is that if a car approaches the light on the cross street and you can't see them coming until they're at the light, you're often forced to hit the brakes harder than you would if you're close to the light, but not close enough to go through without running red.
If you're in bumper-to-bumper traffic or slower freeway traffic, those drivers have to be driving with some common sense and etiquette (which they never do). Out here in Seattle metro, they'll cram into a small space between you and a car ahead you, forcing you to hit your brakes to avoid an accident. They'll switch lanes without signaling, again forcing you to hit brakes to avoid an accident. They'll slam brakes when they get scared of something beside them, which jams up everyone behind including you.
The worst part of the mileage hit is when you're taking off from a dead stop, in my experience. Unfortunately, when there are so many instances of being at a dead stop on these freeways, it's nearly impossible to avoid this.
Out here at least, both my home and work sit on top of rather steep-ish hills. So when the car goes into EV+ mode, which should otherwise be the holy grail of mileage, it's negated by the need to apply extra gas to get up the hill. Contrast with San Diego, where only home was up a hill and not a very long one, then plateaus out, so then it's flat.
Given those I mean, Cleveland OH would be perfect for this car since the bulk of it is flat land, but other than that most metros are at least partially hilly.
So, in average usage, what's your mileage looking like? Are you able to get at least a satisfactory mileage (> 40MPG average)?
My wife really likes these and we'll probably end up getting one. It's a shame that real world mpg is not as advertised. Believe I read there are lawsuits being brought against Ford for this.
Wonder if it would be better to wait a couple years, maybe Ford will be able to do some improvements to get consistent advertised mpg.
Ford's hybrids are very good. But just like Hyundai, Ford found a way to game the EPA tests. So the EPA numbers are not really valid.
Ford doesn't need to improve real world mileage. They need to not cheat the EPA test.
I would submit that the EPA itself is the problem. Rather than the car manufacturer being able to dictate the conditions under which a person can get a certain mileage, the body should be drive testing the car under realistic circumstances - kind of like a government MythBusters - to come to a finding.
That finding can be disputed by the manufacturer, who then must provide factual evidence that the finding is false.
The sticker should then reflect three things. First, the manufacturer's quoted mileage in column one, bold, large. Second, the EPA's realistic mileage in column two, bold, red, large. Beneath those two, should be a box containing a soft statement from both entities: the manufacturer can say whatever they want, the EPA with a standard verbiage statement that details how they tested, where, and under what conditions.
That way, the manufacturer is free to note their evidence right along with the EPA's test conditions, so that buyers can make their own decision about whether to proceed.
RE: the Fusion Hybrid itself, I really don't have an issue with the mileage I'm getting at all. I think what happened is that Ford made changes to something before releasing to production. The battery capacity seems terribly small, and I wonder if they did that on purpose so as not to cut into the sales of the Fusion Energi. It can allegedly go up to 20 miles on a single charge, so it makes little sense for the Hybrid to be able to go MAYBE 5. 10 miles on a charge would have easily ensured the 47 MPG rating. Makes me wonder if they nerfed the battery at the last minute.
Well, my wife and I bought a '13 Fusion hybrid this evening. Seems very nice so far, pretty good value for the $$. My wife will be driving it on a 500 rt trip this week, so will be interesting to see what kind of mpg she will get.
I would submit that the EPA itself is the problem. Rather than the car manufacturer being able to dictate the conditions under which a person can get a certain mileage, the body should be drive testing the car under realistic circumstances - kind of like a government MythBusters - to come to a finding.
That finding can be disputed by the manufacturer, who then must provide factual evidence that the finding is false.
The sticker should then reflect three things. First, the manufacturer's quoted mileage in column one, bold, large. Second, the EPA's realistic mileage in column two, bold, red, large. Beneath those two, should be a box containing a soft statement from both entities: the manufacturer can say whatever they want, the EPA with a standard verbiage statement that details how they tested, where, and under what conditions.
That way, the manufacturer is free to note their evidence right along with the EPA's test conditions, so that buyers can make their own decision about whether to proceed.
RE: the Fusion Hybrid itself, I really don't have an issue with the mileage I'm getting at all. I think what happened is that Ford made changes to something before releasing to production. The battery capacity seems terribly small, and I wonder if they did that on purpose so as not to cut into the sales of the Fusion Energi. It can allegedly go up to 20 miles on a single charge, so it makes little sense for the Hybrid to be able to go MAYBE 5. 10 miles on a charge would have easily ensured the 47 MPG rating. Makes me wonder if they nerfed the battery at the last minute.
I am sure the EPA test can be improved.
But Ford has been exposed as seriously overrating their fuel economy of several new models, where others such as Honda and Toyota have not. The Ford hybrids get very good fuel economy. Just not what Ford claims as per EPA tests.
But Ford has been exposed as seriously overrating their fuel economy of several new models, where others such as Honda and Toyota have not. The Ford hybrids get very good fuel economy. Just not what Ford claims as per EPA tests.
Ford has not overrated anything. Ford has followed the EPA testing procedures and 47/47/47 was what they achieved using those standards. The EPA testing procedures max out at around 60 mph, while the Fusion Hybrid can go in all-eletric mode up to 62 mph. That is part of the reason why the Fusion Hybrid does so well on the EPA's testing cycle and why some people have been able to get 47+ mpg. Those driving like a grandma, aka those who stay below 62 mph, are able to beat the estimates.
The difference between this and Hyundai / Kia was that the EPA retested H-K's vehicles after many complaints and found that H-K were indeed rating their vehicles too generously. The H-K vehicles that were overrated all had strictly gas engines. The EPA opened an investigation into the Fusion Hybrid / C-Max back in December. Considering they have made no announcement of wrong-doing six months later, I have a feeling the EPA will conclude there was no "gaming the system" by Ford and that the EPA's testing procedures for hybrids are inadequate. What's interesting that as the weather has warmed up and Fusion Hybrids have been getting broken in, more vehicles are acheiving averages in the 45+ range.
Ford has not overrated anything. Ford has followed the EPA testing procedures and 47/47/47 was what they achieved using those standards. The EPA testing procedures max out at around 60 mph, while the Fusion Hybrid can go in all-eletric mode up to 62 mph. That is part of the reason why the Fusion Hybrid does so well on the EPA's testing cycle and why some people have been able to get 47+ mpg. Those driving like a grandma, aka those who stay below 62 mph, are able to beat the estimates.
The difference between this and Hyundai / Kia was that the EPA retested H-K's vehicles after many complaints and found that H-K were indeed rating their vehicles too generously. The H-K vehicles that were overrated all had strictly gas engines. The EPA opened an investigation into the Fusion Hybrid / C-Max back in December. Considering they have made no announcement of wrong-doing six months later, I have a feeling the EPA will conclude there was no "gaming the system" by Ford and that the EPA's testing procedures for hybrids are inadequate. What's interesting that as the weather has warmed up and Fusion Hybrids have been getting broken in, more vehicles are acheiving averages in the 45+ range.
Maybe "overrated" is the wrong word on my part. But Ford's numbers are not realistic and have been shown to be overly optimistic many times now. Ford uses these numbers in advertising and essentially no one achieves them. Toyota hybrids on the other hand, achieve their ratings in general.
The 2013 Fusion hybrid is rated 47/47/47 MPG
The 2013 Camry hybrid LE is rated 43/39/41 MPG
The site Fuelly.com shows 154 2013 Fusion hybrids in their database. The average MPG is 41.0.
The Camry is essentially achieving the EPA rating. The Fusion is achieving 6 MPG less.
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