"The future is arriving!" That's the comment Ford left me when I announced to the Twitterverse that I had picked up my niece from school in the 2014 Ford Fusion Energi Titanium Plug-In Hybrid using only electricity, not gas.
It was right. The company's high-tech sedan made me feel as if I were a member of the Jetsons. I went from driving a car with a conventional internal combustion I4 to a vehicle with an Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder coupled with an 88-kW electric motor, a 35-kW lithium-ion battery pack and an electronic continuously variable transmission.
I never thought I would connect a car to an electrical outlet, but I ended up doing just that with the included 120V charger. Seven hours later, I was ready to drive an EPA-estimated 21 miles. The trip to my niece's school was silent, but it spoke volumes about how much I was still in the past.
See, I had not been behind the wheel of a hybrid or a plug-in before I drove the Fusion. After giving the right pedal a deep footprint, I was not impressed with the pure-kilowatt results, nor was I confident that they would give me enough pick-up in a panic situation. The plateau in power was obvious. Don't get me wrong - I'm not one of those guys used to driving big, powerful trucks and muscle cars who thinks everything should make at least 300 horsepower. Nevertheless, I was still underwhelmed. I did appreciate the ability to bypass gas stations for short jaunts, though.
Initially, I found the performance of the 188-horsepower gas engine and electric motor combination to be similarly lackluster. It felt gutless. However, in its defense, I think the car seemed slower than it actually was. During acceleration, the speedo needle seemed to move quickly enough. I blame the eCVT (and my life-long existence in the traditional slushbox present) for my confusion. Its lack of gears made it hard for me to tell exactly where I was in the power range. I felt as if I were floating in space. In fact, the experience was so discombobulating that my fuel efficiency ended up dipping as a result. I kept leaning into the throttle pedal in an effort to get my bearings. My average miles per gallon went from around 43 to just under 40.
There was nothing confusing about those figures, though - they were easy on my wallet. They were at or only slightly below the EPA's estimate of 43 combined MPG, too. (The agency rates the Fusion Energi Plug-In Hybrid for 44 city and 41 highway MPG, and 100 MPGe with a full charge.)
The exterior styling was just as easy on my eyes. Design team leader Chris Hamilton and his crew found a way to give a midsize family sedan some visual flavor. Credit them and an Aston Martin-esque front grille, a roofline which slopes dramatically in the rear and tail lights reminiscent of the Maserati GranTurismo. A coat of rich Deep Impact Blue paint helps, as well. Only the 17-inch wheels were a let-down. They just seemed too small in relation to the amount of sheet metal riding atop them.
Inside, I heard a substantial amount of tire noise from the Michelin P225/50 R17 rubber surrounding those rollers. The 2.0-liter engine made an equally unpleasant racket. It emitted a guttural, unsophisticated and droning baaaaaaaaaah that detracted from the cabin's otherwise enjoyable atmosphere. I don't expect a Ferrari symphony, but I believe Ford should at least tune the I4 to sound a little less obnoxious and more civilized.
All controls seemed easily accessible while I was on the move. The switch for the headlights was no exception, but I didn't need to reach it because this particular Fusion had automatic front halogen units.
In the back seat, I was able to sit comfortably behind the driver's throne adjusted to my size and preferences.
Pressing a button to the left of the steering wheel opened the trunk, a compromise between room for the lithium-ion battery pack and luggage space. I was able to fit my overhead carry-on suitcase in it, but only on its side. Let's hope these power plants go the way of cellphones and shrink over time. Until then, there's a small price to pay for savings at the pump.
The Charcoal Black and metallic trim made an aesthetically simple but attractive wrapper for an impressive array of technologies. Some were included in my tester's $40,500 base price. For instance, SYNC with MyFord Touch and a reverse sensing system were no extra charge. Others, such as the $995 Adaptive cruise control which imperceptibly kept a selectable distance between me and the vehicle in front of me, were options. Navigation was $795. A $1,140 Driver Assist Package told me when I was drifting out of my lane, monitored my blind spot and kept me from getting clobbered by cross traffic when backing up. After a total of almost four grand in bells and whistles and a destination and delivery fee of $795, my Fusion Energi media loaner rang up at $45,120.
One of its competitors, the Honda Accord Plug-In, has an almost identical base price of $40,570 when you include tax, license, registration and destination charges. While its 47 city, 46 highway and 46 combined mpg numbers are higher than those for the Fusion in this review, its maximum electric range of 13 miles falls short of the Ford's, as does its 570-mile total reach (the Blue Oval is good for 620).
My week with the Ford Fusion Energi Titanium Plug-In Hybrid was certainly a glimpse into the years to come in terms of power train technology, safety and infotainment features, and gas mileage. It also provided me a look at the things that can be improved now to make a better green car in the future.
via [Ford]
