Overview & Reviews

For the most part, the pickings in the midsize hybrid sedan segment are fairly mundane. One exception is the Ford Fusion Hybrid, a sedan that offers better fuel economy than its main competitors while also being more enjoyable to drive.

Though driving enjoyment typically isn't high on the list of a hybrid buyer's list of priorities, the Fusion Hybrid delivers an unusually lively experience behind the wheel. If you're shopping for a new or used hybrid-powered sedan, this Ford should definitely be near the top of your list. Its unusual combination of solid driving dynamics and superior fuel economy, along with its good looks, comfortable ride and accommodating interior, makes it easy to recommend.

Current Ford Fusion Hybrid
The Ford Fusion Hybrid is a midsize four-door sedan that's available in three trim levels: S, SE and Titanium. There is also the plug-in, extended-range version, called the Fusion Energi, which is reviewed separately.

The hybrid powertrain consists of a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine working in concert with an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack. All told, there's 188 horsepower on tap along with impressive EPA fuel economy estimates of 47 mpg in all three cycles: city, highway and combined.

Standard equipment highlights on the S include 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, the voice-activated Sync audio/cell phone interface and a sound system with a CD player and USB/iPod interface. The SE adds a keyless entry keypad, a power driver seat, a rear seat center armrest, satellite radio and numerous options. The Titanium's highlights include 18-inch alloy wheels, remote start, keyless ignition and entry, leather upholstery, heated front sport seats, a power passenger seat, the MyFord Touch electronics interface (with configurable gauge displays), a rearview camera and an upgraded audio system. Key options include a navigation system, adaptive cruise control, automated parking assist and blind-spot detection.

In reviews, this Fusion Hybrid impressed us with its athletic handling and communicative steering that provides a more engaging driving experience than you'd expect from a fuel sipper. At the same time, the ride is supple over bumps and ruts, the cabin is supremely quiet and Ford has made strides in making braking effort seem more natural: a previous complaint with the Fusion and indeed many hybrids. And while the trunk is compromised by the presence of its battery pack, the remaining space is more useful than that of rival hybrid sedans. If there is a primary drawback, it's that Ford's electronic interfaces are less unintuitive than other systems.

Used Ford Fusion Hybrid Models
The current, second-generation Ford Fusion Hybrid was introduced for 2013. All told, Ford managed to take all the attributes of the previous Fusion Hybrid -- notably, excellent fuel economy, sharp styling, sporty handling, a smooth ride and plenty of handy features – and bolster it with more dramatic exterior styling, improved driving dynamics and the latest in electronics and features. These Fusion Hybrids are identical to the latest version with a few minor exceptions. Specifically, they lack the availability of the S trim level, inflatable rear seatbelts, a heated steering wheel and ventilated front seats.

The first-generation Ford Fusion Hybrid debuted for the 2010 model year and ran through 2012. It was a midsize sedan that employed a 2.5-liter inline-4 gasoline engine paired with an electric motor and a nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery pack to produce 191 hp. The power was sent to the front wheels through a CVT. Along with a fuel mileage estimate of 39 mpg in combined driving, this Fusion Hybrid had the ability under low load conditions to propel itself to nearly 50 mph on battery power alone.

The handsome cabin sported quality materials and a wealth of standard features. The latter included 17-inch alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, the MyKey system (limits top speed and audio volume), a keyless-entry security code pad, automatic headlamps, dual-zone automatic climate control, power front seats and a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel. There was also the Sync electronics interface (includes voice commands, Bluetooth and iPod control) and a six-speaker sound system with CD/MP3 player, satellite radio and steering-wheel controls. Options included a rearview camera, a premium audio system, a sunroof and a navigation system with Sirius Travel Link.

In reviews, we were pleasantly surprised by the Ford Fusion Hybrid's well-sorted chassis. It's not a sport sedan, but it is sportier than you'd expect a hybrid sedan to be. Granted, you'll get even better mileage out of cars like the smaller Honda Insight and ubiquitous Toyota Prius. But when you compare apples to apples, the first-generation Ford Fusion Hybrid is an excellent choice for a used hybrid family sedan.

User Reviews:

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  Best Car Purchase Ive Made - 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By Trey - December 23 - 1:22 pm

  I bought this car Certified from a Ford dealership, 4 years old with 50,000 miles on it. I bought it specifically for the gas mileage of the hybrid. I had seen several reviews of the hybrid saying that they werent getting the rated 44mpg city in the real world. Still, I figured Id have to save a lot of money on gas upgrading from my old vehicle, so I went with it. I couldnt be happier with the gas mileage. I am a volunteer firefighter, and if Im making a run and really accelerating hard (not all the way to the floor every time, but still asking for a lot of power), I see around 37 to 39mpg from a trip. If Im really trying my best to increase fuel economy, I regularly get near 50mpg, no problems. And if Im driving along as usual and not paying attention to my gas mileage or acceleration, Ill get around 46mpg, maybe even a little more. There are all kinds of driving aids and tips that you can configure on the dash to help coach you in getting the best gas mileage, and at the end of each trip when you turn the key off, it tells you how many miles you drove, your fuel economy for that trip, and a few other fuel economy related items about the trip. It didnt take me long at all to get used to driving the most efficiently for this car. I drive between 100 and 200 miles a day usually, between work, school, the firehouse, and any other driving I do, and Id say overall I average around 46 or 47mpg. I bought the car hoping for great gas mileage, but really Im getting even more than I expected without really trying. So with gas mileage, I am more than happy. Moving on, I love the look of the car, inside and out. My mom (who has owned a Mercedes before) told me she would have thought it was a Mercedes getting in the passenger seat. Its really a very appealing car by looks, both inside and out. Mine has the touch screen and heated seats and Im very happy with the value and what all options I have (which Im still discovering as I go on). I feel like Im driving a luxury car every day. One random thing Ive noticed is that you dont need to turn the A/C on to have cold air blowing. And Im usually the person who will have the A/C on 11 months out of the year. With the Fusion, I rarely turn it on. I find myself getting chilly in the car with only the regular climate fan turned on and turned to Lo. Somehow, it cools the car down more than my old cars A/C did, without me ever having to turn on the air conditioner, which again saves fuel. My only two things I can point out that Im not the biggest fan of (and this is only because Im really looking for a downside to report, its really not a big deal) are: 1) the bluetooth will lose connection with my iPhone 7 fairly often, to the point where I dont use the car to make phone calls because it will almost always cut out during the call, and 2) Id rather have physical buttons than touch-sensitive buttons for controls on the center-stack, because I have to take my eyes off the road to adjust the climate, I cant just feel for the buttons or knobs. But really, thats just personal preference, and not a knock on the car itself. Overall, I am thrilled with the car. The gas mileage is better than expected and the only reason I can think that others arent seeing these numbers is because theyre driving the car like a regular gasoline motor without following the tips that the car gives you. It only took me a couple short drives to get the driving down, and now I do it naturally. And its not like Im driving extremely slow or anything. I got a ton of compliments on the car the first day I drove it to work. It looks and feels like a much more expensive car than it is. I love the car so far, I have an extended warranty and free scheduled service on it for a couple of years, so I really expect it to be cheap to own and drive. And a big shout-out to Jim ONeal Ford, everyone there was more than helpful with me, with no pressure, and I cant thank them enough. Absolutely no regrets with this car!

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  Great car - 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By D M - November 11 - 11:52 pm

  This is a great car. So far no problems a couple of recalls, all taken by dealer. Still happy with the Fusion. Put 3 thou+ on since the last review.

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  The car is amazing - 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By raazer - October 23 - 1:42 am

  I have had mine for about 2 weeks and have put over 700 miles on it in that time. I am regularly hitting well above 40mpg and on one occasion hit 48.5 mpg over a 90 mile trip. I figure that the more I learn how to drive the car properly Ill be achieving the full EPA estimate of 47mpg on a consistent basis. The MyTouch is quirky at first but its just like any computer. You learn the commands and how it functions and you can master it. In the 2 weeks Ive owned it, I have learned every command and have found it to be quite a reliable tool in the vehicle. The only features I do not have are the park assist and the adaptive cruise control. So far everything else functions as it should.

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  2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid - 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By Noel - September 14 - 6:20 pm

  I was waiting for a hybrid that really had it all, and the FFH has it in spades. This car is plenty fast, very quiet, comfortable, corners well, has plenty of useful amenities, a wonderful Sony sound system & MS Sync, 3 yr of free voice navigation (in the non Nav equipped model), Sirius radio, many nice safety and monitoring systems, a decent size trunk and has been flawless since purchase. The car goes into electric only mode easily, and can sustain speeds of 46 mph until moving into gas engine mode. I average 41.5 mpg year round (40.3-43.6, season dependent), and live in a hilly area of Northern California. The car is a true 10 of 10.

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  Really Enjoy This Car, Especially The Mileage - 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By Mark Holdgrafer - August 22 - 7:00 pm

  Really wanted the Mustang, but with a teenage son in the family there was no way to fit him in the back seat, so a family sedan was needed. Never thought I would buy a hybrid, but am very glad that I did. Almost didnt even test drive it though. I test drove a standard Fusion because I liked the styling, but it was so dreadfully underpowered that I just wrote it off. At another dealership I decided to give the hybrid a try and Im glad I did. The electrics give it a nice punch with some added torque that makes up for the missing horsepower even with the combined engine/electric rating of only 188hp. That is one of the advantages of electric motors, the full torque of the motor is available almost instantly across the full range of RPM. What I really enjoy about her though is that she gives me on average about 40mpg. Once you get used to driving a hybrid its pretty easy to keep your mileage close to or even above the rated values. I often get around 50mpg on my commute (as reported by the on-board computer at the end of each trip). The one thing that I dont like about her is the MyFord Sync entertainment system. Its been widely reported that it is simply not a user friendly interface and they are correct. Its got some maddening deficiencies. For instance, pressing the media button repeatedly should cycle through the available media inputs on the stereo but you have to use either the voice interface to tell it to switch from line input to USB input, or go several layers deep into the media menu to do so. There are other user interface mistakes like this as well.

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  Couldnt Be More Pleased - 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By David - August 8 - 6:10 am

  My first American car since 1981, and by far the most comfortable, enjoyable car I have ever owned. I have the 502 package (all the options). The gauges for the hybrid feature provide a feedback system to maximize gas mileage that is an OCDs dream come true. The Synch system, including voice-activation, jukebox, navigation screen features and sound quality, is simply awesome, and the transition between EV mode and gas engine imperceptably smooth. My only complaint is that the car is somewhat noisy at speeds exceeding 70 mph. New England winter gas mileage is only about 32 mpg, though in Spring I am now getting the full 38-40 mpg mix city and highway driving.

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  MPG Learning curve - 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By khamiam - May 26 - 2:31 pm

  I have had my fusion hybrid for about a month --and MPG is a learned behavior. First about my driving --right now I am commuting out of state 250 miles from home and then 40 miles round trip from the hotel to work. I drive with the traffic in 55&65 zone. The first week I got 39-41 MPG --which is what I expected and was totally ok with. The second week, I got 43.5 and the third week 45.3 and the 4th 47.1 -- You have to change the way you drive. Easy on the accelerator, to keep it in EV mode.I wait to speed up when the gas engine kicks in. Yes, 47 MPG (for 500+ miles) is possible -- and if you are getting mid-thirties, your driving style doesnt fit ANY hybrid. Use eco-cruise for better mpg.

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  2014 Ford Fusion Hybred - 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By xboeing1 - May 17 - 1:34 am

  I love this car. I have to admit something though. The styling is directly out of a James Bond movie. The front design, which looked exactly like the Astin - Martin sports car. How is this possible for Ford to do this? Easy one, they own part of the company so no lawsuits. As a 70 year old man who still has a serious love affair with the James Bond myth what could I do but buy one. Now I have to say its doubtful that ever Bond were real he probably wouldnt have been driving a 4 door sedan but I can deal with that:o). As every adult knows when you fall in love with something you lose all negotiating ability. I dont think I got a great deal but I love the car.

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  9 Month and very satisfied. - 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By wilcox - May 6 - 2:36 am

  QUIET. Currently avg. 41.0 mpg. Lower numbers in winter, higher in spring. Drives fine - will scoot if asked to. Comfortable and good climate controls. Good stereo. Love blind spot system and dash displays. I drive rather non-aggressively. It has everything on it and it all works great. The triple tri-coat white makes the vehicle look outstanding. Classy looking even if it is a plentiful Ford...

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  Love the Ford Fusion!! - 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By Gingout - March 25 - 7:20 pm

  I have owned the car for 2 months (3000 miles) and love it. The car is quiet, tight, comfortable and easy to drive which makes my morning commute in the Washington DC area decent. I am averaging 41.5 mpg with 60% highway and 40% city which is better than the combined 38 that is advertised. I have actually obtained as high as 58.9 mpg on some drives. Great car and highly recommended.