The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and the future of the American sedan. (Photo: Tim Hurst)

The 2010 Ford Fusion was named Motor Trend Car of the Year. And that wasn't even the hybrid.

I couldn't have asked for a better time to get out of town. A strong winter storm was barreling down on Colorado and virtually every road surface in the state was covered in snow.  I was about to head off for a long weekend to cover sustainability efforts at a music festival in sunny southern California.  On top of this, my traveling partner for this excursion, Gas 2.0 editor Nick Chambers had secured a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid for an extended test-drive. There was a very good likelihood that if I didn't make my flight or if it was delayed, that I wouldn't be getting out at all.

Despite the fact that the plane I was supposed to get on to California never actually arrived in Denver, somehow the airline was able to find another and get us into the air.

By the time I landed in Long Beach, the storm was already to the east, the sky was blue and the air was warm. I grabbed my bags at the outdoor baggage claim looked up and saw Nick roll-up in a shiny-new Ford Fusion Hybrid.

All was right with the world. 

The review

At first blush, the Fusion is a good looking and comfortable vehicle with a cool user interface and a comfortable ride. The Fusion isn't cheap. Starting at $27,625, it costs about five thousand bucks more than a brand 3rd Generation Toyota Prius. And at 41 miles per gallon (hwy), it won't get the mileage that the 51-mpg Prius will. But in terms of comfort, features, and its larger size, the Fusion is really more like a Toyota Camry than a Prius.

The first thing that I noticed when I got behind the wheel was that the Fusion's user interface has a lot going on. They call it the Dual LCD SmartGauge Cluster with Eco Guide that provides real-time information to help you squeeze the most efficiency from your Fusion Hybrid. While it could be a little overwhelming for the easily distracted, after making myself familiar with the cluster, I found the gauges to be plenty informative without having to look directly at them.

The SmartGauge with EcoGuide uses LCD screens on either side of the center-mounted speedometer. (A tutorial built into the display lets you choose one of four data screens for the level of information you want - Inform, Enlighten, Engage or Empower - and explains your options within each.)

On the data screen setting we opted for, the LCD screen on the left had guages indicating fuel level, battery level and miles per hour (with the EcoGuide indicator telling you when you are driving in EV-mode). You keep it in the green zone on the EcoGuide and the 2.5L Atkinson-Cycle I-4 Hybrid engine shuts off and runs completely off of the high-power NiMH battery. Keep it in the green and you are essentially driving an electric car. Continued...