ChuckJ

Not to mention, that the trade-in price will be higher. ChuckJ

My dealer said March or early April also. ChuckJ

Great Job with the pictures!!! I think my concern is eased. You still won't be able to fit 5 people with all their luggage, but that's plenty for a couple. ChuckJ

And you get a better trade-in. ChuckJ

Wow, I had no idea it was half. Does that mean you could go 10 miles on EV? ChuckJ

Gear ratio's would make sense to me. Key to mileage is low RPM and if you have to increase it for some reason, you're going to give up mileage. But I found this user mileage input chart interesting also. Note how the new FFHs and not getting their 47 and really, not much better than the old FFH. http://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?action=browseList2&make=Ford&model=Fusion%20Hybrid%20FWD Chuck

fueleconomy.gov is a great site that aside from providing other good information, permits us to log our mileage. I've got my FFH on there now and hope that those of you that get Energi's will add yours (as there are no Energi's on there yet). Here's the link: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?action=browseList2&make=Ford&model=Fusion%20Hybrid%20FWD One interesting thing I just noticed is that there's not much difference between the 2010-2012 FFH and the new 2013 FFH. Maybe that will change with time. ChuckJ

Nice find Jeff. The 8.2 cubic foot trunk is confirmed. Still waiting to see the pictures though. If they were smart they kept it so you could have 3 or 4 airplane carry-on bags. ChuckJ

Here's one from Pen Fed Credit Union (true car) Created on January 10, 2013 Preferred Vehicle 2013 Ford Fusion Plug-In Hybrid 4dr Sedan SE Luxury Based on your preferred options and colors, this is your Target Price $42,343 Potential Savings: $777 ( 1.80%) off MSRP of $43,120 About the Target Price The Target Price is not an advertised price, but rather an example of what you can reasonably expect to pay for your vehicle as configured with your preferred options. The Target Price is based upon analysis of anonymous, aggregated pricing data, and is adjusted as market condition change. The Target Price with your preferred options includes a $795 destination fee (which is listed in the total MSRP for this vehicle), but excludes applicable tax, title, licensing and documentation fees, other state and governmental charges and/or fees, and any other charges and/or fee allowed by law. Each Certified Dealer sets and controls its own pricing, and will confirm actual availability from in-stock inventory, including options and colors choices. Each Certified Dealer has access to a copy of this certificate, and may choose to create quotes for you based on actual in-stock inventory. Please be sure to review the Important Buying Tips below before visiting the dealership. Your 2013 Ford Fusion Plug-In Hybrid Preferences Preferred Colors EXTERIOR: Ingot Silver INTERIOR: Dune Preferred Options Front License Plate Bracket (153) Moonroof w/Universal Garage Door Opener (13B) Power Code Remote Start System (55S) Priced Dora (C09) Rear View Camera (61C) Reverse Sensing System (43P) Voice-Activated Navigation System (60N) Driver Assist Pkg (90A) Standard Paint (-PAINT) E-Cvt Transmission (44J) 2.0l Atkinson Hybrid I4 Engine (99U) 50 State Emission System (425) Dune, Leather Seat Trim (BQ) 700a Equipment Group Order Code (700A) ChuckJ

I tend to agree with your assessment. I guess we'll just have to wait until someone gets a real picture. ChuckJ

Attached is the 2013 FFH trunk. It's pretty deep. The salesman tells me that the trunk has the pass-through and the FFI's trunk is the same (including pass-through) except that the lower section comes out to the lip of the opening, leaving a trunk about the height of a carry-on bag and very deep. It looks to me like 3 or 4 carry-on's and a couple of computer bags. ChuckJ PS Attached is a youtube video that seems to show that the shelf I talked about above doesn't come up to the lip of the trunk. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/o9DmRe6MTDY?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

There are now some good videos on you tube that discuss the instrumentation and other features of the car. I've listed one here, but there are several good ones that will come up for selection at the end of the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=1WoaxDrIIVo&NR=1 ChuckJ

I just checked USAA and found the following for my area (Dallas). Configured MSRP: $43,120 With Ice Storm (Exterior), Dune (Interior), and $3,625 in options Change >> Potential savings :$777 Target Price :$42,343 ChuckJ

It might also do some good to change your instrumentation to show the amount of electricity being used. On level ground with the battery level at half you can hold over 40 MPH without getting on gas. When you get below half battery you can probably only hold 35. This gauge is helpful is judiciously using your battery, which increases mileage. ChuckJ

And most new cars have tire pressure warning so most of the time you get a little warning. ChuckJ

It really bothers me that people compare the cheapest version of a car with the highest tech hybrid / plug-in. Here USA Today has the nerve to compare the cheapest Fusion with the Energi which has many more features standard. They never seem to mention that although hybrids do cost more they provide more than better gas mileage; smoothness and quietness for just a couple. ChuckJ

Better mileage- after 3 years with the Camry Hybrid I had a long term mileage of 35.3 and driving in the same conditions the FFH is 39.1. The new Camry is higher, but still not 47/47. Better gauges- More detail enables one to drive it for better mileage. Nicer interior- Great side mirror traffic warning lights Better GPS Better radio Nicer to be able to hold 45 MPH in electric. Negatives: No pass through in < 2013 ChuckJ

I currently have a 2011 FFH and used to have a Camry Hybrid. The FFH is much better and is one of the best cars I have ever owned. I have 29,000 miles on the car and have 39.1 MPG since I've had the car. ChuckJ

That's very thoughtful of you, pluggedin! May I ask if you got a discount or paid full MSRP? ChuckJ

I'd be surprised if you could do better than true-car / USAA / etc on a new gen car. I usually make it a practice not to pay more than invoice for a car, but I doubt that's going to happen before a few years go by. ChuckJ

I have, but they know very little. My salesman sent me an back-channel email, but even that didn't have much on it. ChuckJ

We live in the DFW area and we get 39 in the winter and summer and 40 in the spring and fall. Trips to Alabama achieved 42. We use the same theory as DennisW- try to bring the battery down to 1/4 full when putting it away and don't accelerate using battery. ChuckJ

We like the Volt very much, especially the size of the trunk with the back seats down, but 4 seats instead of 5 is stopping that one for us- right now. ChuckJ

Thanks for the numbers Jsamp. They actually look better than it felt. Perhaps it is quieter. ChuckJ

I went to the Ft. Worth Auto Show and was quite disappointed with regard to the Fusion Energi. There were no Energi vehicles present and no literature. Only one person had ever heard of it and he was a new salesman who just happened to drive one from the delivery truck to the parking space. He said it was picked up that day so I'm assuming it had been ordered. There was only a prototype of the Fusion Hybrid and that was up on a stand so we weren't even able to look at trunk space, etc. Outside, there was a group of test drive vehicles, but there weren't any Fusion Hybrids out there either. I did drive a C-max hybrid that is suppose to have the same drive train as the Fusion Hybrid. The ride was 5 minutes around the streets of Ft. Worth. It was very similar to the operation of the Fusion Hybrid we have now. If anything I would say the gas engine comes on sooner during acceleration. I like my current Fusion Hybrid gauges better than the C-Max, but they may not be exactly the same as the Fusion and / or it might just take getting used to them. I think it had slightly less pickup, though it still had more than the Prius. ChuckJ