2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid

Vehicle Overview

The Fusion Hybrid, Ford’s first hybrid passenger car, comes to market with technology designed to help drivers operate the car in a more efficient manner. Competitors include the Toyota Camry Hybrid and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The Fusion Hybrid seats five.

The gas-only Fusion is covered separately in the Cars.com Research section.

New for 2012
There are no significant changes for 2012.

Exterior
The Fusion Hybrid is based on the gas-powered Fusion, but it has a few exterior cues that will tip off onlookers that they aren’t looking at a regular Fusion: The hybrid has badges on the front doors and trunk lid, plus special 17-inch wheels. Exterior features include:

• Standard rear parking sensors
• Optional rain-sensing wipers
• Optional moonroof

Interior
The general appearance of the Fusion Hybrid’s cabin hews closely to the looks of the regular model, which is more modern than before but still trails competitors like the Kia Optima in terms of materials quality. The seat fabric in the Fusion Hybrid is made from recycled materials; leather seats are optional.

The hybrid has a unique gauge cluster that Ford calls SmartGauge with EcoGuide, designed to help drivers save fuel. Efficiency gauges have been done before, but the Fusion Hybrid’s instrument panel takes it to a new level. It features two LCD screens separated by a traditional speedometer. The screens can be configured to show the driver a limited set of information about the hybrid system or increasingly detailed data. One of the more interesting graphical features available is an animated vine that grows more leaves as the car is driven more efficiently. Interior features include:

• Standard 100-volt household power plug
• Optional navigation system
• Optional backup camera

Under the Hood
The Fusion Hybrid is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor. A continuously variable automatic transmission sends power to the front wheels. Mechanical features include:

• 191 horsepower total
• Uses regular gas
• Ford says the Fusion Hybrid can travel on electric power alone up to 47 mph

Safety
Standard safety features include:

• All-disc antilock brakes
• Side-impact airbags for the front seats
• Side curtain airbags
• Electronic stability system