The Fusion is aimed at the heart of the family car market long dominated by the Japanese Three – Toyota, Nissan and Honda – all of whom historically provide a lower overall cost of ownership, higher quality and customer loyalty.
The all-new Ford Fusion hybrid will be the most fuel-efficient midsize sedan in America with EPA ratings of 47 mpg city, 47 mpg highway and 47 mpg combined, the company claimed today. In a clear attempt to take some sales from the best-selling car in the U.S., Toyota Camry, Ford said Fusion Hybrid – not on sale until next year – is better than the Camry Hybrid (43 mpg city, 41 highway, 39 combined) – which went on sale a year ago – by 8 mpg highway and 4 city. Ford will be using newer lithium ion batteries and its latest hybrid setup, which apparently do better on the EPA test cycle than the older, but thoroughly proven nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) composition of the batteries and the hybrid design of the Camry hybrid. Toyota, of course dominates the hybrid market globally, so it is not surprising that Ford is targeting it. The Camry hybrid is currently selling at about 6,000 units a month. Moreover, the entire midsize car segment is growing rapidly this year, now representing 15% of the overall market or more than 2 million units, according to AutoData. The segment is led by Camry, Honda Accord and Nissan Altima, the Japanese Three who have severely eroded Detroit’s marketshare.
Until the final EPA numbers are available on the new Honda Accord Hybrid sedan that also goes on sale next year (and also uses the newer lithium ion batteries and Honda’s latest setup), does Ford have a viable marketing claim that Fusion Hybrid will deliver the highest-ever fuel economy numbers for a midsize sedan? In my view, a fair comparison remains in the future, and Ford’s assertion might turn out to be yet another dubious or at least overly optimistic promise from an automaker. (See First Look 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid Sedan)
A closer look at the data show that Fusion at first will face direct and much stronger competition when gasoline powered versions go on sale later this fall from some of the toughest competitors in the auto world. Fusion’s fossil-fueled 231 horsepower 2-liter “EcoBoost” four cylinder is rated at 22 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, 26 mpg combined. (You can get slightly more horsepower, but not better fuel economy by using premium fuel.) However, a new 185 horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder from Honda is rated higher at 27 mpg city, 36 highway and 30 combined – the best ever for an Accord in the EPA midsize class.
The question becomes which powertrains shoppers will actually compare in a complicated world, and Ford’s Fusion offerings appear unduly complex. The 278 horsepower V6 Accord – and AutoInformed test drives show that it doesn’t need the V6 engine that 20% of Honda buyers opt for – is rated at 21 mpg city/34 highway/25 combined, arguably the 1 mpg difference here is so close to the 2-liter Fusion that the fuel economy point is moot. Moreover, remember these are EPA ratings – your mileage can vary.
Ford will also offer a less expensive traditional 175 horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder that is rated at 22 mpg city, 34 highway, 26 combined – a hair better than the Accord 2-liter – and likely the choice of two-thirds of Fusion buyers. There is also a 173 horsepower 1.6-liter “EcoBoost” turbocharged engine at Ford rated at 23 mpg city/36 highway/28 combined, which isn’t as good as the Honda four. However, I haven’t driven it to experience how it performs and feels on the streets. The average in the midsize class, by the way, is 28 mpg combined, according to the EPA. (See First Drive: Honda’s 2013 Accord – a Comeback Car?)
Nissan is also making fuel efficiency claims for its revised Altima sedan with a 182 horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a new ‘Xtronic” continuously variable transmission. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has certified the 2013 Nissan model with ratings of 27 mpg city, 38 highway and 31 combined – better than the equivalent Ford [Fusion 22 city, 33 highway, 26 combined]. Therefore, Nissan, too, now has an advertising claim for the most fuel-efficient midsize sedan in the U.S.
There remains the best-selling Camry to look at closely. The 178 horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder was certified in 2012 at 25 mpg city, 35 highway and 28 combined, [Fusion 22 city, 33 highway, 26 combined] also better than the Ford 2-liter turbocharged engine, and arguably as good as the 1.6. (See Toyota Increases Fuel Economy and Equipment While Cutting Prices on 2012 Camry – a Gambit to Reestablish Leadership)
Hyundai Sonata for 2013 remains rated at 24 mpg, city, 35 highway, 28 combined for its 198 horsepower engine [Fusion 2-liter 22 city, 33 highway, 26 combined]. Sonata hybrid at 35 mpg city, 40 highway, 37 mpg combined is lagging the Camry hybrid [43 mpg city, 41 highway, 39 combined] and not close to Fusion’s hybrid’s claim – but a lot can happen between now and next year. (See Driving the Hyundai Sonata)
Many brands now have a claim of some sort to use in fuel economy marketing, which likely means all of them will advertise fuel efficiency this fall, making the issue so confusing that it might no longer be effective for selling cars. Buyers will assume that fuel economy is a given in the entire class of vehicles and forgo the nuances. A similar situation has occurred in the marketing of auto safety during the past decade, with it increasingly difficult for companies to draw a competitive advantage in a continually improving field of what is now demonstrably the safest fleet of new vehicles ever sold in the U.S.
Finally, in the fickle car buyer’s mind, other factors than fuel economy might prevail. Here, final transaction pricing, lease terms, quality, projected resale value, warranty, how the car actually feels when driven, perceived reputation, previous experience with a brand and the dealer can – and likely will – strongly influence buying decisions.
(This story has been expanded from its original version to include additional data and provide clarification among powertrain options. – editor)
