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" Two and a half years ago when Ford began work on its 2010 Fusion Hybrid, nobody envisioned the fuel price roller coaster that was in store for American drivers. Luckily for Ford, the company did its homework and honed in on maximizing efficiency: The new Fusion Hybrid\u2014which we wrote about from the 2008 L.A. Auto Show\u2014boasts 39 mpg city and 37 mpg highway, numbers that beat the Camry Hybrid by 6 mpg in the city and 3 mpg on the highway. Add a  new instrument panel and a host of other improvements, and the spotlight is suddenly shining brightly on Ford&amp;#039;s thrifty new midsize sedan, which will hit the market in the first quarter of 2009. The Specs  Starting at $19,270, the 2010 Fusion lineup gets more engine options, increased power, better fuel economy, and six-speed transmissions across the board. But for truly cutting-edge tech look no further than the $27,270 Hybrid model. Niceties like a more seamless transition between gas and electric make the Fusion Hybrid&amp;#039;s driving experience feel more &amp;quot;normal,&amp;quot; but the bottom line for next-gen hybrids goes far beyond how invisibly the tech is implemented. Since hybrid buyers are savvier than ever, selling points must now include how well energy-flow information is interfaced to the driver, whether or not instrumentation encourages more fuel-efficient driving and, of course, how many miles can be squeezed out of every gallon of 87 octane unleaded.  The Fusion Hybrid can now eke out more than 700 miles from its 17.5-gal tank of gas, and that figure has been achieved through an aggressively reconfigured powertrain. Though its nickel-metal-hydride batteries are 23 percent lighter and have 17 percent fewer cells, they produce 20 percent more power. Top speed in electric-only mode has been raised to an impressive 47 mph. But since the batteries operate on a relatively shallow charge range between 30 percent and 70 percent, maximum cruising range with electric-only propulsion is about a mile before the system requires recharging. Regenerative braking captures 94 percent of the energy typically lost to heat and friction, and diverts it back to the battery.  By reducing airflow during shutdowns, the 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine requires less fuel on restarts, and the start/stop cycle now occurs 1.5 times more often, lessening reliance on the gas engine. A smart climate control system runs only the gas engine to heat the cabin, and an electric A/C compressor reduces engine use. The gasoline engine produces 155 hp and 136 lb-ft of torque, while the electric motor boosts total output to 191 horsepower. The hybrid powertrain is mated to an electronically controlled, continuously variable transmission.  The hybrid model gets new instrumentation, EcoGuide, that flanks a traditional analog speedometer and tachometer with two 4.3-in. thin-film transistor (TFT) screens. The digital displays can be configured to show four degrees of hybrid systems data: &amp;quot;Inform&amp;quot; displays fuel level and battery charge status, &amp;quot;Enlighten&amp;quot; includes the electric-vehicle-mode indicator and tachometer, &amp;quot;Engage&amp;quot; adds engine-output power and battery-output power, and &amp;quot;Empower&amp;quot; goes the whole nine yards by displaying power to the wheels and engine pull-up threshold accessory power consumption. Using so-called Efficiency Leaves graphics, conscientious driving is rewarded by &amp;quot;growing&amp;quot; leaves and vines. Depending on whether you think the visual is cute or cloying, the graphic can be removed and replaced with other information.  The Drive  Behind the wheel of the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, it&amp;#039;s all about watching those  TFT screens\u2014that is, if you care about how many miles per gallon you can pull. We spent the bulk of our time in &amp;quot;Empower&amp;quot; mode, which offers a panoply of visual information to assist in prudent driving. Perhaps the most useful part is the bar graph indicating the engine pull-up threshold, which gives you an idea of how much throttle you can get away with before the gas engine kicks in. With a gentle throttle, it really is possible to cruise close to the claimed 47-mph mark; relatively silent gliding under complete electric power is a rather peaceful way to slice through traffic. But the danger, of course, is that cars behind you might get impatient with your slow-moving, hypermiling ways.  When the engine kicks in there&amp;#039;s a somewhat noticeable vibration, which is more apparent than in Toyota hybrids but less so than in Nissans. Another neat trick is keeping an eye on the accessory load. Raising the radio volume, turning up the A/C fan and a variety of other seemingly innocuous acts will put more strain on the system and eventually require more energy. Though some drivers squeezed out fuel economy numbers in the low 40-mpg range, our driving was a bit more erratic (and realistic), occasionally pinning the throttle and allowing the eCVT to spool the engine all the way to redline in order to pass traffic. Our indicated economy in the low 30s was respectable considering our assertive driving style.  br /&amp;amp;gt;  We also spent some time on a closed course comparing the 2009 carryover model with the new 2010. In addition to the refreshed interior and exterior, details like the now-integrated third brake light make day-to-day life with the Fusion more effortless. &amp;quot;You&amp;#039;ll notice how much easier it is to see out the back,&amp;quot; Ford rep Ramita Chawla suggested as we backed a 2010 Fusion through an obstacle course. Thanks to the clearer line of vision afforded by the repositioned brake light, she was right. Other convenient touches include Ford&amp;#039;s Sync, which comes in handy when scoping nearby gas prices.  The Bottom Line  As automakers ramp up to build the next generation of hybrids for a fuel-conscious America, Ford is positioning itself as being cognizant of the unique needs of this niche market. From its inventive and entertaining TFT displays to its competition-busting mpg numbers, it&amp;#039;s apparent that Ford has put plenty of blood, sweat and tears into its 2010 Fusion Hybrid. Whether or not gas prices eventually stabilize, their whole-hearted approach to fuel economy suggests that Ford is finally focused on building cars that are relevant. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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