Ford Fusion Hybrid wins over more than one critic

Peter Bleakney

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

BEST: FORD FUSION HYBRID

I'm giving the nod to Ford for quietly advancing the hybrid game with the 2010 Fusion Hybrid.

I say quietly, because this $33,449 four-door gas/electric mid-sized sedan looks essentially like its gas-powered siblings, yet packs an effective and terrifically well integrated full hybrid system that sets the standard for this class of car. Heck, any class of car.

Perhaps Ford's greatest accomplishment here is not ruining the goodness of the Fusion sedan with its hybridization. It's solid and drives with a planted Euro feel. The fabric seats are extremely comfortable. The ride is creamy smooth yet body motions are well controlled. It feels good in the corners and there's real honest-to-gawd steering feel – a rarity in hybrids. The regenerative braking system is the best I've felt in any hybrid.

The Fusion's 2.5 L Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder gas engine cycles on and off much more frequently than in other hybrids, but the process is so seamless you're never aware of it.

Once at speed, the Fusion will run up to 75 km/h on electricity and I was always surprised, and delighted, to observe my zero emissions progress. I saw 5.8 L/100 km (49 m.p.g.) on my watch.

Worst: Toyota Prius

Don't get me wrong. I applaud Toyota for building the most fuel-efficient car available in Canada. And it's a hatchback too. But jeez, does it have to be such a drag to drive?

With the 2010 Prius, starting at $27,500, Toyota has effectively licked clean any enjoyment from the driving experience. It's a rolling guilt trip – a reminder that, yes, we've been bad, bad humans for polluting the air with smelly cars.

Let's start with NVH (noise, vibration and harshness). Lots of it. The brittle suspension and hard low rolling resistance tires had me crying uncle over our pock-marked GTA streets. There was a surprising number of annoying rattles in the cabin, too, which is swathed in a hectare of rock-hard, grey eco-plastic. I did notice the impressively minuscule gaps around the buttons, though, while looking for the one marked "Self-Flagellation."

The digital readouts that show all the wondrous workings of Toyota's Hybrid Drive are a joyless, pale blue like in your old VCR. I couldn't get comfortable in the seat, and front 3/4 visibility is impaired by the long and thick A-pillars.

I appreciate Toyota's quandary. Making a profit on a car that carries enough tech to keep the space shuttle afloat requires some cost-cutting, but this Prius feels way too cheap for its not-so-cheap price tag.

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