Shopping for a Ford hybrid or PHEV? The 2016 Fusion Hybrid and Energi models won’t be as thirsty for your wallet as before.
CarsDirect reports both models will see a price drop of $900 across all trim levels, from $26,575 to $25,675 for the Fusion Hybrid S, to $33,900 (from $34,800) for the Fusion Energi Luxury SE.
Despite the cuts, no decontenting will occur among the Fusions; the Hybrid, in fact, will have a new driving mode called EcoSelect, which offers more regenerative braking while delivering a softer launch from the light and less intense heating and cooling.
The price drop follows a similar action last year, when Ford chopped up to $1,200 off the price of C-Max Hybrid and Energi models, and is meant to draw interest away from the upcoming redesigned Toyota Prius, set to begin production later in 2015. Both 2016 Fusion models are due in showrooms at around the same time.
“less intense heating and cooling”
Living here in 100+ temps of TEXAS, sure don’t like the sound of that.
Keep it out of EcoSelect mode, and you’ll be OK.
What has happened in this photo? It looks like there’s an Accord shadow partially shaded out, with a railing running through it.
Didn’t Ford run an ad where having a Fusion made other cars barely noticeable? Is this a screenshot from that ad?
That could be it. I have not seen such an ad – but then again I don’t watch regular TV with ads with any frequency.
I don’t see how you can “increase the regenerative braking” without:
– increasing the overall capacity of the traction battery and/or
– increasing the amount of that capacity used (which impacts battery life) and/or
– lowering the slow speed at which the switch to mechanical brakes is made and/or
– increasing the rate at which power can be fed into the traction battery during hard braking.
I’m not an engineer, so I have to ask – if they do one or more of these things, is that somehow bad?
My best guess is that they added some regenerative braking while coasting.