Mercury Milan Hybrid takes Editors' Choice
(Credit:
Corinne Schulze/CNET)
We were expecting a lot from the Mercury Milan Hybrid. After having briefly driven the Ford Fusion Hybrid, we had an idea iof what to expect from the power train, and we've also seen Ford's killer combination of Sync and Sirius Travel Link in a few cars over the last year. But we didn't realize what a car tech dream the Mercury Milan Hybrid would be.
The first clue it gives comes from the high-tech instrument panel, with a variety of virtual gauges that you can configure. Then there's the phone and MP3 player connectivity offered by Sync, along with its incredible voice command system. Sirius Travel Link mixes traffic, fuel prices, and weather into the navigation system. And finally, the driving experience, with its excellent fuel economy and seamless transition between electric and gas.
The Mercury Milan Hybrid is a remarkable car, and we've rated it appropriately.
btw, the vehicles are available w/o SYNC if you're that squeamish about software to control your Bluetooth and stereo (Lord knows why)...
[CNET editor's note: Personal attack deleted.]
did you lose any sleep because any other carmakers besides GM didn't have Onstar? just asking...
I have owned a non-hybrid Fusion with the 2.3L i4 for about three years. I am very happy with the car. I shopped a lot and drove a lot of different makes before buying the Fusion and I was very happy with how the whole package works. I assume the Milan is very close to the same driving experience. After they have a couple years experience with the Hybrid drive chain in production I am going to consider an upgrade. If they can achieve mid 30s MPG to 40 MPG in real driving conditions and can maintain the overall driving experience it will be a winner.
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by Ken98045
June 11, 2009 9:52 PM PDT
- I've had a Fusion Hybrid for about 800 miles now. I'm a little surprised that the article didn't mention the fact that the Fusion is an almost identical vehicle (outside of some styling differences). Personally, I think the Fusion looks better.
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by wcunning
June 12, 2009 9:40 AM PDT
- Good comment on the driving experience, which is exactly the same as the Mercury Milan Hybrid. One note about the battery--the car's power control module is programmed to keep the battery between 30% and 70% charge, as long term testing has shown that these levels ensure the battery will last for a long time. Deep discharge would reduce the life of the battery. Ford could probably account for those parameters in the power graphic, and just show the battery as appearing empty when it gets down to 30%, since they aren't going below that amount anyway.
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(13 Comments)Overall I'm very impressed with the Fusion. The mileage isn't quite what the promised. I've been very careful to drive economically. My "real world" mileage is about 37 mpg. That includes a lot of 70 mph highway driving (with quite a few hills). The in-city driving with a lot of stop and go is closer to 25 mpg. However, with less stops and 25 - 40 mph I've gotten as much as 48 mpg on short (8 mile) rural trips. However, I'm not getting anywhere close to 700 miles on a tank. Your mileage may vary...
The car is comfortable, and very quite. It is a much nicer drive than the 2009 Prius. I do like the interior layout and dash. The nav system works well, and is easy to use. The voice control of the nav and sound system is decent, but sometimes it is easier to use the buttons and/or touch screen.
The hybrid system is pretty good. However, don't expect it to accelerate to any degree at all in full EV mode. Starting off from a stop the engine comes on almost immediately if you press the pedal at all. Your pretty much need to be going steady on flat ground for full EV mode. They do seem a little conservative in battery usage. I have NEVER seen the HV battery go below about 35% or so. It seems like once they get to that level they revert to gas. I'd prefer to see them try a little harder to use more of the battery. What's the use of having it if you don't use it? Well, they probably do need to maintain some charge for restarting the engine, and general operation, but still...
With all the options the car is pricey. You can probably get a fully loaded 2009 Prius (they have a LOT of them locally) for 8 - 10K less. Lucky for me, I got in on the $3500 rebate (no longer available -- I think it is $1800 now). However, It will be a long time before the hybrid system pays for itself.