Ford Hybrid Cars: Fusion, C-Max, Escape And More, Ultimate GuideFord Hybrid Cars: Fusion, C-Max, Escape And More, Ultimate Guide

Ten years ago, your choice of hybrid vehicles was pretty limited.
A lot has changed in those ten years, and the rise of Ford as a real force in the hybrid markets is one of the biggest changes. 2004 saw the launch of its very first hybrid, the 2005 Escape Hybrid, and the maker’s cars have gone from strength to strength ever since.
But what do you need to know about Ford’s hybrid lineup, old and new? We’ve brought together many of our past articles into an ultimate guide–from the latest Fusion and C-Max Hybrids and their plug-in hybrid ‘Energi’ equivalents, right back to those popular Escape models.
 
Ford hybrids general
Ford is mainly known for three main hybrid models. The Escape, with which it got into the game; the Fusion hybrid, renewed in 2012 but a long-time challenger of the class-leading Toyota Camry Hybrid; and the new C-Max hybrid, launched in 2012 to compete with cars like the Toyota Prius V.
What you need to know is that the company has recently cut the gas mileage of six models–an important thing to factor in to any purchase decision you’ll be making soon.
Between sedan, small minivan and small SUV there’s quite some variety for potential customers–and that’s before you factor in the plug-in hybrid Energi models.
The Escape is now available as a used vehicle only–you can read more about it on page four. The Fusion and C-Max are current models, and as such we’ve covered them in quite some detail on pages two and three.
 
All prices shown in this guide are before any available incentives (for the plug-in models), but include any relevant destination charges. Prices correct as of 08/01/14.
First though, you might want to read through some of our general Ford hybrid content, including the furor surrounding the latest cars not meeting their EPA-rated gas mileage…

Ford Cuts Gas Mileage On 6 Models: What You Need To Know, And Open Questions (New!)
Lawsuit Accuses Ford Of Infringing Hybrid Technology Patents, Once More 
2015 Ford Focus Energi Rumored: 25 Miles Of Range, $27,500? 
Redesigned Ford Edge Could Offer Hybrid Model In 2015 Or Later 
Ford Energi Plug-In Hybrids Let You Choose Your Own ‘Eco Coach’ 
Hybrid Sales Soar So Far In 2013: Ford Rises, Prius Falls 
Ford Adds Charging-Station Search To Energi Plug-In Hybrids
2013 Ford Hybrids’ Gas Mileage Generates First Lawsuit
Ford Hybrid Sales Go Gangbusters Despite Mileage Concerns
Ford: High Hybrid Mileage May Require No-Fun Delicate Driving
EPA To Dig Into Ford Fusion Hybrid, C-Max Hybrid Mileage
Consumer Reports: New Ford Hybrids Don’t Meet Mileage Ratings
Ford Hybrids Prove Durability By Racking Up Most Taxi Miles
Ford Hybrids: Tough Enough To Be Police Cars in New York City
Five Questions: Nancy Gioia, Ford global electrification director

2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid
2015 Ford Fusion Hybrid – $27,30044 mpg city, 41 mpg highway, 42 mpg combined
The 2015 Ford Fusion Hybrid gets one thing right, straight from the off–it looks great. Some people see some Aston Martin in the front grille, others simply a sleek and aggressive shape quite different from the hybrid norm.
Gas mileage will be the priority for most though, and in the Fusion Hybrid’s case it’s 42 mpg combined (44 mpg city, 41 mpg highway) since Ford’s recent revisions–down from 47 mpg all-round.

Ford Fusion Lightweight Concept: How To Make A Car 25 Percent Lighter (New!)
2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid: Quick Winter Gas Mileage Test
Ford: Fusion Hybrid Buyers Are Younger Than Toyota’s
2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid: 39 MPG In Consumer Reports Test
Fusion, Altima Get IIHS Top Safety Pick ‘Plus’; Prius V, Camry Fall Short
Hybrid Resale-Value Leaders: Toyota Prius C, Ford Fusion Hybrid
2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Titanium: Hybrid Goes High-End
2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid: Very Short First Drive
2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Gets EPA-Approved 47MPG All-Round
2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Tentatively Priced From $27,995
With 2013 Fusion Hybrid On The Way, Ford Touts 461 Patents

2013 Ford Fusion Energi2015 Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid – $35,525
38 mpg combined (88 MPGe blended, 20 miles elec+gas range)
If you like the idea of Ford’s Fusion hybrid but need a little more electric range, then the Energi serves that goal. There’s enough juice in the battery for 20 miles of blended range–that is, using a mix of gas and electricity. Elsewhere, it’s not far off the mileage of the regular hybrid.

June Plug-In Car Sales Surprise: Ford Fusion Beats Chevy Volt (New!)
2013 Ford Fusion Energi Gets Top Safety Ratings From NHTSA, IIHS 
2013 Ford Fusion Energi: 21 Miles Of Electric Range From Plug-In Hybrid 
2013 Ford Fusion Energi Pricing: Higher Than Chevy Volt After Incentives 
2013 Ford C-Max Energi, Fusion Energi Join California HOV Lane 
Is Ford Fusion Energi (20-Mile Electric Car) A Volt Competitor? 
Jay Leno Drives The Focus Electric And Fusion Plug-In Hybrid 
2013 Ford Fusion: High-MPG Engines, Hybrid, Plug-In (Video) 

2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid, Catskill Mountains, NY, Oct 2012
2014 Ford C-Max Hybrid – $24,99542 mpg city, 37 mpg highway, 40 mpg combined
Under the skin, the Ford C-Max Hybrid uses exactly the same drivetrain as the Fusion Hybrid sedan. That’s good news, because it means the C-Max is a lot of fun to drive, even despite its relatively tall silhouette.
Until 2013 it shared the Fusion Hybrid’s city, highway and combined ratings, but a run-in with the EPA led Ford to revise those numbers down–you can read about that in the links below.
For most drivers though, the new numbers should be much easier to achieve–and the C-Max remains a good drive, with plenty of performance.

2013-2014 Ford C-Max Hybrid Recalled Over Airbag Software Issue (New!)
Ford C-Max Hybrid Sales Hurt By Cut From 47 MPG To 43 MPG, Exec Says (New!)
Ford Focus & Ford C-Max Hybrid: Is Now The Best Time To Buy?
Ford C-Max Hybrids Recalled To Add Missing Door Chime
Ford C-Max Hybrid Sales Seemingly Not Hurt By Fuel-Economy Shortfall
EPA’s Ford C-Max Hybrid Gas Mileage: “Our Testing Not At Fault”
Ford To Lower Disputed C-Max Hybrid Gas Mileage Estimates: Report 
Can Ford’s C-Max And Fusion Hybrids Really Outsell Toyota? 
2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid: Winter Gas Mileage Test Returns 35 MPG
Green Car Reports 2013 Best Car To Buy Nominee: Ford C-Max

Ford C-Max Energi ‘Upside’ parody advert
2014 Ford C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid – $32,46038 mpg combined (88 MPGe blended, 20 miles elec+gas range)
The Energi plug-in hybrid hasn’t quite suffered the EPA’s wrath like the Hybrid has. Once again, it shares its drivetrain with the equivalent Fusion, and offers a blended electric range of 20 miles–meaning commuting should be clean and cheap.
You can read more details about the plug-in C-Max below–and do have a look at Ford’s excellent parody video of the Cadillac ELR ad…

Ford Parodies Divisive Cadillac ELR Ad With ‘Upside’ C-Max Video 
Ford C-Max Solar Energi Concept: Using The Sun To Charge Electric Car 
Why We Drive A Ford C-Max Energi And A Ford Focus Electric
2013 Ford C-Max Energi Plug-In Hybrid: First Drive 
2013 Ford C-Max Energi: New EV+ Feature ‘Learns’ Regular Routes 
2013 Ford C-Max Energi Plug-In Adds To C-Max Hybrid Sales
2013 Ford C-Max Energi: 100 MPGe, Beats Volt, Plug-in Prius 
2013 Ford C-Max Energi Will Hit 85 MPH In All-Electric Mode 
2013 Ford C-Max Energi Priced at $33,745, Cheaper Than Prius Plug-In
2013 Ford C-Max Energi: Twice The Electric Range of Prius Plug-In, Still No MPG Data
Ford C-Max Energi Plug-In Hybrid Minivan: Video 
MPGe Showdown: Ford Claims C-Max Energi Will Beat Volt, Prius Plug-In 
2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid, C-Max Energi Plug-In: More Details 

2012 Ford Escape Hybrid
Used Ford Hybrids
If you don’t have the cash for a new Ford hybrid, don’t worry too much–the automaker is already developing quite a back-catalog of competitive models. But should you buy one?
 
2010-2012 Fusion Hybrid
Fusion Hybrids have been on sale for several years now and really boosted the maker’s profile as a green vehicle producer. It was also, at the time, one of the quickest hybrids to pay off its price premium over a non-hybrid equivalent.

Ford Fusion Hybrid Fastest To Pay Off Premium
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid Continues Conquest Campaign
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid: How Green Can You Drive?
Ford Fusion Hybrid, Keep the Awards Coming
2010 Fusion Hybrid Takes Credit For 73-Percent Ford Hybrid Sales Rise

2005-2012 Escape Hybrid
The Escape Hybrid is possibly even more celebrated than the Fusion. Familiar to many as a taxi in cities like New York and San Francisco, the Escape is a hard-working vehicle with hugely better gas mileage than many other cars of its type.
Better still, it’s proven incredibly reliable even during tough taxi duties, some models retiring with over 300,000 miles and no major failures to its record. We can highly recommend the Escape Hybrid as a used vehicle as a result.

2008 Ford Escape Hybrid: 500K Miles, Still In Patrol Service 
Used High-Mileage Hybrids, Yellow Taxi Paint Thrown In For Free 
Best Used Green Cars To Buy: 2005-2012 Ford Escape Hybrid
2012 Ford Escape Hybrid: Sentenced To Death, So Buy One Now If You Want One
Why Ford Would Be Crazy To Kill The Escape Hybrid: Real AWD
Now We Know: This Will Be The New 2012 Ford Escape Hybrid
The 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid: An Oldie, But A Goodie
2010 Ford Escape Hybrid is the Best Green Move
Buying Tip: Is 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid Only a Fair-Weather Friend?
Ford Escape Hybrid Selected as One of 10 Best Engines by Wards Auto
More Proof That Batteries Last: Ford Escape Hybrid Taxis Retire With 300,000-Plus Miles

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