When it comes to hybrids, there’s one number that car buyers most want to know: Fuel economy rating. Cars.com reviewer Mike Hanley says that, in this regard, the 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid is a hit. How much of a hit? Watch his video review to find out how many miles the Milan coaxes out of a gallon of gas, and also how the car stacks up against its sibling, the Ford Fusion Hybrid.
2010|Mercury|Milan Hybrid
The hybrid tax credits that have already expired for Toyota and Honda are still in effect for other automakers, including Ford — but not for long. Ford, which just celebrated the production of its 100,000th Escape Hybrid, is seeing its full credit expire at the end of the month.
Until then, tax credits of $3,000 for the two-wheel-drive Escape, Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute hybrids, or $1,950 for four-wheel-drive versions, will still be available. Ford’s all-new 2010 Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids are eligible for a $3,400 tax credit. Those two new hybrids might not be on lots today, but they should arrive before the end of the month. The Fusion and Milan hybrids get 41/36 mpg city/highway. The Fusion Hybrid starts at $27,270, while the Milan Hybrid starts at $27,500.
The credit will be cut in half for vehicles purchased after March 2009, and then in half again for ones bought after Sept. 30. Starting April 1, 2010, the automaker won’t get any more tax credits.
Unlike other Ford Escapes, the hybrid version does not have any incentives on it.
The Mercury Milan — the Ford Fusion’s upscale but similar twin — has been priced at $21,180 (destination adds another $725). How does Ford justify the Milan’s nearly $2,000 price premium over a base Fusion?
Upholding a Ford tradition, the Milan offers slight content upgrades over the Fusion, such as standard LED taillamps, body-colored and heated side mirrors, dual chrome exhaust, a six-way powered driver’s seat, premium cloth upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with secondary controls, a keyless entry keypad and a six-speaker stereo.
Like last year’s Milan, the four-cylinder is also available in an uplevel Premier trim for $24,320. The Premier comes with features like a six-speed automatic transmission, automatic headlamps, Sync and leather upholstery standard.
For an additional $1,630 you can get a flex-fuel V-6 and an automatic transmission with manual shift functionality. All-wheel drive is available on the V-6; that will cost you another $1,850.
Mercury’s newest hybrid will cost $27,500. The Milan Hybrid, rated at 41/36 mpg city/highway, costs $230 more than the Fusion Hybrid even though they have the same content.
Full pricing and options below.
After checking out the new Fusion at Ford’s stand, I poked around the car’s Mercury sibling. I’m torn over the car’s design. Everything above bumper-level looks fine, with the sort of mini-Sable styling you’d expect from Mercury. The lower air dam? Not so much. The fog lights seem distracting, and there isn’t enough substance underneath.
Inside, the Milan has the same strengths and weaknesses as the Fusion. The dashboard has soft-touch materials, but their grainy finish is unappealing. The center controls are crowded, but the navigation system is ginormous and, if it's consistent with the rest of Ford’s latest-generation units, should offer first-rate graphics and usability. Backseat legroom and headroom are decent but not generous. Storage areas are impressive — there’s a decent-sized center console plus a compartment atop the dash, as the old Fusion/Milan had.
If it gets segment-leading gas mileage and starts at a decent price, the Milan should see relative success. For my money, though, the Fusion offers the same package in a far more attractive wrapper — a reversal from last year’s Milan, which I thought looked a bit better than its Ford counterpart. More photos below.
The Mercury Milan is virtually identical to the Ford Fusion in most respects. It features two of the same engines as the Blue Oval version and the same transmissions. So why would anyone buy one over a Ford? Well, it’s better-looking, that’s why.
We’ve never been sure what’s made people pick such similar Mercury models over Fords in the past, but in the new Milan we certainly see one reason. The sophisticated front end is much less in-your-face than the blinged-out chrome on the Fusion, with headlights that, while big, simply accent the overall design.
Ford has upgraded its hybrid system to deliver extremely fuel-efficient versions of its new Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans. The two effectively double the number of hybrids in Ford’s environmental arsenal — a must in today’s green-centric times. What’s of note is not only that Ford is getting into the game, but that the hybrids deliver on efficiency like hybrids should.
Ford says the pair will best the Toyota Camry’s city mileage by at least 6 mpg, meaning at least 39 mpg. Because it doesn’t say highway mileage bests the Camry, we’re guessing it doesn’t. We’d expect it to be similar to the Camry’s, though, which is 34 mpg.
Each sedan can drive in full electric mode up to 47 mph, which is much faster than most hybrids on the market can go on electricity alone. Depending on how you drive, you could make a trip to the grocery store without using the gas engine at all. However, both pack nickel-metal-hydride batteries — like those found in all current hybrids — not lithium-ion batteries, which are expected to lead the next generation of hybrids.
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