2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid mpg: dash vs. real

[zridrfsn]

On our first fill up, we had overall 39mpg showing on the dash, (not sure what Trip2 showed), vs. our 306 miles driven divided by ~9.9 gallons, which equals about 31mpg on this 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid rated at 47mpg.

It would be interesting if Fuelly would have spaces to report both the dash readout and the actual mpg. What are your dash readouts for overall and trip mileage showing compared to actual mpg for the Ford Fusion Hybrid?

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by zridrfsn

On our first fill up, we had overall 39mpg showing on the dash, (not sure what Trip2 showed), vs. our 306 miles driven divided by ~9.9 gallons, which equals about 31mpg on this 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid rated at 47mpg.

It would be interesting if Fuelly would have spaces to report both the dash readout and the actual mpg. What are your dash readouts for overall and trip mileage showing compared to actual mpg for the Ford Fusion Hybrid?

In my 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid the dash readout is usually 2 MPG higher than my actual calculated mileage. Also, make sure when you fill your tank that you reset the average MPG readout. These displays are never intended to be exact, but generally are within ± 1-3 MPG. Also consider that most often they will overstate the mileage. Very rarely do I see one that reads less than the actual calculated mileage.

[Draigflag]

Sorry to hear you're getting that kind of mileage from a hybrid, especialy such a fresh model, it's down right disgusting. Personaly, i'd take the car back and get a refund. 30 MPG is not acceptable in this day and age.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Ok, I looked over your log. Not much to look at. Only two fills (and the first one doesn't count, as you don't know how far it went on that fuel. I would delete the first fill that the dealer did. In the long term Fuelly will include that 10 gallons in your overall fuel usage, and slightly drag down your vehicle average. Also, with this being a new vehicle, is it possible that someone accidentally reset the trip odometer after a couple days driving without realizing it? Its easy to do in a new car that you're not familiar with. Could be that nothing was wrong with it, but the trip odometer isn't showing all the mileage on that tank.

The car is still getting broken in. Plus hybrids need a short period of time for both the car to get used to the driver (yes, the computer does learn your driving habits) and you to get used to the car. Driving habits have a very strong influence on hybrid economy. If you are regularly driving 80 on the highway with the a/c on max you are not going to get anywhere near the posted economy estimates.

Hybrids are also very sensitive to tire pressure and fuel changes. Also excessive heat or cold will adversely effect economy. I noticed you filled up at 7-11. 7-11 fuel is probably my last choice for use in a hybrid. It will generally have as much ethanol in it as they can get away with. For optimal economy, you will want to use ethanol free 87 octane fuel if its available. I am fortunate that my regular fuel station only charges $0.10/gal extra for ethanol free.

Overall I feel that we need more data to determine if there's a problem with the vehicle's economy. Run at least 3 or 4 more tanks and see what happens with the numbers.

[zridrfsn]

Thanks for your insights. If the dealer fill was not really complete (although it was at the top of the gauge), so then if we did 306 miles on 8 gallons, instead of the 9.9 that it took to fill (did not try to fill again after shutoff at full pumping fuel rate), then the "actual" mileage would be 38mpg, poor compared to 47, but maybe getting there, thinking optimistically. I will check tire pressures and see what happens at the next fills before claiming warranty work needs to be done. Driving 10 miles this evening off the freeway the car reported 51mpg on somewhat suburban hilly roads 35-55mph. Temps around here have ranged 50-75F this past month.

I accelerate hard enough to not hold up traffic, but the rpm does not seem to exceed 3000rpm at that, so hopefully the engine is being efficient at that rate. However, with two different drivers sharing the vehicle, maybe that will confuse the programming? And maybe with the car dealer being in the middle of some of our commutes, the EV+ mode kicks in when it should not (it thinks the dealership is home, as well as our real home)!

[trollbait]

Can you reset the EV+? I've heard it can be turned off. It will have to relearn your home, but it should ignore the dealership at that point.

I second what Jay said. It will take time for the car to 'break in'. It is also possible that that your measured fuel economy was on winter blend, and that will also have a negative impact.

[Draigflag]

I just don't get it. Ford and Volvo are practically the same company now, and the 2014 Volvo hybrid gets 155 MPG, I dont see how the fusion can get such low fuel economy when it must be very similar to the Volvo underneath.

[theholycow]

Volvo describes their hybrid system as getting up to 37MPG.
http://www.volvocars.com/us/top/abou....aspx#/Drive-E

Are you perhaps looking at the rating for the plug-in hybrid that Volvo sells in the UK market?
http://carfueldata.direct.gov.uk/sea...aspx?vid=32725

I don't see anything about the US-market Fusion being a plug-in.
http://www.ford.com/cars/fusion/trim/hybrid/

Comparing a plug-in hybrid to a non-plug-in hybrid is like comparing apples to coil springs. A more apt comparison would be a rating for the V60 where it is never plugged in, only running on petrol all the time. Then we could examine details like the different size of a gallon, car design, fuel economy rating tests, etc.

[trollbait]

Ford also sold off Volvo when it was scrambling to save itself before the recession.

The Drive-E is the name of their new ICE line. The only hybrid they sell is the plug-in one, which uses a diesel ICE. It is an AWD through the road hybrid. The front wheels are powered by the ICE and the back by the motor. It is completely different from Ford's system in the hybrids and Energis.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/...uto-show-debut

[Draigflag]

Ah I see, my appologies, didnt realise it was a plug in hybrid.

Still, the mileage seems very low for a hybrid, but as you say, it could just be because it's breaking in.