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The Lexus HS 250h's power delivery didn't impress us as much as the level of cabin tech. The HS features four drive modes: a normal mode that accelerates with about the same gusto as a Toyota Prius, an ECO mode that decreases throttle inputs and climate control systems for more thrifty driving, a Power mode that is the opposite of ECO mode, and an EV mode that moves the vehicle under purely electric power up to 20 mph..
While we can forgive the lackluster handing, the regenerative brakes had us clenching at each stop. It's difficult to tell when the regeneration/friction switch is going to occur, which made modulating the brakes difficult.
Ford has that beat for sure.
full review here: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10249567-48.html
I was even looking to transplant the HID lights from the MKZ to the FFH, but it was just not worth the cost and trouble. I would also liked to have memory seats, not to mention the luxury interior appointment of the MKZ. I looked at the Lexus, but thought the price was not justifiable for what amounted to a Camry Hybrid with a Lexus badge and plush interior.
BTW: There was some previous discussion about battery charge levels. I am also mystified on it. Here in DC this morning car was outside and iced up, got in turned on the front and rear defrost and drove off. About 1/2 mile later noticed my battery was almost at 100%. Go figure, other days even on the highway it is at 55% or so.
When it is cold enough to ice up, its cold enough for the cars ICE to run at a longer interval to heat up the emissions systems. You will find this more and more as the winter sets in and the engine will be running more than you are used to. Since its running, less battery is used, and while idling charges the TB up so you will see a higher SOC on the pack in the winter. Once the entire emissions system is up to temp you will see the engine cycling less, and eventually will shut off at stops until SOC drops below a certain level. The heaters on the Hybrids are all electric(at least on Toyota, should be the same on Fusion), and run off the traction batteries. Of course this will affect gas mileage, so don't expect to get anywhere near EPA when it is cold out. The TCH is rated 33/34, my warm weather average was up around 37, but in the winter I saw frequent drops to 28 MPG depending on how cold it was. It is best to use the automatic climate control during the winter as it manages the power better.
I think Infinitys are speakers.......... :P
:sick:
If most of your commutes are that short, you are going to have problems getting great MPG for that trip.
Maybe an engine block heater would help - I have heard of hybrid owners having success with this tactic.
Anyone heard anything about 2011 Milian Hybrids? Will there be one? If so what do you think will change?
In case anyone would like to see the consumer ratings for the FFH, they are here:
http://www.edmunds.com/ford/fusionhybrid/2010/consumerreview.html?tid=edmunds.n.- crrindex...1.Ford*
On my 2008 FEH, I do not have the NAV, and there is no display of the charge at all. I have a scanguage II that tells me the SOC. The normal range is about 53 SOC, but it varies from 40 to 60 optimally, and a maximum of 30 to 66 SOC. There is some kind of temporary "recalibration" that has been reported at somewhere around 15-18K miles, but I haven't seen that on mine at 17.5K; when this happens the actual SOC goes to around 80. Many people think that the computer is evaluating the capabilities of the batteries and adjusting the SOC percentages, but all anyone can state for certain is that this procedure does occur periodically.
It is hard to believe that Ford would be allowing the batteries to go that high as a percentage of the battery storage maximum.
Are you sure this is State Of Charge (SOC)? On some vehicles the cars show a percentage of the "usable range" rather than the actual percentage that the batteries are charged. So if the batteries are at 100%, that may mean that they are charged to 60% of their capacity. So your "normal" 50% may represent around 50 SOC, and the 100% you saw displayed may be around 60 SOC. If you get a scanguage II you could check the actual computer reported SOC.
I believe that Toyota does this by listing "bars" of power - the maximum bars do not represent that the batteries themselves are at maximum capacity, just at usable maximum capacity.
Are you positive about that? The air conditioner compressors are electric, but that is very different from heaters. Electric heat is very inefficient when there is a very hot engine available to do the heating.
I believe that there is a battery heater, which is electric, but not the main vehicle heater.
http://www.freep.com/article/20091015/BUSINESS02/910150473/1319/Lexus--HS-250h-s- trikes-out
The RX400h seemed like a nice vehicle, at least in looks it was. The seats were shiny leather, and I almost immediately started to sweat on my back and seat. The plastic material of the dash and doors was pretty good quality, a bit thicker than what I have in my Hyundai Veracruz, I give it a mark for that. Interior wise, I believe the Hyundai is just as nice. On the road test, it gained only 1 mark, it rode and handled nice, but the engine, for a hybrid, was noisy, and not a nice noisy, an I'm coming apart in every direction noisy. The stereo was horrible, it did not play MP3's, it did not have XM or Syrius, it did not have an auxiliary input, and the sound quality was so bad, that if a window was opened, you couldn't hear it. The MFD for the NAV and Hybrid screens was identical to what is in the Prius. Overall I was not impressed with it, and for the kind of money that these go for, I cant imagine they sell the way they do, I guess people like the "image" more than the actual vehicle. Side by side, even though it was a 2007, and the Veracruz was a 2008(but the 2007 VC is basically the same), the VC has so much more to offer and was to me a much nicer car.
Compare the Fusion to the Camry, and what a difference, the Fusion is so much better, so I can't imagine that the Lexus would be much better than the Fusion if it is at all better. My impression of Lexus, overpriced, overrated, overhyped, and just plain ordinary. IE a snob mobile.
Eight 2010 Fusion owners from throughout the country will be selected to participate in the Fusion 41 program. They will be chosen based on their passion for Fusion and their ability to share compelling information about the vehicle on the Internet. Applicants must have a current Facebook profile with a minimum of 100 friends and an active photo collection.
Each of the eight Fusion owners will then choose four friends or family members to join their team, and each team will be given a 2010 Ford Fusion or Fusion Hybrid to drive in an automotive relay race. To complete the relay, each team member must fulfill an assigned task within 41 hours, tracking competitive variables such as miles driven, stops made or the number of passengers picked up.
The winning team will be chosen based on their ability to complete the activities and provide proof by uploading photos and videos to various social media sites, including Facebook.
The Fusion owner of the winning team will have their vehicle paid off, and team members will win free gas for one year.
Sounds like a great plan.
"Ford is definitely doing something right," said Rik Paul, the magazine's automotive editor.
At Ford, though, four-cylinder versions of the Fusion and Milan finished second in the family car category, beaten only by Toyota's Prius gas-electric hybrid. The Fusion and Milan outscored Toyota Motor Corp.'s Camry and Honda Motor Co.'s Accord, the two top-selling cars in the U.S. "which many people view as the paradigms of reliability," Paul said.
http://wtop.com/?sid=1795940&nid=111
Glory Daze
United Automobile Workers of America (UAW)
And your comments on the blog entry are always welcome as well.
Sure wish that the Fusion had a "mechanical" switch so I could leave it "on" and the seats would be warm when using Remote Start.
Fusion/Milan Hybrid brake problems
Don't think it's out of the kindness of their hearts.
They see the flak 'Yota is taking and want to avoid it themselves.
That's the ONLY reason. Don't think it's because they care about the owners. They care about not getting SUED by the owners.
Corporations don't have feelings. They have bottom lines.
It mostly happens when the tires lose contact with the ground during a hard stop, like a pothole.
Not many potholes on highways, so this problem will mostly happen at lower speeds.
That's why there are only 4 reported accidents attributed to the problem.
Ford's solution will likely be similarly easy.