timf

Finally got mine on Friday. Just be patient, it will arrive.

I shopped both extensively and had a very difficult time making a decision, but ultimately chose the MKZ Hybrid for the following reasons: The interior is of higher quality with softer leather, nicer ambient lighting, soft-touch surfaces in many more places, and felt linings on the inside of bins rather than hard plastics. The push-button shifter also makes for a sleeker console with a convenient lower shelf. All exterior lighting is LED including the headlights, back-up lights, and turn signals. On the Fusion you are stuck with halogen and incandescent lighting unless you replace them aftermarket. The cargo compartment is too limited with the Energi battery. With the hybrid I can put the rear seats down and carry oversized objects with ease. The expense of adding a charging station to my garage would not have paid for the gas savings over the course of a 2 year lease. After the better part of a year with my MKZ, I'm still very happy with it. However, I have become increasingly fascinated with plug-in and electric vehicles and do wish that I had that functionality. The car is great in electric mode, but the gas engine can be a bit noisy when it kicks in. Having the ability to plug in would allow the car to operate in EV mode for virtually all the miles I drive in a typical day. If you are looking at the Energi just for potential gas savings it isn't worth it, but if you want the electric driving experience and don't go more than 20 miles between charges then I'd highly recommend that route over the MKZ. The Fusion is no Lexus mind you, but it's far closer to that than a Camry.

What kind of tires did your car come with? My 2014 came with the Primacy MXM4s already. They have performed well and I have no complaints.

Does anyone else with a 2013-14 MKZ have OEM wipers that do a terrible job? They squeak, streak, and do a mediocre job. They've been like this as long as I can remember. I hate to replace them so early, but I'm thinking it's my only choice. Has anyone replaced them with something that works better?

This sounds like a lot of fun! Hope it helps the community grow.

Having a hybrid truly does change the way you drive, assuming your goal is to maximize the time spent in EV mode. Previously, I'd simply accelerate to 1-2 MPH above the speed limit and set the cruise control there. Now, I'm often as much as 5 MPH below the speed limit as I accelerate gently and let off the gas to keep the car in EV mode. Of course, if I do have someone right behind me I'll keep up the speed more. To the person with the 65 mile freeway commute - I would not recommend a hybrid and would instead look into clean diesel. Diesels excel at long-distance highway driving, while hybrids are better for city/suburban or stop-and-go driving.

The plug-in Fusion works exactly the same as a normal hybrid once the charge runs out. There is only one battery, but it is virtually divided into two parts. The plug-in section never gets charged by the engine, but if you regenerate beyond the capacity of the hybrid portion, on a long downhill for instance, you can charge the plug-in portion as well. If you can find a remaining 2013 they are practically giving them away, but the lease payment on a 2014 worked out to about $100 more per month compared to a similarly equipped MKZ. Living in the Detroit area really gives a skewed impression of the popularity of Lincoln. They are everywhere, and the big dealers have several hundred MKZs in stock. It's funny to hear how rare they are elsewhere.