Am I being bamboozled?

[nevada rick]

I recently stopped in to a dealer to check out the MKZ Hybrid. I am in the middle of a 39 month MKS lease and am interested in the hybrid when I can get out of my current lease.

The salesman, after several questions, told me I would be better off with the non-hybrid model. He stated this was because I would not get any better mileage from the hybrid because I do not do a lot of city driving, and the battery depends on a lot of braking to recharge. He said that on the highway, the car would depend on the gas motor more than the battery.

I live in a semi-rural area, with few stop signs and lights. Most of my driving is at 50 or more mph.

I was hoping that the hybrid would give me all-around high mpg, especially when we take longer highway trips. We usually drive to and from Wisconsin from Nevada once a year, go into Las Vegas about twice a month (60 miles each way) and go to southern CA once or twice a year. MPG around 40 would be nice.

Can anyone tell me if they get exceptional mileage on long highway trips or if I would be better off with the non-hybrid.

[robertlane]

I recently stopped in to a dealer to check out the MKZ Hybrid. I am in the middle of a 39 month MKS lease and am interested in the hybrid when I can get out of my current lease.

The salesman, after several questions, told me I would be better off with the non-hybrid model. He stated this was because I would not get any better mileage from the hybrid because I do not do a lot of city driving, and the battery depends on a lot of braking to recharge. He said that on the highway, the car would depend on the gas motor more than the battery.

I live in a semi-rural area, with few stop signs and lights. Most of my driving is at 50 or more mph.

I was hoping that the hybrid would give me all-around high mpg, especially when we take longer highway trips. We usually drive to and from Wisconsin from Nevada once a year, go into Las Vegas about twice a month (60 miles each way) and go to southern CA once or twice a year. MPG around 40 would be nice.

Can anyone tell me if they get exceptional mileage on long highway trips or if I would be better off with the non-hybrid.

 

Rick,

 

I was relocated from Las Vegas to Michigan - quite the change.

 

For the best answer, I would suggest that you check out the http://www.fordfusionhybridforum.com to get some better opinions rather than the dealers.

[jtmenniti]

Your sales rep must not have driven one.

I just bought the 2013 MKZ hybrid and I have been getting 44-45mpg and I do alot of highway driving.

The key is how your drive it. Remember you can do 62 mph on electric, but you have to learn your car.

You need to accelerate appropriately and then let off the gas and let electric kick in.

If you drive it like a regular gas car you will not get the same mileage. The key is driving it efficiently and know how to get that electric drive to kick in most of the way.

Edited May 8, 2013 by jtmenniti

[jtmenniti]

Also, not to be forgotten, the batter will also charge while in motion, it's not only when you brake. I like to keep the status screen up on the display showing when the batter is charging, when the engine is kicked in, it helps me learn to drive it better.

 

My commute to work is 35 miles each way. Majority of the ride is highway, there are some minor traffic delays in 2 areas where there is merging, but the rest is hwy.......it all comes downt o accellerating to a speed, letting off the gas, coast, then maintain speed on electric, and repeat as necessary.

 

Right now my current trip summary is 180 miles, I have used 4 gallons of gas and avg 44.9 mpg and it says I have 389 miles till empty.

 

Keep in mind, I traded in my BMW 328xi that with the same commute I would fill up on Sunday and Weds. I haven't even hit a half of tank yet, I just went below the first quarter of a tank. And I filled up on Sunday. I'm getting the most out of this baby!

Edited May 8, 2013 by jtmenniti

[nevada rick]

Sorry it took so long to get back here. I've spent a lot of time at the Fusion hybrid forum and have gotten a lot of information. I am convinced I will get an MKZ hybrid when I can get out of my MKS lease.

Thanks a lot for the reference.

Rick,

 

I was relocated from Las Vegas to Michigan - quite the change.

 

 

For the best answer, I would suggest that you check out the http://www.fordfusionhybridforum.com to get some better opinions rather than the dealers.

Sorry it took so long to get back here. I've spent a lot of time at the Fusion hybrid forum and have gotten a lot of information. I am convinced I will get an MKZ hybrid when I can get out of my MKS lease.

Thanks a lot for the reference.

By the way, we moved here from Milwaukee after we retired, and the weather couldn't be any more different.

Edited May 11, 2013 by nevada rick

[Steve the tech geek]

Rick,

 

Even though your commutes are at somewhat higher speeds than the average driver, I too believe you're making a good decision going with a hybrid. One of the more important "tools" that the MKZ hybrid has in its "bag of tricks", to achieve high MPG's, is the modern style Atkinson cycle engine. These style engines (compaired to normal gasoline engines) are that they are simply more efficient at converting gasoline into horsepower.

 

So, no mater weather you drive highway, city, hypermiling or drag racing :) you'll get better mileage with the Atkinson. Good luck Rick!

[John M Young]

I think the MKZ is a real good move. I take a three hour drive a few times a month. The car is a joy to drive. On the curvy back roads i'm doing 80 MPH, really pushing it and still get just over 40MPG on the trip. Handles better then the G37 I sold. I do set the CC to economy but other then that I just drive. 

 

If I'm real carful around town I can get just over 50MPG…but I can't see my self driving like that all the time.

[tonifan]

Dear Nevada Rick:

I too, got out of my leased 2009 Lincoln MKS (13 trips to the Service Dept. for unscheduled maintenance/faulty parts), obviously for a different reason than yours. I bought a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid (same drive train, engine set-up, etc.), as the 2010 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. I absolutely would advise the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid over any other manufacturer's hybrid, as it drives and rides like a real car, not a techno-box with wheels. The mileage difference from the 2013 MKZ Hybrid is only different by 2 MPG, which may be partly attributed to the use of a quieter tire than the Ford Hybrid uses. That quieter ride may be more desirable than the 2 MPG gain. I drove my 2010 Fusion Hybrid until July of this year, when I retired here in San Francisco. Monday-through Friday driving from SF to Silicon Valley on Highway 101 and some SF city streets averaged out to exactly 40.1 MPG City/Highway combined. BUT... this only works if you're a hyper-miler like I was. Coasting to the next stoplight after a slight, even accelleration can make a big difference in city driving mileage. I hardly ever got out of the "EV" range, running solely on electric for the majority of city driving except for the occaisional accelleration or two. So, getting a hybrid vehicle does not guarantee the manufacturer's mileage quotes, but, and again, BUT, you can get even higher mileage than that with sensible driving. Don't just drive a hybrid like any other car... it's can be better than any other car as far as gas mileage goes, but Ford has the most engaging of hybrids to drive. They're actually fun!  Good luck with your choice.

[kevin_sos@hotmail.com]

I recently stopped in to a dealer to check out the MKZ Hybrid. I am in the middle of a 39 month MKS lease and am interested in the hybrid when I can get out of my current lease.

The salesman, after several questions, told me I would be better off with the non-hybrid model. He stated this was because I would not get any better mileage from the hybrid because I do not do a lot of city driving, and the battery depends on a lot of braking to recharge. He said that on the highway, the car would depend on the gas motor more than the battery.

I live in a semi-rural area, with few stop signs and lights. Most of my driving is at 50 or more mph.

I was hoping that the hybrid would give me all-around high mpg, especially when we take longer highway trips. We usually drive to and from Wisconsin from Nevada once a year, go into Las Vegas about twice a month (60 miles each way) and go to southern CA once or twice a year. MPG around 40 would be nice.

Can anyone tell me if they get exceptional mileage on long highway trips or if I would be better off with the non-hybrid.

I love my 2012 MKZ Hybrid. If you keep the highway at 62 (lots of trial and error there) and town be like the turtle, not the jackrabbit starts; I get 40-41 overall. my commute of 50 miles is a mix of city, highway and traffic.

Gotta love those cooling / heated seats and Sync beat any bluetooth I've used to date.

Edited October 25, 2014 by kevin_sos@hotmail.com