Mercury Grand Marquis - Saving the Best for Last

And the Marquis stands alone. With the discontinuation of the Ford Crown Victoria in the consumer market, Mercury’s Grand Marquis is the last survivor in a family lineage that can be traced back to the Model T, and for that matter, the very beginning of the Ford Motor Company. It is also the very last of a breed of full-size, rear-drive, full-framed family sedans for which America’s Interstates were created. As with many things, Mercury saved the best for last.

Styling remains familiar for 2008 with an edgy and bold chrome grille, available 16” chrome alloy wheels, formal roofline, thick C-pillar, and large taillamps. In an age of arching rooflines and road hugging bumpers, the Grand Marquis stays as upright as the Queen in back of her Bentley. Compared to most cars, the big sedan wears a lot of chrome down its bodysides and across its bumpers, but remains a clean and elegant design.

Passengers and drivers spread out under the long roof in limo-like comfort. Especially when equipped with the optional rear air suspension system, the car is profoundly quiet and smooth riding. Six-across front seating requires a wide and flat dashboard, but Mercury designers dressed it up with subtle curves, woodgrain or aluminum-look trim, easy-to-read analog gauges, and a contemporary two-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel. By choosing various luxury packages, your Grand Marquis can be loaded with leather seats, leather and wood steering wheel, power driver’s seat, power/heated outdoor mirrors, and CD player. Dual side airbags and a tire pressure monitoring system enhance safety.

Keeping to tradition, the Grand Marquis is the only vehicle in its class with a standard V8 engine – the only real choice for a grand comfortmobile. The 4.6-litre unit produces 224 horsepower at 4,800 rpm and 275 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. It can run on E85 (85% corn ethanol) and is connected to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. Traction control and four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes keep a handle in inclement weather. Fuel economy is rated a reasonable 17/25 mpg city/highway.

Driving the Grand Marquis will take most modern drivers back a few years. Wide and slick bench seats are easy to slip into, but certainly won’t hold you in place like buckets. Ride and steering are well controlled, but are relaxed in their motions. Up to six passengers have plenty of space to stretch their legs and shoulders while listening to the available CD player. Step on the gas and the front end lifts gently as the rear wheels usher the car hastily forward.

Adding even more luxury and style for 2008 is a Palm Beach edition. The package includes chrome heated mirrors, 16” nine-spoke wheels, and unique exterior badging. Interiors are upgraded with a satin finish on the dash and doors, “Palm Beach” logo on the instrument panel and backs of the front seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and cashmere-colored leather seats. Side airbags are standard with the package.

Mercury knows its Grand Marquis customers well. If they had wanted a sport sedan, they would have bought one. What they prefer is a serene and safe driving experience that causes little trouble. Grand Marquis offers the comfort of a big Lincoln, the power of a V8, and safety features that helped it earn 5-star crash ratings for the 13th straight year. In the long run, it will be hard for Mercury to justify keeping the Grand Marquis, given the excellence of the full-size Sable, but there’s still one waiting for you now. To become one of more than 4 million customers since 1970, visit a Mercury showroom today. Prices range from $25,005 for a GS model to just under $30,000 for Palm Beach editions, making the Grand Marquis tough competition for the Chrysler 300, Buick Lucerne, and Toyota Avalon.
by Casey Williams
www.car-data.com

Mercury Milan - Comes with a Great Pedigree

You may have noticed that the Mercury Sable was not only a bit geriatric, but was also a staple of the nation’s rental fleets. This fact has not slipped by the product planners at Mercury. To fill in the lower-priced end of the mid-size segment, Mercury launched a MAZDA6-based sedan in the fall of 2005, the “Milan”.

According to Darryl Hazel, Lincoln Mercury president, “We use the words ‘different’ and ‘smarter’ quite a bit when talking about Mercury. They absolutely apply to the new Milan. Milan will bring a different customer to Mercury dealers – significantly younger customers drawn to the upscale design and smart feature packaging that define Mercury’s new products.”

Ford’s CD3 vehicle architecture, which also supports the Ford Fusion sedan, Lincoln Zephyr entry-luxury sedan, and next-generation Lincoln Aviator, has already found great admiration as the basis for the current-generation MAZDA6 sedan, hatchback, and wagon. The “6” is arguably one of the most solid and best-driving cars in the Ford family of vehicles. With such a pedigree, I have no doubt the Milan will come mechanically-equipped to compete.

Styling shares cues with other recent Mercury products that include a waterfall grille, satin silver finishes, LED tail lamps, and contemporary-looking aluminum wheels. Shaped and detailed like an Italian-American, the Milan should have the elegance and sporting stature to woo thirty-something Gen-Xers.

Production is at Ford’s Hermosillo, Mexico assembly plant. Competition for the Milan includes the Volvo S40, Nissan Altima, Pontiac G6, and Volkswagen Passat.

by Casey Williams
www.car-data.com

Mercury Mariner Hybrid — Going Green Gets Better

We were intrigued during a visit to New York City by the large number of Ford Escape Hybrid taxis plying the streets of Manhattan.

Makes sense when you figure hybrids are at their best in slow stop and go traffic. The gas engine remains at rest much of the time. And a small SUV that will comfortably hold as many passengers and as much luggage as a big Crown Vic while deriving as much as 10 more miles to the gallon is a smart move.

The window sticker markup over a standard gas engine vehicle is easily made up over the hundreds of thousands of miles cabbies drive their cars.

But you don't have to be a New York cab driver to benefit from a small hybrid sport utility. Hybrid SUVs are family-friendly as well.

The Escape Hybrid is entering its fifth model year and it — and its twin the Mercury Mariner — have been blessed with continual upgrades and improvements.

A restyled exterior and an upgraded interior came for the 2008 model year, and for 2009 the hybrid twins get more power while at the same time yielding slightly better gas mileage.

We spent a pleasant week in a 2009 Mercury Mariner Hybrid, intrigued by the increased horsepower — now with a total output of 177 horses compared to 155 for 2008 — especially when merging with heavy freeway traffic.

Of course, testing the limits of the available power is not the way to get the best gas mileage. We admit to a heavy foot. Fast starts are in our DNA. Quick takeoffs at the traffic light, especially on a 55-mph highway, are standard operating procedure. We don't like to get nipped by the guy next to us even if we are driving the most underpowered
sub- compact on the market.

That puts into perspective the 29 miles-to-the-gallon average we derived over 250 miles. When you consider the way we drive, that's surprisingly close to the Mariner's posted fuel economy of 31 highway/
34 city.

If you are in the market for a small crossover SUV, especially if your goal is to save at the pump, then you won't do better than the Mariner or its siblings, the Ford Escape or Mazda Tribute hybrids.

For the 2008 model year, the Mariner was restyled inside and out, the interior was made quieter and a full-range of safety features were added as standard equipment.

We will get to all that in a minute, but first the big news for 2009 is a new 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. The non-hybrid gas engine model is now outfitted with a 171-horsepower 2.5-liter engine mated to a six- speed automatic. That's a big improvement from the previous 2.3-liter engine developing 153 horsepower mated to a four-speed automatic.

The hybrid gets the same treatment getting a version of the 2.5-liter mated to a continuously variable transmission. Ford says the electric motor and the gas engine together develop 177 useable horsepower.

That takes the hybrid out of the leisurely performance category and elevates it to definitely acceptable.

Let's not take our eye off the prize — you are considering a hybrid purchase to save dollars at the pump, not to outrun your neighbor's Mustang. But we agree it's hard to live day-to-day without modern freeway performance.

Well, we say the Mariner has had the goods. With 22 less useable horsepower in 2008, it was measured at an acceptable 0-to-60 in 10.1 seconds. Our seat-of-the-pants test using a handheld stopwatch showed us the 2009 Mariner can accomplish the feat in around 9.5 seconds.
Case closed.

And here's the kicker — the 2009 model actually gets one more mile to the gallon in highway driving now rated at 31 mpg.

The Mariner drives as small as you would expect it would; stretching out a compact 175 inches with a 103-inch wheelbase. While the turning circle is a longish 39 feet, the small Mercury is still maneuverable in the mall parking lot.

Rear seating is comfortable for two people who will find very adequate legroom and ample head room. And rear storage measures 29 cubic feet, very generous for a small SUV. With the second row folded, maximum cargo capacity on a flat surface is a decent 62 cubic feet.

The 2009 Mariner for the most part has a pleasing upscale, carryover interior. Stylists had created a more Lincoln-like cockpit in their
2008 updating. Satin-aluminum and chrome accent the center stack and console. Chrome- ringed gauges, redesigned for 2008, are attractive.

We did not have the leather seat option, but we can report the cloth fabric is excellent.

The Mariner offers an impressive array of standard safety equipment including canopy side air curtains, side-impact air bags, ABS, tire pressure monitor system, and Ford's AdvanceTrac anti-skid system.

Factor in the Mariner's top crash ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Mercury has a strong selling point.

The Mariner has earned a top five stars from NHTSA for both front and rear-seat passengers in side-impact crash tests when equipped with the now-standard curtain airbags and the second highest rating from IIHS in offset frontal impact tests.

If we've sold you on the Mariner hybrid, hold your horses. We recommend that you get your calculator out and crunch the following numbers.

The base price of a front-wheel drive hybrid is about $30,000. The base price of a standard FWD 4-cylinder Mariner is about $23,000. So we are looking at a $7,000 difference. The 4-cylinder's gas mileage is rated at 20 mpg city and 28 mpg highway.

The government has done the math for us. Based on 15,000 miles a year at $3 a gallon the standard 4-cylinder will use $1,957 in fuel, the hybrid fuel cost is $1,408. That's a savings of $549 a year. At that rate, it would take nearly 13 years to recover the purchase price. At $2.00 per gallon it takes longer; at $4.00 a gallon you make it up quicker. Our guess is that over the long haul prices will be going up.
In either case you shouldn't chose a hybrid just for the sake of saving fuel. There are better and more altruistic reasons for making the decision of buying a hybrid.

Both models come similarly equipped. And there's an income tax credit for the Mariner that needs to be figured into the equation. Check the IRS Web site for up-to-date information. It will help off-set some of the pain.

Our test car came with the $1,995 navigation option, which also included a very good 320-watt sound system and satellite radio. That brought the bottom line to $32,470.

The 2009 Mariner is a good small SUV choice whether in standard 4- cylinder gas engine guise or as a hybrid. If you want to drive green, we recommend the hybrid. You will pay more at the outset, but you will enjoy fewer visits to the gas pumps. And your neighbors will think more highly of you.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman
www.car-data.com

Mercury Milan Hybird - Mercury's Efficient Midsize

Three of my favorite mid-size cars are the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln MKZ that are all based on the excellent Mazda6 architecture. The same platform spawned the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossovers. What they lack in brute power and cavernous interiors, they make up for with refined handling, rock solid body structures, and enduring quality. You sense their Japanese heritage, no doubt. However, they also possess a certain style that can only come from America. New for 2010 are enhanced styling and a class-leading hybrid powertrain that will be shared with the Fusion.

Said Derrick Kuzak, Ford V.P. for Global Product Development, “With the new Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids, we are now able to offer even better range of travel on battery power at a greater speed, thanks to a more efficient, seamless transition between the battery-powered motor and gasoline-driven engine. These new hybrids will exceed expectations on all fronts – fuel efficiency, comfort, convenience, and drivability.”

The Milan Hybrid is powered by a version of the Ford Escape Hybrid’s 2.5-litre four-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine, continuously variable transmission, and nickel-metal hydride batteries. Regenerative brakes and a more powerful motor allow the Milan Hybrid to drive up to 47 MPH on electricity alone, limiting gas consumption during city driving. A cool LCD screen next to the speedometer “grows leaves” or takes them away to creatively show drivers how they are using energy. Driven with soft loafers, range can touch 700 miles while beating the similar-sized Toyota Camry Hybrid by 8 MPG in the city and 2 MPG on the highway. Ford just announced that the Milan has been certified for 41-MPG in city driving. EasyFuel™ capless technology makes it even easier to fill up when you finally do have to visit a gas station.

Mercury also installed some advanced technology inside the car. Sync™, developed with Microsoft, allows passengers to voice-activate the navigation and audio systems. Bluetooth connectivity lets them make hands free calls from via their cell phone. Blind spot sensors alert drivers when cars or pedestrians are present while a backing camera reveals objects behind the vehicle. All of these features add up to a mid-size entry-luxury car that gives owners a technological edge underneath and behind a beautiful skin.

The Milan was already a good-looking car with its satin silver waterfall grille, European profile, trapezoidal taillamps, and handsome alloy wheels. For 2010, front clips were freshened with a larger and bolder chrome grille, chrome chin spoiler, and small round foglamps. The car also gets new wheels, spoiler, and taillamps, but most of the body shell remains unchanged – for the good. The total look comes off as “working girl elegant”.

Interiors were updated with new-age Ford buttons and dials, available touch-screen controls for the navigation/climate/audio systems, thicker steering wheel, and digital dashboard with large center analog speedometer. Details like the seats and gear selector were enhanced with French stitching to emulate the Milan’s upscale cousins at Lincoln. Hybrid models have a cool energy monitor function in the touch screen that shows what is being burned and replenished in real time.

I’ve driven Mercury Milans many times over the past several years and in all trim levels. They are always quiet and comfortable on the highway. The base 175-horsepower 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine is powerful enough for most people, but speed demons will want to step up to the 240-horsepower 3.0-litre V6. Hybrids are expected to bridge the gap in power while turning in Smart ForTwo fuel economy.

What I like best about the Milan Hybrid is how stealthily it moves about. From all appearances, it is a stylish mid-luxury sedan with a Japanese soul. However, from its class-leading hybrid-driven fuel economy to hands-free communications and navigation, as well as an LCD dashboard, it is as advanced as any car close to its price. Some people want a Prius to prove their greenness, but many others prefer the benefits wrapped in traditional attire. For those, the Milan Hybrid promises to be an excellent choice.

By Casey Williams
www.car-data.com

Mercury Mariner Premier

The Ford Escape has proven over nearly a decade of production to become one of the most popular compact SUVs of all time by combining tough style, spirited on-road performance, and just enough soft-road capability to get to the mountain cabin, Boy Scout camp, or favorite fishing spot. Upscale models pass for elegant and luxurious, but there’s still a certain panache missing. That’s where Mercury polishes the rough edges.

A Mariner is essentially the same as an Escape, but with more upscale attire. I suppose it’s the vehicular equivalent of putting a Men’s Wearhouse suit on a factory worker and inviting him to a ball. He’s still a hard worker, but looks sharp in his satin finish grille, 17” alloy wheels, large clear lens headlamps, and chiseled in foglamps.

A signature of the Mariner is its two-tone interior with contrasting suede inserts for the heated leather seats. Large analog gauges and controls are lit ice blue for modern style. Ford’s SYNC system, co-developed with Microsoft, allows hands-free access to the navigation, audio, and through Bluetooth, your telephone. Side curtain airbags enhance safety. Some hard interior materials not quite up to class-leading standards, but look and feel good and will be durable as the years pile on.

Base Mariners come with a 171-horsepower 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, connected to a five-speed manual transmission. That combination achieves the best gas mileage (20/28-MPG city/hwy.), however you may want to step up to the available 240-horsepower 3.0-litre V6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission for a bit more gusto on the freeway and off the line. All-wheel-drive dispenses with the white stuff expeditiously. Stoked with the larger engine and AWD, expect fuel economy of 17/24-MPG city/hwy.

Riding on a four-wheel independent suspension, the Mariner handles and rides well for a compact crossover. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and four-wheel ABS brakes work well to keep the vehicle heading where you intend. Standing high on its suspension, the Mariner not only provides a command-of-the-road driving position, but also clears deep snow and obstacles with ease.

The Mercury Mariner and Ford Escape have been on the market for nearly 10 years with a series of facelifts along the way. Adding capless fuel filling is a welcome addition to the features list, and it comes with the right spec sheet, but the vehicle could be easily upgraded. Give it a bow wake grille, install LED taillamps, dress up the interior with MKS leather, and it would pass for a Lincoln that could rough it in the wilderness, a crowded parking lot, or Boy Scout summer camp. Price as tested came to $27,980, making it competitive with the Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Jeep Patriot, and Pontiac Torrent.

by Casey Williams
www.car-data.com

Mercury Milan Hybrid

With the industry tightening belts and nameplates being retired left and right, it comes as a bit of a surprise to see that Mercury’s still around. That’s not to say that the brand has no right to live; thousands of loyal Mercury buyers would certainly argue that it’s got a place on the automotive landscape. Still, Mercury has been high on the automotive dead pool lists for over a decade now, and parent company Ford’s repeated reassurances that it has a plan for the marque are beginning to ring hollow in the face of a complete lack of unique product.

Just because all of Mercury’s current products are better-equipped virtual clones of Fords doesn’t mean that there’s nothing to see here, however. For 2010, Mercury is fielding a cutting-edge hybrid-electric family sedan that offers seamless performance and achieves the best mileage in its class. Is there a spark of life in the Mercury brand still?

The Milan Hybrid benefits from the same styling updates that add some necessary pizzazz to the Milan. A broader waterfall grille with thicker elements dominates the front end, pushing the headlamps out to the sides. Improved trim and new taillamps help to update the Milan’s exterior. Unique seventeen-inch wheels and Ford’s road-and-leaf hybrid badges set the Milan Hybrid apart.

Behind the wheel, the first thing you’ll notice is the Milan’s new interpretation of Mercury’s brushed-aluminum, two-tone style. Touch points on the armrests and doors have been made softer, and redesigned seats are more comfortable. They look better too, with contrasting stitching to add some distinction. Ambient lighting for the footwells and cup holders is available. In some places the plastic-silver trim’s quality seems to have suffered a bit, but the Milan is comfortable and seats five easily, on eco-friendly cloth made from recycled materials. Look a bit closer and you’ll notice the instrument panel, which is easily the most animated in the industry.

The Milan Hybrid gets a unique instrument panel featuring Ford’s animated SmartGauge system. The three-dimensional display flanks a standard analog speedometer, and features the “EcoGuide” coaching system which helps drivers to maintain maximum fuel economy. Fuel level and other functions are represented with eye-catching 3-D graphics, while leaves and vines “grow” to show how good your fuel efficiency. We found a bit confusing at first; it distracts the eye a bit as you try to find your info. The “floating” gas gauge level and economy gauge are a bit too animated for our taste. SYNC voice-activated in-car communication, a voice-activated navigation system and a backup camera are also available.

All aesthetic quibbles aside, the Milan Hybrid’s mechanical parts work just as well as advertised. Under the hood, a 155-horsepower Atkinson-cycle 2.5 liter four-cylinder and 275-volt permanent-magnet electric motor assist can run up to 47 miles per hour on full-electric power. The electric motor adds about 160 horsepower. The engine’s efficiency is boosted by variable intake cam timing, which also makes the transitions from gasoline to electric power smoother.

The Milan Hybrid shuts off the gasoline engine when the car is stopped as well, reducing idling time. Improved battery technology means that the Milan Hybrid’s battery is smaller, lighter and more efficient, and it doesn’t require separate cooling fans. A continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) gets the power to the road with maximum efficiency. The CVT creates an unusual engine note, and it’s obvious that there’s a small four-cylinder under the hood. With a range of around 700 miles on a tank of gas, you won’t be filling the Milan Hybrid much, but when you do you’ll notice Ford’s EasyFuel capless fuel filler.

The electronic power steering has been retuned, along with new suspension link geometry front and rear, sharpening the Milan’s reflexes and freeway ride. The Milan Hybrid shares the standard sedan’s short-long arm front suspension and independent rear, so handling can be entertaining should you want to push it. It’s comfortable on the suburban roads it was bred for, and the excellent range makes it a good road-tripper as well. The Milan Hybrid’s four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes have been adapted with a regenerative function that helps to keep the batteries charged.

The Milan Hybrid also shares many of the new innovations that have been added to the Milan/Fusion lineup, including the available Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert. This system uses radar to alert the driver when a vehicle is traveling in the Milan’s blind spots, or if there’s a car approaching as the Milan is backing out of a parking space.

The slim lineup doesn’t bode well for the Mercury brand’s future, but it’s still getting the good stuff from parent company Ford, and the Milan Hybrid is proof of this. The Milan Hybrid offers excellent fuel economy and range without sacrificing (much) performance or comfort. There’s a premium, of course. Milan Hybrid pricing starts at $27,500, putting it in the neighborhood of some compact luxury sedans. High-tech options like SYNC and the Blind Spot Information System help to make this proximity seem a bit less optimistic.

By Chris Jackson
MyCarData

Mercury Milan Hybrid

When we get a hybrid or other high-mileage vehicle to test drive we have a different goal than perhaps most automotive reviewers. We try to get the worst mileage possible driving with all our bad habits on display.

Sounds crazy huh? But we already know the EPA mileage numbers — which are fairly accurate since the government revised its criteria in 2008 — and we’ve usually already read that some journalist has achieved super out-of-this-world numbers trying to outdo every other writer.

But that’s not how these vehicles are driven day-in and day-out, month-after-month, year-after-year by an owner. He or she will probably drive the car like they’ve driven cars all their lives — in a hurry to get from point A to point B, in a hurry to merge into traffic on the freeway, in a hurry to beat the next guy at the stoplight, and pushing the outer edges of the speed limit on the open highway.

Let’s face it, unless gas prices climb to record levels people simply are not going change their driving habits. So what we want to report is what drivers can really expect from a high-mileage car in the real world if old habits are not broken.

All that being said, let’s cut right to it. We achieved 35 miles to the gallon over about 225 miles of highway and city driving in the 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid. The Milan, and its twin, the Ford Fusion Hybrid, are rated at 41 mpg city and 36 mpg highway.

So if we can wring out 35 mpg — as posted on the Mercury’s gas mileage computer when we handed over the keys — in our best lead-foot driving tradition, most drivers can expect at least as good. Sure, if they set their sights on getting more, it’s possible to eclipse 40 mpg. But, we strive for realism.

Thirty-five miles to the gallon in a well-equipped mid-sized sedan with very adequate performance and excellent road manners is certainly something to cheer about. And we think Ford’s Milan/Fusion hybrid effort is one of the best yet.

The Milan drives like a regular sedan and that’s a biggie in our book. No, the new Toyota Prius — as good as it is and it is good — still drives and looks like, well, a hybrid. At least that’s our take.

Other hybrids built on standard mid-sized platforms — Chevrolet Malibu, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima — aren’t as fuel efficient and for the most part don’t offer the same level of driving dynamics — the same seamless integration between gas and electric — as the Milan/Fusion. And the Altima is only available in a handful of states.

The things that really vault the Fusion/Milan ahead of the Prius (which, granted does get better mileage and costs a bit less) are the driving dynamics. The Milan simply drives like a really good mid-sized gas-engine vehicle. It is as close to what you are used to in a well-equipped sedan as any hybrid on the road. In fact, sans all the driving aids available on the dashboard, you could easily forget in a short time that you are driving a hybrid.

The question with this vehicle as with all hybrids even as good as this one is cost? Will the extra monetary outlay at the time of purchase save enough at the gas pumps to make it a viable option?

No matter how green we are, most of us have to factor economics into our buying decisions. Disposable income is a scarce commodity that has to be used wisely regardless of our environmental views.

So let’s make the case. The EPA says the hybrid’s combined mileage is 39, the Milan’s standard 2.5-liter 4-cylinder gas engine making 175 horsepower is rated at 22/31 with a combined 25. That’s a whopping 14 mpg difference. That would amount to an annual gas savings of 172 gallons based on 12,000 miles per year. At $3 a gallon, yearly gas expenses would be cut $516.

Base price of the Mercury hybrid including destination is $28,225. Base price of the I4 Premier Milan equipped about the same way is $25,400. There are rebates and price breaks on the 4-cylinder according to Edmunds.com making the effective price $22,547.
That’s nearly $5,700 price advantage over the hybrid, which comes with no incentives. But Ford has announced that there’s currently a $3,400 IRS tax credit for the purchase of the Milan hybrid making the effective difference just $2,278.

If all these parameters remain in place and gas stays at about the same price, you would break even in about four years. If gas prices rise, the break even point would come sooner. And we figure come trade-in time the hybrid would fetch a better price than the gas-engine model.

But if the hybrid version was devoid of modern performance, forcing you to give up motorized happiness for the sake of saving gasoline, than it’s not worth it at any price.
Fear not. It’s just the opposite with the Milan. Performance is brisk and there are no sacrifices in driving fuel efficient in this car.

For performance comparison purposes, 0-to-60 can be achieved in 8.5 seconds from Milan’s 2.5-liter 4-cylinder gas engine and the electric motor, which combined make 191 useable horsepower. The 2010 Prius, by comparison, is rated at 10.1 seconds.

But to stay really green, you must keep your foot out of the accelerator. There are plenty of aids — dial up as many as you can stand — to help the driver gain maximum fuel efficiency. Milan’s hybrid (and Fusion’s) has a special gauge cluster called SmartGauge and features a pair of color display screens flanking the speedometer.

There is much information available through colorful graphic displays. You will probably watch the efficiency gauge most, which depicts your driving performance through a tangle of thickening vines and sprouting leaves. You can watch the plant do nothing or you can drive like there is no gas left on the planet and watch the plant thrive. If you get tired of the video readout, you can simply shut it off.

The Milan is quiet and comfortable for four adults and their luggage. As is the case in most mid-sized sedans, three can live in the rear seat for short treks. Trunk space is measured at an adequate 12 cubic feet.

Our test car carried the aforementioned base price, but came with $6,000 worth of options including navigation, power moonroof, upgraded Sony 12-speaker audio system, rear-view backup camera, and special white platinum paint. Bottom line was $34,230.

Be advised that the base model Milan Hybrid at $28,225 comes very nicely equipped.
If you have decided its time to make the leap into a hybrid vehicle, it would be difficult to find a better alternative than the Milan.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman
MyCarData