1. C-MAX Hybrid (1.6 EcoBoost with more room, higher EV range and speed, and higher mpg than Prius)

2. C-MAX Energi Plugin Hybrid (More room, higher mpg, longer on EV, faster on EV, longer range than Prius and Volt)

3. Focus Electric (Nicer than anything out there, faster charge, cheaper 240 charger and lower vehicle cost than the Leaf)

And the upcoming:

4. The ‘hinted’ and ‘avoided’ conversation about the Focus Hybrid Sedan (with their new 1.6 EcoBoost engine alone that gets combined 44mpg in the bigger Mondeo) which should get about 60-70 mpg as a hybrid. This will be the replacement for the Fusion ‘Hybrid’ that will end with the 2011 model. They are already doing a heavy marketing of the current Fusion, and not marketing the Fusion Hybrid at all, as if it does not exist. All electrified Ford cars will be on the C Platform and manufactured out of the new Michigan plant. I see that announcement coming in Feb or March.

5. The Fiesta with the new 1.6 EcoBoost will be available for mileage in the 50s, and that’s without the cost of a hybrid. This should be announced first, as they have already started marketing the new high mileage 1.6 EcoBoost engine on the Ford website.

And with all these cars selling world wide, with Fords focus on AFFORDABLE electrified and high mileage vehicles to benefit from the economy of scale, there is no doubt that Ford will be the clear leader before 2020.

GO FORD GO USA!!!

“In fact, I willing to gamble that an actuary compiled the data and determined that it would be more cost effective to allow a known defective product to be sold to consumers and remedy the malady after the vehicle had been sold. Where is the hype in that? “
_______________

Whether it is deemed a “defect” or not, I’d argue trading cost vs risk is true in all products. If risks vs cost isn’t a factor, we would all be driving tanks or something ridiculous to reduce all risks close to zero.

Furthermore, designing a product to zero risk is very unlikely nor practical. I think that concept has to be a balanced and within reason. The key word here is “reasonable”. At some point the cost will increase exponentially as a product is designed to eliminate risks. For example, manufactures knows there is a risk of planes falling from the sky and killing vehicle occupants… it is an unlikely scenario but a risk nevertheless. Is it a defect? Probably not because people do not expect the vehicle to function as such.

In the case of the prius floor mat recall, it is certainly reasonable to expect the mat not to be a hindrance to vehicle control. In such case I may call this a defect depending on circumstances that triggered this (failed clip is probably a defect) and how often this occurs.

Some may argue it is reasonable to expect people should have sufficient skills to control their vehicles in an event like this. And what happens when a part fails under wear and tear? Is it reasonable to assume drivers will be maintaining critical parts such as brakes or adjust their mat as it slides out of position? I guess my point is sometimes things are not as black and white as it seems. Most of the time manufactures and consumers both have to take on responsibilities to deal with the risks. Often times when it is not reasonable for the consumers to know or deal with the critical risks (e.g. mat clip breaking while driving and immediately causing mat to jam gas control), this is where the term “defect” may be used and manufactures will take on most of the blame.

Thanks for your sensationalized news report. Are you a reporter for Fox News by any chance?

Lad–

Prius is older technology yet somehow it gets the best fuel economy out of all the cars out there. I find that very interesting.

Dom–

I own a 2007 Prius. Paid $25K for it and it’s almost fully loaded. Now that the weather is colder in the upper midwest I am currently AVERAGING 46.2 mpg. That’s cty/hwy mileage. Not APPROACHING 40 mpg, which is the hwy mileage you are talking about for those cars.

Wow. The current Civic which was first debuted in 2005 is rated 25/36 with ‘only’ a five-speed auto.

Wow. Even the current Civic that was first debuted in 2005 is rated 25/36 with ‘only’ a 5 spd auto.

Let’s look at some facts:
(EPA rating city/ hwy/ combined – all from Fueleconomy.gov except Elantra which is still not available from that site)

Elantra 29/40/33
Fiesta A6 (non SFE)29/38/33
SFE 29/40/33
Cruze 1.8 A6 22/35/27
1.4 A6 24/36/28
Jetta 2.0 A6 30/42/34
2.5 A6 24/31/27

- The myth that Cruze is fuel ‘efficient’ is busted;
- a fuel efficient Jetta may be only applicable to the ‘decade-old’ 2.slow, and from my previous experience, it’s competent but barely adequate 10 years later;
- Fiesta is a size too small relative to others, and it’s a size too small for many (esp. those who need a ‘real’ usable rear seat).

How about Prius or Insight?

Prius 51/48/50
Insight 40/43/41

Every non-hybrid mentioned above is, at best, only about 2/3 as fuel efficient as Prius, though Prius may be a bit pricey. But the base model of Insight now starts from ~18k, and a better equipped one below 20k, which is quite competitive to those non-hybrids above similarly equipped.