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2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid

Your Mileage May Vary
As difficult as it is to write this, I was actually excited about the 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid. With the beautiful looks of the newest midsize fighter from Ford and a fuel economy estimate capable of shaming even the stalwart Camry Hybrid, the battery-augmented four-door seemed like a recipe for unabashed success. But appearances love nothing more than swapping our boundless enthusiasm for cold platters of disappointment. The 2013 Fusion Hybrid gets hobbled right out of the gate with a lofty price tag, and real-world driving keeps the sedan from even approaching those EPA figures.
With so many excellent midsize hybrids on the market, is there any reason to consider the newest Fusion Hybrid? Are sharp aesthetics, a well-executed interior and capable driving dynamics enough to overcome the machine's shortfalls? Not from where I'm standing.

2016 Ford Mustang gets new packages, trim and hood-vent turn signals

Ford just introduced the 2015 Mustang last year, but the iconic pony car is already getting a few minor updates for the 2016 model year consisting primarily of new options packages and trim. For starters, Ford is bringing back the turn indicators integrated into the hood vents, first launched on the Mustang nearly half a century ago, which will now be fitted as standard on the Mustang GT. The feature was apparently requested by customers, and signals to the driver when the turning indicator is on. Premium models also get the new Sync 3 system. The Blue Oval automaker is also offering racing stripes in black or silver on the Mustang GT and Mustang EcoBoost, along with a black roof option. There's a new Pony Package available for the EcoBoost Premium model as well, with 19-inch polished alloys, special grille, side stripe and chrome window surround. Customers ordering a Mustang GT fastback or convertible can opt for the Black Accent Package with murdered-out wheels, spoiler, taillamp trim and logos. There's a California Special Package being offered on the Mustang GT Premium with such touches as 19-inch black machined alloys, hood and side stripes, black spoiler, mirror and hood vents, dark taillamp accents, a front splitter, special grille and gas cap, strut tower brace and an interior decked out in black leather with suede inserts and red stitching. Finally, Ford is offering a Performance Package for the Mustang GT convertible with the manual transmission, similar to the kit available for the fastback but catered to the drop-top. The package includes upgraded suspension, Brembo brakes, 19-inch black-painted alloys, a larger radiator, strut tower brace and K-brace, retuned electronics, a Torsen limited slip differential, machine-turned aluminum instrument panel, a new splitter and the removal of the rear spoiler.

Coronavirus shakes up America's truck market: GM outselling Ford and Ram

FCA, Ford and General Motors joined the rest of the U.S. auto industry in taking heavy volume hits due to coronavirus-related shortages of both cars and customers. The saying goes that a rising tide lifts all boats; it stands to reason, then, that a falling one would have the opposite effect.  However, as we learned Thursday, the automotive market can behave in unpredictable ways. While the F-Series remained the best-selling nameplate in Q1, GM's full-size trucks are now outselling Ford's again for the first time in years, and with this upward thrust from the General, FCA's Ram was unceremoniously booted out of a hard-earned second place.  While late-March sales declines hit just about every major automaker in one way or another, the model-by-model results weren't nearly so uniform. And because the market tends to be a zero-sum game, for every winner, there generally has to be a loser.  In this case, that winner was GM, and its rise had to come at the expense of another automaker, in this case, Ford. F-Series sales dropped 13.1 percent in the first quarter of 2020, while sales of GM's full-sized Silverado and Sierra surged nearly 28% in the same period. FCA's Ram lineup managed a steady-as-she-goes 7% increase. All-in, GM finished the quarter with 197,743 full-size trucks sold to Ford's 186,562. Here's the full breakdown: Ford F-Series: 186,562  Chevrolet Silverado*: 144,734 Ram P/U: 128,805 GMC Sierra: 53,009 *includes 1,036 Medium Duty sales Things are a but murkier in the midsize segment, where the Chevy Colorado slipped 36% to just 21,430 units sold — just a few hundred better than the slow-selling Ford Ranger's Q1 numbers. The GMC Canyon experienced an almost identical slide, finishing the quarter with just 4,483 units sold. For perspective, Jeep sold more than 15,000 Gladiators and Toyota's midsize Tacoma slipped less than 8%, finishing the quarter with nearly 54,000 sales.  We suspect this discrepancy in full- and mid-size truck sales comes from shifting incentives. Ford, GM and FCA would like to keep selling bigger trucks because there's far more profit margin built into their list prices. Even with tens of thousands of dollars in manufacturer money on the hood, big trucks still make money.  Since these automakers report quarterly, we won't get another good look at these numbers until July, but if you thought that 2019 represented the new normal for U.S. auto sales, well, think again.