Maverick Hybrid vs Fusion Hybrid

[infrno187]

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/forum/threads/low-button-in-shifter.5935/page-1
I found this conversation in the forum about the “L” button. Gives a good explanation of what it’s for.

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[hooliganmom]

You are probably right: Mav = Fusion replacement, especially since you can buy a Mav either as an EB or a hybrid. What Ford might be saying is that we’re not building (many) cars anymore, but we’re not going to desert our customers — hey, try our new small truck; it’s the vehicle of the future especially in the hybrid configuration.

I think the Mav hybrid is also the CMax replacement, too, even though Ford didn’t build many Cmax cars. At least that’s why I’m buying the Mav. (I’m just hoping I’ll outlive the delivery date for my new Mav, whenever that will be.) I’m just happy I have my CMax (getting close to 40 mpg) until the Mav is delivered.

I replaced my 2012 Focus with a Mav, and I thought I wasn't going to buy another Ford. They are supposedly selling a lot to Civic owners too.

 

[CuriousGary]

Not a terrible way of looking at it. Maverick even rolls down the same assembly line that built Fusions.

Technically, C-Max replaced the original Escape Hybrid. When C-Max was launched in the US market, Escape lost its hybrid option. When C-Max was pulled from the US, they brought back Escape Hybrid, and brought an Escape PHEV to replace C-Max Energi.

Re: Technically … above, before I bought my used C-max, I bought a used Escape. I loved this vehicle and its boxy look. What I did not like was 16-18 mpg and only 200+ miles on a tank of gas. I always liked the Escape Hybrid. Finally the transmission on my Escape gave out and the car wasn’t worth much more than a rebuilt transmission.

That’s when I bought a C-max for the hybrid and gas mileage. I didn’t realize I was technically buying the replacement for the Escape Hybrid. Good to now know this. Thanks, Jsus.

I have never regretted buying the C-max. Now, due to possibly a 1 yr wait for my Mav in the configuration I want, I may get a C-max Energy (PHEV) in the meantime.

 

[infrno187]

Re: Technically … above, before I bought my used C-max, I bought a used Escape. I loved this vehicle and its boxy look. What I did not like was 16-18 mpg and only 200+ miles on a tank of gas. I always liked the Escape Hybrid. Finally the transmission on my Escape gave out and the car wasn’t worth much more than a rebuilt transmission.

That’s when I bought a C-max for the hybrid and gas mileage. I didn’t realize I was technically buying the replacement for the Escape Hybrid. Good to now know this. Thanks, Jsus.

I have never regretted buying the C-max. Now, due to possibly a 1 yr wait for my Mav in the configuration I want, I may get a C-max Energy (PHEV) in the meantime.

Good luck with that. All the PHEV’s, even the first generation ones, with well over 100k miles are extremely marked up. I considered buying a Fusion Energi before settling on the Mav. I couldn’t find one with decent mileage for under $20k. That’s a hard pill to swallow for a car that is nearly a decade old. I was concerned about getting one and then having to replace the HV battery. On a regular hybrid that would set you back about $2500 for a refurb from a second hand company. On a PHEV that price is much higher. It seems like a gamble I, personally wasn’t willing to make. I’ll just keep driving my Fusion Hybrid in the meantime and hope it holds out. Maybe one day we’ll get a Maverick PHEV.

On another note, with there being such a battery shortage, making PHEV’s and EV’s seems like a gross misuse of resources. The Maverick proves that people are willing to buy hybrids, en mass, if the price is right. It would seem like a better solution to produce more hybrids, than a few EV’s and PHEV’s, all of which are insanely priced to where the average person couldn’t afford them. But that’s a different topic for another thread….

 

[CuriousGary]

Good luck with that. All the PHEV’s, even the first generation ones, with well over 100k miles are extremely marked up. I considered buying a Fusion Energi before settling on the Mav. I couldn’t find one with decent mileage for under $20k. That’s a hard pill to swallow for a car that is nearly a decade old. I was concerned about getting one and then having to replace the HV battery. On a regular hybrid that would set you back about $2500 for a refurb from a second hand company. On a PHEV that price is much higher. It seems like a gamble I, personally wasn’t willing to make. I’ll just keep driving my Fusion Hybrid in the meantime and hope it holds out. Maybe one day we’ll get a Maverick PHEV.

On another note, with there being such a battery shortage, making PHEV’s and EV’s seems like a gross misuse of resources. The Maverick proves that people are willing to buy hybrids, en mass, if the price is right. It would seem like a better solution to produce more hybrids, than a few EV’s and PHEV’s, all of which are insanely priced to where the average person couldn’t afford them. But that’s a different topic for another thread….

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. PHEVs are indeed relatively expensive. The C-max Energi is min $20k+ for low mileage veh and I guess you can’t depend on the large battery.

1st, is there a way to test the life expectancy of the 7.6 mWh battery in the Energi? What about testing the battery in my C-max Hybrid?

2nd, I was wondering about whether I could get a tax credit for purchase of a used Energi under the new IRA legislation; however, I cannot find out if there is any domestic content in the Energi battery. Do you know? (The rules are pretty complex for getting a tax credit on a used PHEV.)

Finally, I don’t think I would get a payback in 1 yr on an Energi even if I could a tax credit. So, I guess I’ll continue to drive my CMax aiming for 42 mpg on the dashboard (40 real mpg) and wait for the Mav.

 

[Darnon]

2nd, I was wondering about whether I could get a tax credit for purchase of a used Energi under the new IRA legislation; however, I cannot find out if there is any domestic content in the Energi battery. Do you know? (The rules are pretty complex for getting a tax credit on a used PHEV.)

Battery/vehicle assembly origin doesn't matter for used EV credit but it needs to be at most 2 model years old and doesn't start until 2024 so the Energis won't qualify.

 

[TexasHybrid]

Don't know if this will help:

2017 Fusion Hybrid rental car to Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. My first experience with a Hybrid and I did not know how it worked at the time. Sorta got used to it puttering around in the urban environment and solo highway cruising was fine.

However; highway driving at speed, I had my foot to the floor consistently trying to pass. Was troubling; could not keep up with my group heading to the Eclipse from Cody. Traded that car for a normal gasser when heading back to Denver from Cody as I had had enough of the hard to scoot and pass. After that experience I refused to give a Hybrid any looks as i figured power to pass was not included.

Then in 2021 a close buddy bought a Rav4 Hybrid. Riding in it and seeing reasonable power on demand got me to take a closer look at a Maverick; so I ordered one. Speaking with other Maverick owners and got some one on one time while at a travel stop with an owner has me less concerned about the highway power to scoot and pass issue.

Fusion mileage was great >40 MPG, but the inability to scoot when needed was concerning. For the record, I drive an 09 CRV for my normal driving and it is adequate to pass on the highway. I drive the CRV 2500 miles per month in a combination of urban, highway and suburban errand stuff.

My Maverick when it (or if) it comes in will retire the CRV from the house and the Maverick will take on the CRV duties and get driving much. If no Maverick, then may select a PHEV from Honda or Ford. Won't matter as they look alike and do the same boring thing.

 

[infrno187]

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. PHEVs are indeed relatively expensive. The C-max Energi is min $20k+ for low mileage veh and I guess you can’t depend on the large battery.

1st, is there a way to test the life expectancy of the 7.6 mWh battery in the Energi? What about testing the battery in my C-max Hybrid?

2nd, I was wondering about whether I could get a tax credit for purchase of a used Energi under the new IRA legislation; however, I cannot find out if there is any domestic content in the Energi battery. Do you know? (The rules are pretty complex for getting a tax credit on a used PHEV.)

Finally, I don’t think I would get a payback in 1 yr on an Energi even if I could a tax credit. So, I guess I’ll continue to drive my CMax aiming for 42 mpg on the dashboard (40 real mpg) and wait for the Mav.

I don’t think there is a way to test the life expectancy but Ford can do a battery test. I asked about it once, but apparently it takes a long time because they have connect the battery up to a computer and (this is what I was told) drain the battery all the way down and then charge it all the way back up again and then do a series of load tests on it. But in short, Ford can test the overall health of the battery, but I don’t think they can say how long it will last.

Suppossdly you can get a tax credit on a used EV, but that’s part of the new law, so the answers aren’t straight forward on how that works, because it’s a new law. I know the Fusions were one of the few cars that were assembled in the US, but I highly doubt the batteries were from the US. But I’m not sure.

 

[CuriousGary]

Battery/vehicle assembly origin doesn't matter for used EV credit but it needs to be at most 2 model years old and doesn't start until 2024 so the Energis won't qualify.

Thanks. Can you provide a link to the tax info or a write-up from a reliable source?

 

[infrno187]

Thanks. Can you provide a link to the tax info or a write-up from a reliable source?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ma...es-is-part-of-manchins-compromise-11659019423

and…

https://www.leafscore.com/auto/15-used-evs-that-qualify-for-the-electric-vehicle-tax-credit/

The number of used EV’s that qualify is pretty low and it looks like a lot of them are limited to specific years, some of them older years.

 

[infrno187]

Don't know if this will help:

2017 Fusion Hybrid rental car to Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. My first experience with a Hybrid and I did not know how it worked at the time. Sorta got used to it puttering around in the urban environment and solo highway cruising was fine.

However; highway driving at speed, I had my foot to the floor consistently trying to pass. Was troubling; could not keep up with my group heading to the Eclipse from Cody. Traded that car for a normal gasser when heading back to Denver from Cody as I had had enough of the hard to scoot and pass. After that experience I refused to give a Hybrid any looks as i figured power to pass was not included.

Then in 2021 a close buddy bought a Rav4 Hybrid. Riding in it and seeing reasonable power on demand got me to take a closer look at a Maverick; so I ordered one. Speaking with other Maverick owners and got some one on one time while at a travel stop with an owner has me less concerned about the highway power to scoot and pass issue.

Fusion mileage was great >40 MPG, but the inability to scoot when needed was concerning. For the record, I drive an 09 CRV for my normal driving and it is adequate to pass on the highway. I drive the CRV 2500 miles per month in a combination of urban, highway and suburban errand stuff.

My Maverick when it (or if) it comes in will retire the CRV from the house and the Maverick will take on the CRV duties and get driving much. If no Maverick, then may select a PHEV from Honda or Ford. Won't matter as they look alike and do the same boring thing.

Thank you for that driving comparison. That’s the kind of information I’m hoping to glean from this thread, from as many people as possible. With the limited number of Hybrid Mavs, it’s highly unlikely I’ll get to drive one before mine is delivered. The dealer has an ICE version that I am going to test drive, but I’m sure that’s a completely different experience.

For the Fusion, It could have been the settings. I keep my Fusion set on ECO and it will get up and go when I gas it. But idk what all settings the one you got had. My wife has a Prius V and that thing is seriously under powered, but I guess that’s not really the point for most people when they get a hybrid. I’ve read the Maverick has a hard time getting up and going at highway speed, but it’s a truck so, kind of to be expected. But for perspective, the Toyota RAV-4 PHEV, is the second fastest car in Toyota’s line up. Second only to the I-6 Supra, faster than the Turbo 4 Supra… The RAV-4 PHEV does 0-60 in like 5 seconds and some change. That’s not the Maverick or my Fusion, but that proves that hybrids don’t have to be slow. Hell, BMW, Porsche, Lamborghini, etc are all coming out with hybrid sports cars.

 

[Darnon]

Ah, looks like I had the bit about the model year backwards. 2 MY older, not 2 MY or newer (the actual text words it kind of weird). Also its worth noting they need to be purchased through a dealer... so you can expect they'll probably just try to command a $4k markup.

 

[AndrewinMD]

I drove a Fusion Hybrid ('16 SE with luxury) for six years and then sold it for the Maverick. My thoughts:
Positives for the Maverick:
-Overall, the Mav is awesome and suits me perfectly. Having the bed is exceptionally useful.
-While the specs are similar, the Mav feels more powerful and corners better. Seems more balanced to me. There's one curve on a highway ramp that I take when returning from work, and in the Fusion, I would go about 40 MPH without too much lean. In the Mav, I can do 50 MPH.
-Ease of entry is superior in the truck, obviously.
-Newer Sync is better in the Mav, screen is better.
-I prefer the ActiveX seats to the leather I had in the Fusion. I had a couple tears in the leather after six years, but the ActiveX seems more durable and about the same in terms of heat retention. Hard to tell on that last part because I had IR-blocking tint on the Fusion (planning to get the same on the Mav).
-Better seatbelts in the Mav, especially in the back. My Fusion had "inflatable" seatbelts in the back, but mostly passengers found them annoying and difficult to use.
-The LED headlights on the Mav are better than the Fusion's halogens. I did like the fog lights on the Fusion for improved side lighting (mostly for helping to spot deer on rural roads).

Positives for the Fusion:
-Screen/displays were more informative or customizable on the Fusion. I liked having the three screens (two small behind the steering wheel plus the larger center console one). I kept one smaller one on Navigation to display roads and speed limit, the other smaller one on the EV Power readout, and then the center for music. While I use the center one on the Mav for the EV Power display and the middle one for navigation/music with Android Auto, it just feels...lesser.
-Brake system was better on the Fusion, as is mentioned above by several others. I have the same issues with low speed braking.
-Fusion was more "luxury" with the luxury package -- small touches and overall refinement. Not surprising because it was a more expensive vehicle, adjusted for inflation. Mine was a bit over $32k in 2016 -- about the same price as the Mav in 2022.
-Seats were more comfortable and more adjustable in the Fusion, by far. Comfort isn't much worse in the Mav, but the adjustments in the Mav seats are pathetic. I have a Mav Lariat with luxury package, and the passenger seat is manual...and a BAD manual, at that?
-Roomier interior. There was just more room in the Fusion, but that isn't necessarily completely positive. I like that everything is within reach in the Maverick since it's smaller. I'm not a big guy, so a massive interior isn't necessary for me.

Equal:
-Fuel economy is roughly on par. The Fusion may have been a touch better, but it's hard to say. With the added power, though, I'd give the edge to the Maverick actually in terms of overall performance.
-Noise. I haven't noticed too much difference with the Lariat and the acoustic windshield (one of the reasons I upgraded to the Lariat).
-Heated seats. Seems about the same. I think I'll like my heated steering wheel in the Maverick, which was not an option on the Fusion.

 

[infrno187]

I drove a Fusion Hybrid ('16 SE with luxury) for six years and then sold it for the Maverick. My thoughts:
Positives for the Maverick:
-Overall, the Mav is awesome and suits me perfectly. Having the bed is exceptionally useful.
-While the specs are similar, the Mav feels more powerful and corners better. Seems more balanced to me. There's one curve on a highway ramp that I take when returning from work, and in the Fusion, I would go about 40 MPH without too much lean. In the Mav, I can do 50 MPH.
-Ease of entry is superior in the truck, obviously.
-Newer Sync is better in the Mav, screen is better.
-I prefer the ActiveX seats to the leather I had in the Fusion. I had a couple tears in the leather after six years, but the ActiveX seems more durable and about the same in terms of heat retention. Hard to tell on that last part because I had IR-blocking tint on the Fusion (planning to get the same on the Mav).
-Better seatbelts in the Mav, especially in the back. My Fusion had "inflatable" seatbelts in the back, but mostly passengers found them annoying and difficult to use.
-The LED headlights on the Mav are better than the Fusion's halogens. I did like the fog lights on the Fusion for improved side lighting (mostly for helping to spot deer on rural roads).

Positives for the Fusion:
-Screen/displays were more informative or customizable on the Fusion. I liked having the three screens (two small behind the steering wheel plus the larger center console one). I kept one smaller one on Navigation to display roads and speed limit, the other smaller one on the EV Power readout, and then the center for music. While I use the center one on the Mav for the EV Power display and the middle one for navigation/music with Android Auto, it just feels...lesser.
-Brake system was better on the Fusion, as is mentioned above by several others. I have the same issues with low speed braking.
-Fusion was more "luxury" with the luxury package -- small touches and overall refinement. Not surprising because it was a more expensive vehicle, adjusted for inflation. Mine was a bit over $32k in 2016 -- about the same price as the Mav in 2022.
-Seats were more comfortable and more adjustable in the Fusion, by far. Comfort isn't much worse in the Mav, but the adjustments in the Mav seats are pathetic. I have a Mav Lariat with luxury package, and the passenger seat is manual...and a BAD manual, at that?
-Roomier interior. There was just more room in the Fusion, but that isn't necessarily completely positive. I like that everything is within reach in the Maverick since it's smaller. I'm not a big guy, so a massive interior isn't necessary for me.

Equal:
-Fuel economy is roughly on par. The Fusion may have been a touch better, but it's hard to say. With the added power, though, I'd give the edge to the Maverick actually in terms of overall performance.
-Noise. I haven't noticed too much difference with the Lariat and the acoustic windshield (one of the reasons I upgraded to the Lariat).
-Heated seats. Seems about the same. I think I'll like my heated steering wheel in the Maverick, which was not an option on the Fusion.

Excellent information. All things I wondered about. Very informative. It does seem like a previous post, that the Maverick is supposed to replace the Fusion and C-Max hybrid is pretty accurate. I have been a little bit turned off by the infotainment system in the Mav. The first thing that got my attention was that there was no SiriusXM on anything but the Lariat. I ordered an XLT because of the allocation numbers, mostly. I know I can upgrade after the fact, but still, not as nice as having it already done and SiriusXM is pretty much standard on every other car out today. I'll have to see about the brakes in the Mav. I have gotten really used to the Fusion braking over the past 9 years. Thanks for the excellent write up!

 

[TexasHybrid]

Thank you for that driving comparison. That’s the kind of information I’m hoping to glean from this thread, from as many people as possible. With the limited number of Hybrid Mavs, it’s highly unlikely I’ll get to drive one before mine is delivered. The dealer has an ICE version that I am going to test drive, but I’m sure that’s a completely different experience.

For the Fusion, It could have been the settings. I keep my Fusion set on ECO and it will get up and go when I gas it. But idk what all settings the one you got had. My wife has a Prius V and that thing is seriously under powered, but I guess that’s not really the point for most people when they get a hybrid. I’ve read the Maverick has a hard time getting up and going at highway speed, but it’s a truck so, kind of to be expected. But for perspective, the Toyota RAV-4 PHEV, is the second fastest car in Toyota’s line up. Second only to the I-6 Supra, faster than the Turbo 4 Supra… The RAV-4 PHEV does 0-60 in like 5 seconds and some change. That’s not the Maverick or my Fusion, but that proves that hybrids don’t have to be slow. Hell, BMW, Porsche, Lamborghini, etc are all coming out with hybrid sports cars.

I have no clue about the settings; I just know I had my foot on the floor on the highway trying to ramp up speed to pass in Wyoming and Montana and was unsucessful many times. Was just a rent car to me and I did not dive into settings. I am also known for having a lead foot and will go 90MPH + to pass and then resume normal speed.

For the record, I did order a Hybrid Maverick, but only after a trusted friend is owning a Hybrid Rav 4 and it works well for his 2500 plus miles / month. I am also now seriously considering a PHEV Escape. Now if only there was a PHEV Maverick. (2024?)

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