ackbar

I also upgraded mine to version 3 today. Same experience -- about 10 minutes overall. I can't say that anything is different (I have the nav on mine), but I haven't really investigated it thoroughly either. I did have to pair my phone over bluetooth after the update but that was easy and painless.

You're right aggoodin - there seems to be a sweet spot in that 55-65 mph range. I averaged 44 mpg at that speed. And my experience is contrary to the EPA numbers, as I've been getting better MPG on the highway vs. the city. My problem with city driving is that the traffic lights where I live are close together generally timed so you catch every one. When that is combined with vehicles in front of you frequently stopping to turn, you never really get to take advantage of the momentum built up during acceleration. Plus, people here always drive like they're late to a meeting, so you can't really speed up in EV mode - you have to gas it and then coast as much as possible from light to light (or else anger a lot of people). Still, I'm averaging about 38 in the city, and I recently got 52 mpg in one trip, so no complaints.

If you haven't already, you'll need to register on syncmyride.com. Once you're registered (I believe it asked for the VIN), you go to the Updates & Customize tab on the web site. Note that you'll need a USB memory stick in order to download and install the upgrade. The full instructions are on the web site.

Thought I would post this... Microsoft's Ballmer whoops it up as Ford CEO delivers his new car http://www.techflash.com/microsoft/Microso...r_46116482.html

The SYNC version 3.0 has been posted to syncmyride.com. I haven't updated mine but I'll probably run it tomorrow. Due to the fact that I have the nav system, I'm not sure that I'll gain that much from 3.0, but it looks great for those without the nav system (it says the traffic, direction, and information features of SYNC are not available on navigation equipped vehicles). The Traffic, Directions & Information* software update enables your SYNC to deliver: turn-by-turn driving directions, traffic reports, business searches and your favorite news, sports and weather—all with simple voice commands. A complimentary 3-year subscription is available to new vehicle owners.

Anyone know if they have a trunk floor protector for the hybrid? With the trunk being smaller, the standard '09 version won't fit. I also checked weathertech.com but they only list for the '09 model. I've found the floor protectors to be great and they make it much easier to clean than without.

I've never experienced this. You may want to look at the settings.

The installer for mine (Star Auto in Houston) placed a small sticker on the bottom right driver-side window indicating compliance with TX state regulation. I would think any reputable installer would only install legal tinting but it probably doesn't hurt to ask. Also, the 3M Black Chrome series is more expensive than I expected, but the superior heat reflecting benefits sold because of where I live. I think all the 3M films have lifetime warrantees against turning purple or peeling, etc.

Here are some pics with the tint. It's not a super dark tint, but it does make a noticeable difference in terms of the heat buildup when parked in the sun. Also, I apologize if you notice all the dust on my car. There is road construction right down the street from my house so it's become pointless trying to keep it clean until they finish.

Here are my suggestions that are generally applicable to the 2010 Fusions: 1) Add a lock to the glove compartment. I had just assumed there would be one and was surprised there isn't. It's handy sometimes if you want to secure something small like a camera or phone. 2) Add an underside handle to the trunk lid. This was very handy on my last car, for as long as the vehicle was unlocked, I could open the trunk without using the key fob or going back into the front to press the trunk unlock. I'm sure I'll get used to not having one, but I still forget sometimes ;-). 3) Strictly for appearances, I'd suggest making the antenna smaller, making the gas lid flush mounted with a push spring, and like transitman said, putting the keyless entry flush and hidden on the b-pillar for a more streamlined look. On the hybrid specifically, since it's electric steering, it'd be great if they could make it just a little tighter. But on the whole, I love this vehicle and these are just suggestions, not gripes . This is by far the best car I've ever driven let alone owned.

Just curious if anyone else has had the windows tinted on theirs. I had 3M Black Chrome BC 35 installed on mine, which is supposed to reject 57% of the total solar energy from the car to keep the inside cooler. I figure it's a good idea living in Texas, especially considering the hybrid battery. I can take some pics if anyone wants to see what it looks like.

I read that too on cnet news, but I think they were mistaken about the release date. I checked on syncmyride.com, and it doesn't list any updates yet (version 2 still current release). However, I did read on autoblog that version 3 will be released on May 26 (so a week from today). Here is the promo video for the new version: Needless to say, it looks pretty cool!

Not sure what you mean -- was the car not started already?

For the FFH, the owner's guide just recommends that you don't drive continuously at the same speed for the first 1,000 miles of operation. It doesn't say for how long you shouldn't drive at the same speed, but I assume a mix of highway (sans speed control) and lower-speed city driving suffice.

My dealer also made a shockingly low offer for my trade in. I was actually kind of insulted by the low-ball offer. They obviously had no interest in taking the trade in, but I didn't throw a fit about it. Instead, I listed it in Craigslist and sold it within 48 hours for 159% more than what the dealer had offered. It still wasn't what I'd hoped for, but it was at least at the low-end of where KBB and Edmunds placed its private sale value. I know that dealers have to recoup their costs, but seriously, I would think they could do better if I can do so with my lowly CL advertisement. They're lucky they have such a hot car with limited supply in the FFH. Also, I could be wrong, but I don't think the dealer is actually obligated to take your trade-in. I suppose if they don't think they can sell it or just aren't interested, there's no law requiring them to buy it from you. But it comes down to customer service and not coming across as greedy, and on that particular issue my dealer failed. Next time, I'll try to get the trade-in offer in writing before ordering so I know where they stand.

Looks great! That's the color I originally wanted but it's not available on the hybrid. Congrats and enjoy!

Finally is right! Congrats and enjoy.

It's not just for navigation. The NAV screen allows you to control everything that the SYNC voice commands control, but with a graphical user interface. For example, if you need to look someone up in your address book, SYNC voice command may have difficulty understanding the name (I work with some people with unusual and hard to pronounce names). With the NAV screen, I can click a few buttons and click the contact name directly. It's also helpful if I forget a command, as it displays a list of available commands on-screen. Also, sometimes I may just want to browse my iPod through the big LCD screen. It also displays the artist and song currently playing, whether it's from the iPod or Sirius. One more thing; the LCD allows you to view the HEV information screen, which I think is pretty cool since it really shows you what's going on under the hood. You can certainly get by just fine without the NAV, but I'm finding that it's definitely worth the extra money for me.

My average so far is 38.3 mpg. The car manual seems to indicate that mileage may improve after the first 2000 miles. Agree! While it's not a sports car, it's still got enough power and the right driving characteristics to be fun to drive. It's surprisingly peppy when I need to speed up to enter a freeway or pass somebody. It's like having the best of both worlds (great fuel economy and good performance). Yep, everyone who's been in my car as been really impressed with BLIS. Hopefully it becomes a common safety standard like seat belts and airbags. I'm still deciding on the TravelLink, but I'll definitely keep the Sirius satellite radio programming. It's incredible to have on long trips and better than FM radio any day, at least where I live. I had the same thing happen once during a severe rainstorm. I drove through a large puddle of water and then the error lit up on the dash. According to the manual, this can happen if the sensors are physically blocked or during a bad rainstorm. The problem went away as soon as I stopped and restarted the car.

If your Fusion hasn't been built yet they should be able to change it. You might notice that the center stack is completely different depending on whether or not you have the nav. So I agree with the others, it's very doubtful that you can get the nav installed after the vehicle is built. And by the way, the nav is definitely worth getting. It makes SYNC much easier to use.

My last car had a really stiff suspension, so the FFH suspension feels soft to me too. That's not a bad thing though. The roads near me are so rough that my last car would frequently jump around nervously just going down the road. The FFH is much better able to handle the rough pavement without giving me whiplash. The biggest difference for me is getting used to the bigger size. It just feels like a bigger and much more substantial vehicle than anything I've driven before. But I'm really enjoying it so far.

Congratulations and enjoy!

Amazing! So I'm guessing they kept it under 47 mph during the whole trip to stay in pure EV mode? It's a good testament to what you can achieve with serious hypermiling.

Thanks everyone. This is an amazing car. I feel like taking a road trip just so I have an excuse to drive it more. I'm finding that the more I drive it, the more I appreciate everything it offers. Ford has really done an excellent job integrating lots of complicated technology into an easy to use high-quality system. I can't think of any other make that comes close. A few more notes... * The car feels very solid. Opening and closing the doors, the trunk, and even the gas tank flap just feel very high quality. It's as if it's a Mercedes or BMW, but with better historical reliability ;-). * The Hybrid has a lot more power than I expected. Accelerating onto a freeway is a breeze -- it feels like a V6 is under the hood when pressing down on the accelerator. I was a little concerned after having driven a Prius rental awhile back, as the Prius felt weak and timid under acceleration. But the Fusion Hybrid seems to have plenty of power to spare when you need it, and the transition between EV-only and gas mode is very seamless. * The rear view camera is great. I have a narrow driveway, and the panoramic view of the rear view camera really helps to see if anyone is coming. You can literally see both sides of the road, which you may not see just by turning your head. * The leather seats are very comfortable. They have a nice balance of firmness and softness, and they angle out at the side edges so you don't slide off the seat during a hard turn. * My FFH had an average of 2.0 MPG when I picked it up from the dealer. It must have started at 0, as the average seems to be working it's way up as I drive. I found myself glancing at the real-time MPG gauge frequently to see the affect of my driving at any moment. As you would expect, coasting immediately shoots the real-time MPG gauge up to 60 MPG, whereas pressing down on the accelerator causes it to dive into the 20's or lower. Once you come to a complete stop, the real-time MPG gauge drops all the way to 0 MPG. Now I just need to work on getting the average up higher. * It was extremely easy synchronizing my phone with the SYNC system. All my contacts, call history, etc. are now accessible via sync. The voice recognition is surprisingly accurate. It took me awhile to figure out how to voice-operate my iPod connected to the USB port via SYNC. I finally figured out that you have to say "USB" to get to the correct voice menu first. Then you can use this cheat sheet. It probably seems obvious, but the key thing with SYNC is to know how to correctly issue the commands and then speak clearly. * The stereo system sounds much better in stereo mode than surround mode in my opinion, at least for music. Houston. What's funny is it spent two or three days in the city before it showed at the dealer. I presume that they wait until they fill up a delivery truck before delivering. Totally agree. Today I drove to this park where I go running, and I noticed a woman parked in front of me was running her car engine when I got out, presumably to run the AC, and then another car parked two vehicles behind me was doing the same. After my 45 minute run, I came back and they were both still running! They could have just opened their windows as the weather was nice, and left the ignition in accessory mode if they needed the radio. I don't get it. It's great being able to turn on my FFH and not hear any engine noise. With the windows rolled up and radio/climate off, the only noise I can hear is the sound of the SYNC's hard drive, which is barely noticeable.

I picked up my Fusion Hybrid this afternoon (Friday). It arrived a little earlier than I expected :P. Build week was the week of April 6th, so it took 2 weeks from the end of the build week until I received it. The Fusion looks great in person! I haven't had a chance to really drive it around much, but my first impressions are really good. The most notable thing at first was starting the car and not hearing any engine noise or vibrations. It starts up almost completely silent except for the chime and on-screen indicator. I must have run the AC while parked looking through the on-screen menus for five minutes before the gas engine kicked in to recharge the battery. I spent a good hour going through the demo/tutorial and messing around with the nav console. I strongly recommend getting the nav system - it makes operating SYNC and other components of the car much easier, and it's great for any geeks out there. I haven't had a chance to really push the engines, and I haven't even driven on any highways yet, but from what I did experience, it was very fluid going from gas to EV mode while driving. The only time the transition was noticeable was when parked - not bad, but noticeable. I figure that won't be a common occurrence once the battery system has a chance to charge, unless you sit parked for extended periods of time while drawing power with the AC, etc. It's very comfortable inside, and finding a driving position didn't take much effort. I found no problem with headroom even with the moon roof option. I'll post some more updates once I have more time to play around with it. For now I'm just relieved that my wait is finally over :D Good luck to everyone else expecting theirs soon!