NY Times Review of Saturn VUE and Mariner Hybrid

[probeGT]

Very favorable review for the Mariner. It even implies that Ford ought to get Bill Clinton instead of Kermit the Frog as a spokesman and then people would see that this is "the first great car of the 21st Century." Several times, the article mentions that Ford's hybrid system works better than Toyota's.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/19/automobi...ews/19AUTO.html

[Michael Reynolds]

At least the guy did some of his homework, and didn't bother with the incorrect ramblings that it is a repackaged Toyota system.

[swenson88]

At least the guy did some of his homework, and didn't bother with the incorrect ramblings that it is a repackaged Toyota system.

 

I think Ford should be applauded for their hybrid work so far, but they're simply not going to get much press until they make a true fuel-sipping 4-cyl hybrid car. They need a Focus hybrid or Fusion hybrid to get attention. Yes, it's great that they made an SUV that gets 30+ mpg, but in reality the earthy-crunchy people that soil their underwear over hybrids would never buy an SUV in the first place, they'll go for a Prius or Civic hybrid. I know the smaller hybrids are more difficult to justify from a business model perspective, but I think the positive press would more than make up for it. I hope Ford's Gen II hybrids aren't just SUV's.

[Michael Reynolds]

I think Ford should be applauded for their hybrid work so far, but they're simply not going to get much press until they make a true fuel-sipping 4-cyl hybrid car. They need a Focus hybrid or Fusion hybrid to get attention. Yes, it's great that they made an SUV that gets 30+ mpg, but in reality the earthy-crunchy people that soil their underwear over hybrids would never buy an SUV in the first place, they'll go for a Prius or Civic hybrid. I know the smaller hybrids are more difficult to justify from a business model perspective, but I think the positive press would more than make up for it. I hope Ford's Gen II hybrids aren't just SUV's.

 

Well isn't the Fusion Hybrid due up for MY 08? Those are supposed to be Gen II Hybrids aren't they?

[RichardJensen]

This guy's actually an editor of a hybrid car magazine. For Ford, I'm sure it's nice to get recognition from someone who would know, as opposed to the seemingly endless, "Using technology purchased from Toyota the Escape blah blah blah"

[Michael Reynolds]

This guy's actually an editor of a hybrid car magazine. For Ford, I'm sure it's nice to get recognition from someone who would know, as opposed to the seemingly endless, "Using technology purchased from Toyota the Escape blah blah blah"

 

Ditto that Oscar.

[NLPRacing]

I think Ford should be applauded for their hybrid work so far, but they're simply not going to get much press until they make a true fuel-sipping 4-cyl hybrid car. They need a Focus hybrid or Fusion hybrid to get attention. Yes, it's great that they made an SUV that gets 30+ mpg, but in reality the earthy-crunchy people that soil their underwear over hybrids would never buy an SUV in the first place, they'll go for a Prius or Civic hybrid. I know the smaller hybrids are more difficult to justify from a business model perspective, but I think the positive press would more than make up for it. I hope Ford's Gen II hybrids aren't just SUV's.

 

I always thought that Ford should stuff the Escape hybrid powertrain in a C170 based 5 door hatch with a more "jelly bean" type body and market it under it's own name as a hybrid only model to compete against the Prius. Give Ford, Mercury & Mazda each a version. When people see the Prius, they know it's a hybrid. Ford needs a Hybrid only model to gain some more recognition in the marketplace.

[mkaresh]

Excellent idea. Oddly, Ford had a number of concept cars that suggested that they grasped the marketing value of a unique body for an alt powertrain car, but haven't followed through.

 

It's easy to lump the Prius and Civic Hybrid together, but the Prius does much better, in terms of both sales and corporate image, then the Civic.