2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid

Stylish mid-sized sedan goes green

By Nina Russin

2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid

This year, Ford and Mercury add hybrid options to their popular mid-sized sedans. The Fusion and Milan share the same powertrain: a 2.5-liter gasoline engine with a 106-horsepower electric motor and continuously-variable automatic transmission. A nickel-metal hydride battery pack is mounted between the trunk and back seats.

The difference between the two sedans is styling: the Milan appeals to a more upscale audience with a dressed-up exterior and interior. The premier grade (tested) rides on 17-inch aluminum wheels. Inside, two-tone leather trim, a leather wrapped steering wheel and metallic finishes on the instrument panel have a similar feel to contemporary home furniture.

Eco displays on the instrument panels are slightly different. The Fusion records fuel economy on a bar graph to the right of the speedometer. The Milan uses a leaf display: the number of leaves reflects the driver‘s efficiency.

Several months back, I spent a week in the Fusion Hybrid; this week I had a chance to test drive the Milan. My Fusion test drive had left me with extremely favorable impressions: I averaged over forty miles per gallon on a mixture of highways and city streets.

While I drove the Fusion in relatively mild weather, I was testing the Milan during the hottest part of the Phoenix summer. Average temperatures during my test drive were 108-110 degrees. I was curious to see how the extreme temperatures would affect my fuel economy and the car’s overall performance. Read the rest of this entry »