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Mercury Milan Hybrid
Review: Many
years ago, I would accompany my (first) wife to her pottery studio,
where she not only threw new pots but also worked on earlier ones that
had partially dried. It was this crucial trimming procedure that made
them into finished art. Such is the case of Mercury’s popular
Milan midsize sedan, which has been significantly upgraded
for the 2010 model year.
Everything from styling to road noise to driving performance has been
carefully and systematically improved, to where it now belongs high on
the list for anyone seeking an enjoyable and efficient midsized car.
Giving the Milan a hybrid powertrain places it in its own niche. The
sedan looks more traditional than the hybrid poster child Prius (also
new for 2010) but is significantly more fuel efficient than Toyota’s
midsized Camry sedan, the Milan’s direct competition.
The Milan Hybrid rates 41 City and 36 Highway fuel economy from the
EPA’s standard tests, and offers a range of up to 700 miles. Yes, the
Prius boasts 51/48 EPA numbers, top of the chart, but both it and the
Milan receive the same super high EPA Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas
scores of 9.5 and 10 respectively.
The Milan does not proclaim its greenness as you drive down the road. It
wears subtle emblems and unique wheels, but that’s about it. What it
does boast is a very comfortable ride and attractive interior layout.
The Mercury folks went through the car and added sound insulation,
nicely fitted soft dash panels, art quality gauges, and more comfortable
seats to the already well sorted out package. They even improved the
steering feel.
I
think that Ford Motor Company is well aware that these midsized sedans
are their mainstream cars of the next decade, not the lumbering
Explorers and Expeditions that flourished in the 1990s, and they want
them to be as competitive as possible.
Milans are sold as sedans only. The entry point is the well equipped
Milan with a Duratec 175-horsepower 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder
engine driving the front wheels. You can step up to the Premier level
with added content.
You also can order the Premier with a 240-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 and
all-wheel drive. The Hybrid, at the top of the sales menu, mates a
156-horsepower version of the 2.5-liter four with a 106-horsepower
electric motor.
Prices range from $21,180 for the base car, up to $27,800 for the V6
Premier AWD, with the Hybrid model just below at $27,500. Add $725 for
delivery charges, and of course numerous options are available,
Including Ford’s highly acclaimed SYNC system, which gives you voice
control over the entire entertainment system.
As
I piloted my Brilliant Silver Milan Hybrid around I tried to get the
maximum efficiency out of it. It’s normal for hybrids to offer some kind
of monitor that not only informs you of your efficiency, but rewards you
for driving that way consistently.
The Milan’s SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide provides two, high-resolution,
full-color liquid crystal display (LCD) screens on either side of the
analog speedometer that you can configure to show different levels of
information, including fuel and battery power levels and average and
instant miles-per-gallon.
My
favorite display shows growing leaves and vines as you drive efficiently
down the road. A tutorial mode built into the display helps you learn
about the instrument cluster in a friendly, nontechnical way. You can
select one of four data screens to choose the information level
displayed.
All levels can show instant fuel economy, fuel economy history,
odometer, engine coolant temperature, what gear the car is in, and trip
data, trip fuel economy, time-elapsed fuel economy and miles to empty.
What’s amazing is not only how smoothly and easily this all works, but
that the Milan will go up to 47 miles per hour in pure electric mode for
short trips. “Because our hybrid can run at a much higher speed in
electric mode, you can do so much more in city-driving situations,” said
Gil Portalatin, Hybrid Applications Manager. “Under the right
conditions, you can drive in your local neighborhood or mall parking lot
without using a drop of gasoline.”
Like all hybrids, the Milan recharges itself from regenerative braking,
and it’s not particularly intrusive here. I averaged 34.6 miles per
gallon during a week that included significant stretches on the freeway.
I earned many leaves and vines. I also tested short runs. For example,
my 1.5-mile mostly downhill run to Togo’s gave me an astounding 52 miles
per gallon one way. However, proving how averaging works, my return
trip, which is mostly uphill, delivered “only” 26.5 mpg.
Built in Hermosillo, Mexico, the 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid proves that
today there are very good options today for buying (North) American.
By Steve Schaefer ©
AutoWire.Net - San Francisco
The Bottom Line:
Today Ford Motor
Company is on the right track to providing the right cars for the times,
and the new 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid is the poster child of their
success. Clean looking, efficient and affordable are the key components
to building a Hybrid for the masses, and the Milan is the best looking
car in this class to date. For now, Ford and Mercury share the spotlight
in new technology for the Hybrid buyer. This is the way cars will be
built and equipped in the future. The future is now in the Mercury Milan
Hybrid, so take a look and a test drive, you’ll be glad you did.
Bottom Line
Review provided by: Tony Leopardo © AutoWire.Net
“Tony the Car Guy”
is an automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay
Area. If you have a question or comment for Tony send it to
TonyLeo@pacbell.net or visit
www.autowire.net
Mercury Home Page
Column Name: The future is now in the Mercury Milan Hybrid
Topic: The 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid
Word Count: 1009
Photo Caption: The 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid
Photo Credits: Mercury Milan Hybrid Internet Media
Series #: 2009 - 66
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