I started driving for Uber and Lyft way back when in 2014 with a gas-guzzling SUV and it wasn’t long before I realized that there were much better cars out there for rideshare drivers. In fact, I’ve always been jealous of hybrid owners so when Ford approached me about test-driving a Ford Fusion Hybrid, I was excited to see what a car with impressive Miles Per Gallon (MPG) could do!
Over the past few months, I’ve been test-driving a Ford Fusion Hybrid all around town and seeing what all the hype is about. I’ve also been documenting my journey on Youtube and Facebook but today, I’m going to share an overview of my thoughts on the Ford Fusion Hybrid and how well it suits me as a rideshare driver.
I’ve put thousands of miles on this car over the course of a few months and learned a lot. And in addition to personal driving, I’ve also been using it while driving for Uber/Lyft to see how it holds up with passengers and how it affects my earnings and ratings.
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Note: This post is sponsored by Ford but all opinions are my own. And as always, we only recommend products and services that are beneficial to rideshare drivers.
The Ford Fusion Hybrid Has Great MPG (Obviously!)
This should be kind of obvious but after 3 months of driving this car all over Los Angeles, I’ve experienced great gas mileage. It was kind of a weird feeling only having to fill up every 5-600 miles (EPA Range: 588 miles) but I got used to it pretty quickly.
I’ve been averaging 42.0 MPG which is right around the advertised MPG for this vehicle and have done a pretty even mix of city and highway driving. I hate dealing with traffic so most of my rideshare driving occurs during the early mornings, evenings, and weekends.
As a driver, your number one expense is going to be fuel so it’s important to do everything you can to minimize this expense. And as rates have come down over the years, expenses make up a bigger portion of your earnings so it’s more important than ever to have a fuel-efficient vehicle.
Comfort for Drivers and Luxury for Passengers
I think a lot of rideshare drivers forget about the fact that you want to pick a vehicle that is comfortable for your passengers and more importantly, yourself. If you’re a full-time driver, you’ll be spending 40-50 hours a week in your car so while it’s easy to overlook, comfort is super important.
I’m 6′ 3″ and have chronic back pain so I need a car with real leg room and the Fusion Hybrid did not disappoint here. And while it’s hard to describe without trying the vehicle for yourself, I noticed that I could sit in the driver’s seat for hours at a time without feeling much of the same discomfort I’ve felt in other cars.
Quite a few passengers remarked at how spacious the backseat was and that they will actually cancel on drivers who drive compact cars.
How to rent a car to drive for Uber, Lyft, Uber Eats, etc.
Technology to Help Keep Your Eyes on the Road and in Control
The Ford SYNC 3 ® system gives drivers a few different options for interacting with the vehicle’s controls but I was most impressed with the 8″ touch screen and the hands-free voice features along with the steering wheel controls. Driving can be a dangerous job and as rideshare drivers, we’re contending with the Uber/Lyft apps, navigation, and sometimes a conversation with a passenger. So I’m a big fan of features like this that help
Click here to watch my video about the top technology features of the Ford Fusion Hybrid.
I also liked the smart gauge on the dash which allowed me to monitor my driving style in an unobtrusive way. The nice thing about this feature is that the smoother you drive, the better MPG, since smooth braking, for example, will send more energy back to the hybrid engine through the regenerative braking process.
What Didn’t I Like?
Honestly, there isn’t a whole lot to dislike about this vehicle. All of the Fusion Hybrid rideshare drivers I’ve talked to about this car are pretty happy with their choice. Others have mentioned they prefer the Ford Fusion Energi which is the plug-in hybrid version of this car but that comes at an increased cost and typically benefits people who drive short distances consistently.
There were a couple of times when it was a tight squeeze to fit luggage into the trunk of my Ford Fusion Hybrid since the hybrid batteries take up some of the trunk space but it was never a real problem. Most of my airport trips are with 1 or 2 passengers and on the rare occasion where you get 3 or 4 plus luggage, most passengers are ok to sit with the luggage if it doesn’t all fit into the trunk.
Overall Impression of the Ford Fusion Hybrid
This was my first experience with a Ford and while the average 42 MPG was great, I really enjoyed the look and feel of the car. There are lots of tiny cars out there with comparable MPG but they don’t look like a car I want to drive. And since rideshare drivers are in their vehicles for hours at a time, it’s important to consider multiple factors when making a new purchase.
One of the coolest parts for me when testing this car though was seeing the various reactions I got from passengers. Some passengers had trouble finding me because the car that showed up wasn’t what they were expecting – they were pleasantly surprised. And others got into the car and asked me if this was a luxury car – one guy even asked me if this was a Tesla. To be fair, he was a little tipsy though 🙂
The Ford Fusion Hybrid isn’t the first car you think of when it comes to rideshare driving, but it easily could be in the future. As a driver, you’re in your car A LOT, so MPG is important as well as having a vehicle that you actually want to drive. This car can definitely help you stand out from the competition, earn higher ratings, and provide higher levels of service.
Readers, what do you think of the Ford Fusion Hybrid based on this review? Is this something you would consider driving?
