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The folks at Ford have done an incredible job at marketing the new 2010 Fusion Hybrid, making it seem like a game changer. In some ways that's true, in other ways, not so much.

If you've watched the commercials or read the press release snippets you may have heard too-good-to-be-true stats like 81 mpg and 1,445 miles on a single tank. And while its true that Ford did achieve these numbers, you won't. Not even close.

In Ford's defense, however, those outrageous numbers serve a purpose and that is to inform people that the Fusion Hybrid is an incredibly fuel-efficient vehicle. And there's no lie there.

The real EPA numbers list the Fusion Hybrid at 41 mpg city, 36 mpg highway and an average of 39 mpg. In our weeklong test of the car we managed an impressive 42 mpg. It's not often that you get a car that exceeds the EPA rating. In fact, we're not sure it's ever happened.

More: 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid Review on AutoGuide.com

HybridFuelCell

I took advantage of the CARS rebate by trading in my 1998 Ford F-150 today for a 2010 Fusion Hybrid. It's an impressive car. The test drive sold me on it.

On the way home from the dealership the car ranged between 38 and 60+ mpg at an average speed of 39-41 mph through town and stop lights. It should do even better once it's been driven some more (there was only 48 miles on it when I drove it off the dealer's lot).