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FORD FLEX AND FORD FUSION HYBRID NAMED 2010 ALL-STARS BY AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE
•The 2010 Ford Flex and the award-winning 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid have been named 2010 All-Stars by AUTOMOBILE Magazine, one of America's leading automotive lifestyle publications
•This is the second consecutive All-Star win for the Ford Flex, which was described by AUTOMOBILE Magazine as "one of the best-handling full-size crossovers on the market"
•According to AUTOMOBILE Magazine, the Ford Fusion Hybrid stands out as an All-Star because it doesn't drive like a hybrid
•2009 has been a banner year for the 2010 Fusion Hybrid; the vehicle received this year's prestigious MOTOR TREND Car of the Year® award, was honored as one of CAR and DRIVER magazine's "10Best" cars for 2010 and is a finalist for North American Car of the Year
DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 23, 2009 – The 2010 Ford Flex and the award-winning 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid have been named 2010 All-Stars by AUTOMOBILE Magazine, one of America's leading automotive lifestyle publications.
This year marks the second consecutive win for the Ford Flex. Last year, AUTOMOBILE Magazine described the 2009 model as a "class act among people movers."
"For 2010, Ford has equipped the Flex with its much-anticipated EcoBoost™ engine, thereby addressing the Flex's only weakness – power – and effectively transforming it from a well-rounded family hauler into a large sport wagon," said Jean Jennings, president and editor-in-chief of AUTOMOBILE Magazine. "The Flex is unique in a market brimming with compromised, look-alike utility vehicles and is one of the best-handling full-size crossovers on the market."
Jason Mase, Ford crossover marketing manager, says it is the design and features available with the Ford Flex that make the vehicle stand out.
"We're delighted that AUTOMOBILE Magazine has named Flex an All-Star two years running," he said. "The AUTOMOBILE editors recognize Flex stands apart from the rest of the crossover crowd with unmatched style, tremendous passenger comfort and space, and leading technology features like the available EcoBoost engine, Active Park Assist, Ford SYNC® and a refrigerated second-row console."
Jennings says what makes the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid special is that it doesn't drive like a hybrid.
"Its very ordinariness is what makes the Fusion Hybrid an AUTOMOBILE Magazine All-Star," said Jennings. "The Fusion Hybrid is not a performance machine, but neither does it feel hobbled or inadequate for daily driving. Perhaps the best thing about it is that, apart from the LCD color screens, you might never know you're driving a hybrid."
The recognition from AUTOMOBILE Magazine is the latest in a string of prestigious awards for the Fusion Hybrid.
"Third parties are now endorsing what we have known for quite a while," said Greg Scott, Fusion marketing manager. "The Fusion Hybrid is a great car."
The AUTOMOBILE Magazine All-Stars are chosen by the AUTOMOBILE Magazine staff, its worldwide bureau chiefs and its contributors, following an intensive test drive of the year's most innovative and important new cars. Winners are selected based on design, value and performance, driving enjoyment and the vehicle's ability to redefine an existing category or create a new market segment.
"The level of excellence found during our annual All-Stars competition was at an all-time high and the competition was strong, despite the auto industry coming off its worst year in recent history," said Jennings. "We whittled down a list of 39 finalists to the 10 All-Stars, and the end results produced a list of true standouts."
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