• USA Today , Tuesday, December 23, 2008 10:15 AM

The new Ford Fusion hybrid will get 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, according to Environmental Protection Agency, giving the automaker a "marketing coup" when the midsize sedan rolls out in the spring. It will be the second-most fuel-efficient vehicle on the road, behind the smaller Toyota Prius and ahead of the smaller Honda Civic hybrid, writes Sharon Silke Carty.

"Our overall strategy is to ensure that with every new vehicle we introduce, we're either the best or among the best in fuel economy," says Derrick Kuzak, vp of global product development for Ford. "Clearly, fuel economy ... is at the top of the list of customer wants."

Although gas prices have dropped drastically in recent months, few people believe they will stay that way, points out Stephen Berkov, executive director of client strategy at consumer website Edmunds.com. "Automotive marketing has always been about performance, and now it's about fuel efficiency," he says.

The Fusion hybrid will cost about $27,000 vs. roughly $24,000 for the conventional Fusion model.

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