Ford has broken out the big guns with its new 2010 Fusion, claiming not only a 39 mpg city rating but a base price of $27,270 for the Hybrid (and $19,270 for the gas-powered car), as the company's cool new 2010 Fusion Web site indicates. That puts Ford in serious competition with the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the Nissan Altima Hybrid, and the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid.

That price also gets you a Reverse Sensing System, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, the dual-LCD Hybrid instrument cluster, an MP3 player input jack, 17-inch aluminum wheels, electronic stability control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. Options include a voice-activated navigation system, a Sony stereo system upgrade, and the Driver's Vision head-up package among the usual leather and moonroof choices.

I'm still waiting to get confirmation that the 39 mpg city rating is in fact from the EPA and not just Ford's guesswork, or marketing firm masquerading as an official certifier. (At least as of November 1st the EPA numbers still weren't in.) If it lands a 39 mpg average that puts it at least 5mpg ahead of the Camry Hybrid and the Altima Hybrid, and 7mpg less than the smaller, top-ranked Prius.