Ford Fusion

The one U.S. automaker that didn't take federal bailout money has the only two American cars to make the Digital Drive Top 10 for 2010. Coincidence? We think not.

The sleeper car in our Top 10 is the Ford Fusion, and we're particularly fond of the hybrid version. It's relatively affordable, the hybrid gets great mileage compared to the gasoline version, and the Sync iPod-and-Bluetooth adapter is on virtually every Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury, which is how it should be. The Ford Fusion provides comfortable transportation and outstanding reliability, according to a number of surveys.

The Ford Fusion hybrid gets higher mileage than a Toyota Camry, which is a better comparison than the smaller, if hipper, Toyota Prius. Ford rates the Fusion at 41 mpg in city driving, which is only about $150 less per year in gasoline costs than a Prius. When I drove a Fusion hybrid, I couldn't match Ford's figures but still got in the high 30s. And it felt and sounded more like a mainstream gas-engine car with fewer weird electric-mechanical noises than competing hybrids.

The Fusion Hybrid's reconfigurable instrument panel dual LCD SmartGuage offers four levels of information from Just the Facts to OMG, I'm Controlling a Nuclear Reactor.

If hybrids are to be widespread, they have to save money over the life of your ownership, not just make you look good in front of your green neighbors. (Payback on a Lexus LS460h hybrid is on the order of 100 years.) The Ford Fusion hybrid will get back the hybrid premium and you'll have a decent driving experience to boot. Add Sync, the free 911 Assist emergency calling, a capless gas tank filler, and you've got a very nice car.