Well, that's what Ford is claiming when it says it builds "America’s most fuel-efficient mid-size sedans." They don't name the Prius, but since the Prius is classified as a mid-sized car, this is what Ford is claiming. Unless they are nitpicking and saying the Prius being a hatchback, is not a "sedan." Think buyers will be fooled? Really bad at math? Or just pissed off? Not the way to build trust with the customer...
It is easy to counter that by saying Prius is the the most fuel-efficient mid-size car. Wait, it is the most fuel-efficient car of any size sold in America, period.
Toyota could be "Japan's" instead of "America's" The sedan thing is probably the bigger way out though.
I just wonder how this is not outright false advertising. The EPA classifies the prius as mid-size, it's not just an opinion. The same EPA whose mpg figures are the only ones allowed in advertisements.
Too bad they are tainting the car with this misleading advertisement. It looks to be a good design and more efficient than other "large" mid-size sedans (Camry, Malibu, etc). But true to the US automaker's blindness, they think they can weasel-word claims that will only disappoint the customer when they learn the facts. It gets really hard to sympathize with the Big Three when the pull this crap over and over. Ford doesn't need to do this.
False advertising? Do you watch TV? If Ford claimed the Fusion was powered by bunny hugs and butterfly kisses, and improved the quality of air when it ran, it would still be a small lie compared to most of what's said on TV advertising. Look at all the "natural supplements" that are not drugs nor intended to diagnose or treat any illness, but are packaged like drugs and given official sounding names. Our government pretty much gave up on truth in advertising a long time ago. Tom
It's really a shame. The Fusion is a very good car and they don't need commercials that are misleading.
This is not false advertising, it is illogical advertising. Keep this in mind: Whenever anyone, anything makes a comparative-declaritive statement and they don't back it up - it is most likely false. For example, if an advertisier says things like, "Better than ever," or "10% more," or "America’s most fuel-efficient mid-size sedans." and they don't provide support information (back it up), like :"Better than anything we've produced before," or "10% more than Joe's brand," or "America’s most fuel-efficient mid-size sedans, as reported by...." Get my point?
Not really, in this case. The only legal source for mpg figures is the EPA. The same EPA that defined the Prius as a mid-size car. I don't see any wiggle words (other than "sedan" but even then if you select "family sedan" on the EPS comparison web page and you get the Prius as one of the choices). The ambiguity you cite is why the EPA has forbidden any other mpg figures in advertisements. Oh, and to the point aboutit being "America's" sedan... the time has long passed for Detroit to ignore those "other" cars being sold here. They arrogantly presume their only REAL competition is the Other Two of The Big Three, but that is the kind of myopia that has landed them where they are today... begging for bailouts. This isn't 1959. TIme to wake up. Other than the bad publicity if hitting Ford when they are down, I don't see why Toyota isn't suing Ford to stop the ads.
Everybody seemed to miss hschuck's post. The Prius is a hatchback. The Fusion is a sedan. Advertisers are careful to not give actual lies or they could be sued. But there's no problem with carefully qualifying your statements, in this case by the type of car. They said this before by calling it the most fuel efficient car "in its category". As this commercial makes clear, what they mean by category is a family sedan, not including hatchbacks.
Ford is correct. How can the Prius be America's most fuel efficent mid-size sedan, when the Prius is made in Japan, by a Japanese company called Toyota the last time that I looked?
is the ffh being sold anywhere else besides america? maybe that is what they are talking about. no sold overseas and canada?
Enough said....."it builds America's most xxxxxxx". No Prius is American-made, it's imported from Japan and Made in Japan. And yes, it's a Hatchback, not a Sedan too.
Ford Fusion beats Camry MPG!!! I don't think they missed it, they just have their selective reading filters engaged. Either that or people just don't understand the difference between a sedan and hatchback.
Neither do most viewers/readers of the ads. For example, I googled the issue and most forum posts refer to the Fusion as the most efficient CAR, not SEDAN. Same with the "America" part. For example, here is the number two return from google: Ford Fusion Hybrid certified as most efficient mid-size car in America - [2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid] - MotorAuthority - Car news, reviews, spy shots Obviously, the ad campaign worked as planned... to mislead the public.
That's news? The real trick is to find an ad campaign that is complete honest. [Remember the joke-Sailor was instucted by Captain to never log again "Captain returned to ship drunk". Weeks later the log entry was "Captain returned to ship sober for first time in two weeks."]
Falsehood or not is in the verbiage. If Ford was saying it was 'the most fuel efficient car in the US', they'd be flat out wrong. They are not even saying it's 'the most fuel efficient midsize car in the US.' They're saying it's the most fuel efficient SEDAN in the US. And they're probably right. The Prius is NOT a sedan.
