Was assured that the rock hard rear suspension would loosen up with a few miles of driving, but after 2000 miles it is still rock hard. The rear wheels bounce on bigger bumps and shudder over small bumps and ripples. Tar strips, potholes, manhole covered, etc are extremely harsh and jolting. Roads that have been grooved prior to resurfacing cause the back end to shudder as if the rear tires and suspension are shot!
The local Ford Dealer insulted my intelligence by telling me that the Hybrid was designed to ride this way due to the extra weight of 250 lbs of the battery pack behind the rear seat. Repeat, the rear suspension has absolutely no compliance (give) whatsoever. Instead of the springs compressing to absorb road irregularities, the entire car bounces up and down. The low profile tires add to the harsh, jolting, sickening ride and should have come out with standard sixteen inch wheels and regular sidewalls. The ride is so bad that I will have to dump the car if Ford won't correct the problem. I have ordered a rear set of softer shocks which I hope will alleviate part of the problem, but my having to spend money a new car less than three months old is ridiculous. It would seem that the weight of the battery pack behind the rear seat has messed up the balance of the car.......
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Was assured that the rock hard rear suspension would loosen up with a few miles of driving, but after 2000 miles it is still rock hard. The rear wheels bounce on bigger bumps and shudder over small bumps and ripples. Tar strips, potholes, manhole covered, etc are extremely harsh and jolting. Roads that have been grooved prior to resurfacing cause the back end to shudder as if the rear tires and suspension are shot!
The local Ford Dealer insulted my intelligence by telling me that the Hybrid was designed to ride this way due to the extra weight of 250 lbs of the battery pack behind the rear seat. Repeat, the rear suspension has absolutely no compliance (give) whatsoever. Instead of the springs compressing to absorb road irregularities, the entire car bounces up and down. The low profile tires add to the harsh, jolting, sickening ride and should have come out with standard sixteen inch wheels and regular sidewalls. The ride is so bad that I will have to dump the car if Ford won't correct the problem. I have ordered a rear set of softer shocks which I hope will alleviate part of the problem, but my having to spend money a new car less than three months old is ridiculous. It would seem that the weight of the battery pack behind the rear seat has messed up the balance of the car.......
- melvinc, Wenatchee, WA, US