Customers that bought or placed orders for Ford's new 2010 hybrid vehicles made by March 31 will qualify for a $3,400 credit on their 2009 tax returns, BusinessWeek reports.
The number of credits vary due to the performance of the vehicle as well as when the vehicles were launched, and tax regulations state that the credit must be phased out after a threshold is met.
The Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids, for example, will results in a $3,400 tax credit, while the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner hybrids qualify for a $3,000 tax credit.
Ford recently announced the 2009 Fusion gasoline-electric hybrid – which gets 41 miles per gallon in town, 36 on the highway – as the most fuel-efficient “midsize car.” Toyota, however, negated that claim, saying its higher-mileage Prius hybrid (48/45 mpg) is in the midsize category, reported USA Today. The Japanese company is now reviewing Ford's mileage claims, a spokesman revealed.
