I'm posting live from the North American International Auto Show today from Detroit. I know what you're thinking ... I'm a family blogger, right? Yup, I'm definitely not a car buff. But what I am is a mom with two young daughters who cares deeply about environmental issues. These issues influence the things I buy, whether it's a cantaloupe or a car. So when I got the invite to attend the show, I jumped at the chance to check out all of the car manufacturers' latest green models.

 

OK, full disclosure: The folks at Ford paid for my airfare and hotel (and they're feeding me pretty darn well, too) to attend this event. The trip came with no strings attached. I didn't have to write about any of the Ford models, but they did wake us up at the crack of dawn so we could get a sneak peek at the new Fusion. And when they told me that the plug-in version of the Fusion will get 100-plus mpg-e (miles per gallon equivalent), I really woke up.

 

Now, I'll leave the car tech stuff to MNN's car blogger, Jim Motavalli, but I will tell you about safety and family focused features of the new Fusion that I thought were noteworthy:

 

Still no word on the actual price of the new Ford Fusion, and that of course, is a huge factor as to whether or not I would actually consider buying this car. And the sneak peek did not include a test drive. That would be another biggie. But thus far, as a mom — a mom who cares deeply about environmental issues — I will say that I'm impressed.