SANTA MONICA, Calif. — In what could be considered an upset, the Toyota Prius did not lead the way when Edmunds.com released the results of its Consumers' Favorites Hybrid Vehicle Survey.

Instead the honor went to the Ford Fusion Hybrid, the vehicle that received 26 percent of the votes according to Edmunds.com. The Toyota Prius earned 23 percent of votes.

Edmunds.com revealed the other eight vehicles that made this survey's Top 10, but much of the attention from site analysts was drawn to the leading Ford unit.

"Ford's mid-sized hybrid sedan, which helped boost Ford's overall sales performance in an otherwise dismal 2009, has been praised for its smooth operation, fuel economy, looks and interactive information system that helps drivers modify their behind-the-wheel behavior to increase fuel economy," explained John O'Dell, senior editor of Edmunds' GreenCarAdvisor.com.

This Edmunds.com honor arrived soon after industry journalists picked the Fusion Hybrid as the 2010 North American Car of the Year. Karl Brauer, editor in chief of Edmunds.com, was one of the 49 individuals who also decided that winner.

Edmunds.com didn't forget about some of the other hybrid units that did well in this survey, first remembering the Prius.

"Coming in second in our survey, the Toyota Prius benefited from its combination of incredible fuel mileage, a spacious cabin and a versatile hatchback body style," Brauer pointed out.

Brauer also highlighted the unit that finished behind the top two hybrids from Ford and Toyota.

"The Honda Insight finished a commendable third place," he stated.

"That's rather impressive considering that this practical four-door hatchback was the least expensive candidate on the ballot," Brauer added.