Overview & Reviews

At its debut, the Ford Fusion was nothing less than a landmark car for the company. With the Fusion, Ford once again had a strong midsize sedan contender, something it hadn't fielded since the first-generation Taurus that debuted back in the mid-1980s. Savvy consumers have taken notice of the Fusion's spacious cabin, responsive driving dynamics, solid build quality and attractive styling.

In addition to its family-friendly features, the newest Ford Fusion provides a sporty, involving drive -- a rare quality in this segment and one that most folks can appreciate. Although we've been understandably even more impressed by the most recent generation, any Fusion should be an attractive choice for anybody wanting a comfortable, well-equipped family hauler.

Current Ford Fusion
The Ford Fusion is a midsize four-door sedan that's available in three trim levels: S, SE and Titanium. There are also the Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Energi (Plug-in Hybrid), which are covered in separate reviews.

The Fusion S and SE come with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 175 horsepower and matched to a six-speed automatic transmission. For the SE, there are three additional engine options. A turbocharged 1.6-liter four with 178 hp comes solely with a six-speed manual transmission. A turbocharged 1.5-liter four, also with 178 hp, comes solely with a six-speed automatic. And for maximum performance, a turbocharged 2.0-liter four makes 240 hp and only comes with the six-speed automatic but adds paddle shifters. The Fusion Titanium comes standard with the turbocharged 2.0-liter and an automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard across the board, while all-wheel drive is optional for the Titanium.

Standard highlights on the S include air-conditioning, the voice-activated Sync audio/cell phone interface and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player and a USB/iPod interface. The SE adds alloy wheels, a power driver seat, a rear seat center armrest and access to additional options, while the Titanium comes with a sport-tuned suspension, keyless ignition/entry, leather upholstery, heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear parking sensors/camera, the MyFord Touch electronics interface and an upgraded sound system. Major options include a navigation system and an automated parking system.

In reviews, we've been very impressed by the latest Ford Fusion. The European-flavored driving experience we enjoyed in the previous generation is fully intact, meaning the current Fusion boasts a comfortable ride along with engaging, composed handling. The steering furthers this impression with its sharp, communicative nature. Furthermore, it's hard to go wrong with any of the Fusion's engine choices (not to mention the hybrids), but as expected the turbocharged ones deserve extra credit for their ability to blend spirited performance with impressive fuel efficiency.

Used Ford Fusion Models
The current, third-generation Ford Fusion was introduced for 2013. Compared to the second-generation car, this Fusion boasts more dramatic exterior styling, more fuel-efficient engines and the latest in electronics and features. These Fusions are identical to the latest version with a few minor exceptions. Specifically, the 1.6-liter was the only small turbo engine available and could be had with an automatic transmission. Also, inflatable rear seatbelts, a heated steering wheel and ventilated front seats were unavailable.

The second generation of the Ford Fusion was produced from 2010-'12. Compared to the original Fusion, it sported refreshed front and rear styling as well as more powerful engines. Apart from a few minor updates, such as blind-spot mirrors, a manual-shift feature for the six-speed automatic and one-touch up/down front windows, there were no notable changes during its run. As it retained the many attributes of the first Fusion while addressing its few weaknesses, this Fusion stands as one of the top used car picks in the midsize sedan segment.

There were four trim levels -- S, SE, Sport and SEL -- while engine offerings consisted of the base 2.5-liter four (175 hp), an optional 3.0-liter V6 (240 hp) and, for the Sport, a 3.5-liter V6 (263 hp). A six-speed manual transmission could be had on the 2.5, while optional for that engine and standard on the rest was a six-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive was standard across the board with the exception of the SEL V6 and Sport, which had available all-wheel drive.

Standard feature highlights for the S included 16-inch alloy wheels, full power accessories, air-conditioning and a stereo with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack. The SE added 17-inch alloys, automatic headlights, a power driver seat and an upgraded audio system. The Sport included sport-tuned suspension and steering, 18-inch wheels, exclusive styling cues, power front seats, leather upholstery and the Sync multimedia voice control interface. The SEL also featured leather seating as well as heated seats and dual-zone automatic climate control. Options (depending on trim) include remote starting, a sunroof, a rearview camera, reverse park assist, a blind spot detection system and a navigation system.

This second-generation Ford Fusion had a nice combination of responsive performance and well-balanced handling and ride dynamics. Inside there was plenty of room, quality materials and handy features. The Sync system was a great feature, allowing easy hands-free operation of cell phones and portable MP3 players. The only notable downside to the car was its V6, which was rather ho-hum in light of other models' V6s that provided quicker acceleration and fuel economy.

The first-generation Ford Fusion was produced for the 2006-'09 model years. Initially offered only with front-wheel drive, the Fusion was offered in S, SE and SEL trim levels. The standard engine was a 160-hp 2.3-liter four-cylinder. When paired with the standard five-speed manual, this engine was peppy enough, but with the more popular optional five-speed automatic, the Fusion struggled to get out of its own way. The SE and SEL could be optioned with a 221-hp 3.0-liter V6 paired to a six-speed automatic, which improved the Fusion's thrust considerably.

However, both these engines were underpowered for the class -- especially the V6 -- and neither was particularly fuel-efficient. Inside, the Fusion had a more cohesive look than older Ford sedans, thanks to its crisp lines and coordinated textures. Build quality was solid and the seats were well-shaped and supportive, even for taller folk. Unfortunately, the quality of some plastics was still a couple steps behind the import-brand competition.

The following year brought changes that included standard front seat airbags, side curtain airbags and an auxiliary audio jack. Options like navigation, satellite radio and all-wheel drive were added to the options sheet, along with more standard equipment on the SE and SEL models. As such, we'd stick with this model year or later. For 2008, Ford's Sync system became available, although it was sullied somewhat by the Fusion's outdated standard stereo head unit. Antilock brakes became standard that year and more optional equipment was added, including the Sport Appearance package that included 18-inch wheels, a sport-tuned suspension and special trim. For 2009, stability control became optional on all Ford Fusions (we recommend finding one so equipped) and traction control became standard on V6 versions.

User Reviews:

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  Unreliable junk low quality build - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By Dpforfun2014@gmail.com - March 29 - 10:53 pm

  This car has been a headache. 6 recalls. Leather seats prematurely worn. I had 38k miles on it. Warranty is a joke. Multiple trips to dealer for transmission issues. Motor doesnt get mpg. Ford was sued for that. Things dont line up on parts on the interior so garbage build quality. The sync info system is a total glitchy and slow garbage screen to have to use. The auto unlock function with key fob doesnt work consistently or it keeps relocking the door as your open it. Another glitchy garbage feature. My last ford. 2nd fusion Ive owned and both had major issues. My wife used to love fords. Not anymore. Update 8 11 17 All the same issues as above. Except that knocking in reverse coming from the car. Very nice. 51k miles.

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  NEW FUSION - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By SOFTBALLDAD3 - March 17 - 11:43 am

  This car is fun to drive and plenty of power. Have had people stop and check it out and finally ask all about the car. Even though we loved the red Fusion that is on TV we bought black. I have had people tell me they didnt like the looks of the car until they saw our black one! I said same thing that we were looking at the red and on a one day trip stopped in Oakdale Ca and this was only one left on the lot. We never finished our trip because we made deal right then and drove it home. Its funny because our local dealer in Tracy Ca had about six cars and no red! The lady we deal with there had me bring it by to see.

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  Bold Moves! bravo to Ford - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By bug - March 9 - 7:56 pm

  This car handles exceptionally well, it has a lot of power in the acceleration with the V-6. It handles the highway and curves very well. I like the fact I purchased with the maximum options on this vehicle, otherwise I would not be satisfied. The basic versions just dont have the same kick! I love the butter leather seats, I feel like I am driving very high quality expensive vehicle, without the expensive price!

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  Would not buy again - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By furCL1962 - March 8 - 4:37 am

  The transmission never shifted into Drive properly. There was a delay in shifting then the transmission would slam into Drive. Mechanics said it needed a PCM software update. The PCM and the TCM software was updated and it didnt change anything. This started occurring within one month of vehicle purchase (New). This is a known problem and will eventually lead to a Valve Body Replacement or full transmission rebuild which would be very expensive. There was constant problems with the software. The GPS was often off by several hundred feet. It would show you driving down the road except the GPS line of travel would be off to the left of the actual line of travel. The car often refused to start even with a full battery, constantly acting like it was in remote start mode where the engine is running but the power is off. Except the engine and power would both be off but the car "brain" would think differently. Because many of the systems require power to b in sleep mode, many times the battery would be dead after just a couple of hours sitting. Diagnosing a parasitic drain showed the drain was normal, but the battery that came stock with the car was not enough to stay charged with the parasitic draw that is in fact normal. Battery replacement was mandatory for a new car and should not have been. But it did fix the problem. There are many videos online with people with the same problem with the Fusion and Focus. Sitting still the glass in the sunroof cracked. The temperature was in the 70s and the car was not moving with no trees, other cars or anything else around. It simply cracked. The glass in these roofs is made to shatter. Others have complained about the same problem. This occured within about two months of purchasing the vehicle. As I was told, "It isnt Fords problem". Well it is now since we went back to Kia. After buying three new trucks and three new cars in five years we thought we would give Ford a try since we did like the Fusion Titanium when we test drove. However, that experience with Ford, attitudes in service whenever we brought it in for service and the complete 180 from our experience with Kia had us completely ignore Ford when we were looking for a new car. Bottom line. Thirty seven years of car buying and ovr 20 new cars and 10 new trucks that was our first Ford and it will be our last Ford.

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  Shouldve stayed with a Toyota - 2013 Ford Fusion
  By Chrisral - February 28 - 10:46 am

  The design is poor, during the summer when using AC condensation impeeds your line of sight out thefront window. The car is on its four recall. Im on my third catalytic convertor AT 32,000 miles. The tires from the factory had to be replaced at 30,000 miles, they were to be warranted until 65,000 miles. Manufacturer would not honor warranty because on had tires rotated twice. Which is a load of crap since the tire wear was even on all four tires. I shouldve stayed with Toyota but liked the look of the Fusion, Big Mistake. I will be going back to another Toyota. Farewell Fusion....very unhappy wIth purchase!

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  Luxury and fun in one - 2008 Ford Fusion
  By markoor - February 17 - 3:53 pm

  I traded my 2004 Audi A4 for my Fusion and dont regret it one bit. The Audi was always in the garage. I drove the Fusion from Michigan to Virginia the first weekend I bought it and was comforatable the whole way there. I got terrible back aches half way there with the Audi but was feeling just as good as the second I left with the Fusion. Stiched black leather and heated seats are very nice looking. Car is very fun to drive.

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  I Love My Fusion - 2007 Ford Fusion
  By Andie Funk - February 15 - 6:36 am

  I did not realize how well these cars handled until I drove one. There is a ton of power, when you hit the gas it goes fast. And it still gets about 28 MPG on the freeway. Also, Im a big guy. So, I needed a car that I could fit into easily. The interior of this car is huge and it also has a massive trunk. Great for sports equipment or large subwoofers like I put in mine. I would say this car is a fantastic balance between luxury and price.

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  just got it - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By cosmonot - February 13 - 8:16 am

  Love it. Purchased just a month ago so we are still breaking it in. We have the 5 speed auto and are getting 20 mpg around the city with under 1000 miles on it. Fun to drive - good pick up for a four cylinder. Great car for the price, good design. Only bad thing is visibility out the rear window. Takes a while to get used to.

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  Happy Birthday To Me! - 2007 Ford Fusion
  By Dee - February 12 - 2:30 pm

  My husband bought the Fusion for me for my birthday and I totally love it! I do have to say that I am a first time Ford owner (I never thought I would say that!) I am very impressed with the reliability, safety features and overall design. Not to mention the 25 MPG (HWY miles)! The cost is very reasonable for all of the gadgets and accessories the SEL V6 comes with. The sunroof has also impressed me, it is much quieter than what I expected when it is completely open.

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  Fusion the Best Midsize Sedan. Period. - 2010 Ford Fusion
  By mirth - January 30 - 10:36 am

  This car is filled with surprise and delight features. The entertainment especially - Sync, free Sirius for 6 months, 6 CD changer. Plus Bluetooth phone integration with Sync. And you can get all that for the low $20K range. I have the 4 cylinder which is peppy for a 4 banger and smooth shifting.