The Ford Fusion became an instant hit when it debuted its second generation at the 2012 North American International Auto Show. The Fusion was widely praised for its unique Aston Martin-esque styling and its luxurious interior appointments. This car never did quite rise to the fame of the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry, but consumers appreciated the Fusion’s sportier feel out on the road as well as its more unique turbocharged engine offerings. What do I think of the Fusion? Below are some of my driving impressions.
When you first get into the Fusion, you notice that the interior feels solid and well built. It’s definitely a bit more classy and upscale compared to other midsize sedans on the market, and everything feels nice to the touch. The steering wheel has smooth leather, the buttons feel high quality, the leather seats are plush and comfortable, and the overall aura of the Fusion just feels more classy and expensive than you would expect it to be. It’s definitely one of those cars that makes a positive first impression, and I think the design of the interior works really well with this car.
In terms of visibility, the Fusion can be a little strange to look out of at first. The front hood is big and blocky, and the dashboard sticks out a little far which makes the windshield feel far away from the driver. This is somewhat of a typical trait I’ve noticed with other Ford products I’ve driven. That said, the back window is large and provides good visibility, the pillars are pretty thin, and the side mirrors are a decent size.
One thing I noticed about the Fusion when I first began driving, is that everything generally feels pretty touchy and responsive. The accelerator response is pretty normal, but I noticed that it has a short travel before it hits the floor and it seems to be more responsive compared to other cars like the Camry and the Altima. The brakes in this 2018 Fusion Titanium were very grabby as well. The response from the brakes definitely felt odd to me at first, because the first few times I applied the brakes I found myself lurching forward and stopping too suddenly. The bite is quite sharp, right at the top of the pedal. The brake pedal itself is quite stiff as well, and it has decent feel to it. I was able to get used to the braking response pretty quickly, but if you find yourself in a situation where you need to apply the brakes fast, you might catch your passengers a little off guard. That said, the stopping power feels very powerful and linear. There is some nose dive under braking, and the body rocks back a bit too much for my liking upon reaching a complete stop, but not a huge deal.
The steering wheel in the Fusion is smaller in circumference, which gives this car a sportier and more elegant vibe. The steering itself is pretty nice as well. Right away you can tell that it maneuvers the vehicle smoothly and that it feels fairly premium compared to most other midsize sedans out there. I do think that the steering is a little overly quick to change direction at times, as it has a bit of an overly sharpened feel that some people might not like. That said, the steering has decent weight to it, and it responds quickly off center. I think I would have liked a bit more predictability in the corners, because as I mentioned, the steering feels just a tad bit too sharp at initial turn in, and then that sharpness seems to dull out when you’re going through some turns. The turning response could have been a little more refined and evenly distributed from lock to lock. That said, the Fusion points nice and straight for long periods of time when the steering is on center, and the steering plants the vehicle on a steady course. The steering wheel has a smooth return to center upon exiting a corner as well. The feedback is absent, but it feels pretty easy to tell where the front tires are and predict where the vehicle is going to end up. The Fusion has a crisp and precise steering dynamic, and while I don’t think it is quite as linear or engaging as the new Camry or the Subaru Legacy, I still think the Fusion’s steering feel is near best in class.
The 2.0T engine is class competitive as well. Granted, when you’re driving the Fusion normally, it won’t really blow you away with horsepower. It feels and sounds like a normal 4 cylinder engine at low RPM. The engine gets the car up to speed adequately when you’re in stop and go traffic, and the Fusion keeps up well with most other cars on the road. That said, once I got a feel for this engine on some more vacant roads, I found myself really enjoying the power delivery from this 2.0 turbo. The acceleration feels really smooth and streamlined, and the torque inspires confidence. It feels like a zippy little engine, and I think it gives the Fusion a bit of a smaller and more sportier vibe. The engine is quick to rev, and it feels super easy to modulate your RPMs with your throttle inputs. The power delivery feels refined and consistent all the way into the higher revs, and it’s a surprisingly fun engine to rev out. You still feel in complete control when you reach some of those higher rev ranges, and the Fusion doesn’t seem to protest being driven at a quicker pace. If you’re trying to pull out onto a busy road, basically just put your foot down a little and the Fusion gets right up to speed without any drama. The engine remains quiet in the cabin and it never sounds like it’s working too hard to get this midsize sedan up to speed. Again, this engine won’t impress you with exhilarating performance, but it feels “just right” and maybe even slightly above average for everyday commuting. The torque could kick in a little earlier in the tachometer, but for a turbocharged engine, the power feels evenly distributed throughout the entire rev range. Overall, it’s a brisk, confidence inspiring engine.
The 6-speed automatic makes a good partner for the engine as well. This transmission bangs out all the right gears and it keeps the engine in the meat of its power band. It works through its gear set quickly, and it all feels quite seamless and well matched to what your foot is telling it to do. The shift quality is smooth for the most part, although I will say that occasionally the 1-2 shift can feel slightly unrefined. You can definitely feel some shifting going on here and there, but the shift quality never really disturbs you nor is it intrusive on the driving experience. Downshifts are quick to respond as well, and this transmission has good intuition when sensing hills or other situations where you might need some additional power. This transmission is definitely better at sensing the gears that you want compared to other sedans in this segment, and I think it really helps that 2.0 turbo feel smoother and quicker in everyday driving situations.
In terms of just everyday cruising, the Fusion feels nice. It is a bit of a heavier feeling car, but it’s easy to maintain a constant speed, and the Fusion glides down the road with a nice feeling of momentum, solidity, and predictability.
The overall handling of the Fusion feels nice and refined for the class that it competes in, too. As I noted above, I think the Fusion definitely feels a little hefty in its chassis and overall dimensions out on the road, but this car just does its thing really well. The Fusion holds the road with confidence and assuredness. The car points straight as an arrow, and you’ll be able to take turns without any drama. If you want a sedan that feels a little more zippy and planted compared to most out there, the Fusion will fit that bill well. The Fusion isn’t the sportiest entry, but it still has a pleasant, refined, confidence inspiring feel despite that. I think the new Camry feels a little better in the corners, and the Mazda 6 will feel lighter and more engaging, but the Fusion still makes a really good case for itself. It is a tad bit on the isolated side, but the chassis remains fairly flat in the corners and the body lean is kept at a respectable level.
In terms of road noise and ride quality, I think that this is where the Fusion really excels. Other competitors might feel a little lighter or sportier, but they often lack in key areas like refinement, comfort, and noise isolation. The Fusion does really well in those key areas. You feel like you could easily have a conversation in this car with your family and friends out on the open highway and not be interrupted by wind noise and poor shock absorption. The road noise, while not silent, is still muted nicely and the cabin feels more isolated from the outside compared most midsize sedan entries that I’ve driven. The ride remains composed and comfortable, although you do feel some bumps here and there. Even then, the chassis feels well structured and the bumps never seem to become intrusive. The leather seats are plush and comfortable, and all the materials feel elegantly crafted. Everything has a nice solid click, including the turn signal and wiper stalks. I believe that Ford really did their homework in putting as much effort into passenger comfort and spaciousness as they did into the chassis and the driving dynamics. The fact that Ford is discontinuing the Fusion saddens me, because this car feels more accommodating than you would expect for a family, and you don’t get the sloppier handling that you would find in a larger crossover or an SUV.
All in all, the Fusion is a good car. I can’t quite speak for the other trim levels, but I really liked the 2.0 Ecoboost in the Titanium trim, and the 6-speed automatic feels smooth and easy to control. The driving experience is pretty refined in terms of road noise and ride quality, but the steering response can feel a bit too sharp at times, and the brakes can be quite grabby if you aren’t used to them. I also think the chassis could stand to feel lighter and more playful. The Fusion just feels a little heavy and wide out on the road, but the handling still has decent zip and maneuverability despite that. Overall, if you’re looking for a competent, luxurious midsize family sedan, check out a Fusion at your local Ford dealership before they’re all gone.