EnvoyBu
03-29-2011, 06:49 PM
Intro
Welcome. This thread will be a review of the 2011 Ford Fusion, a highly competitive car in the mid size sedan market. The specific Fusion that was tested, a Red Candy Sport, was equipped well, and included the 3.5 Duratec V6 that Ford has received accolades for. Total price, as tested, was $28,345.00, a relative bargain in comparison to similar V6 equipped family sedans, which include the Chevrolet Malibu, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Chrysler 200. I, like CARandDRIVER, asked, “What’s the Sport badge doing on a Fusion?”.
Exterior
http://cdn.getauto.com/photos/6/1126/1c/3FAHP0KC4AR232923-1c.jpg
The Fusion Sport has quite a few cosmetic differences from its lesser Fusion brethren. Noticeable differences include a body kit, mesh lower air dam, larger, dual exhausts, and a "Sport" badge. The Fusion has many amenities found on much more expensive vehicles, which include BLIS, or Blind Spot Information System,adds safety to the vehicle by scanning the vehicles blind spots for traffic. Additional Fusion exclusive features include blind spot mirrors, which are situated above the standard side mirrors. Styling is subjective, and in terms of the greenhouse, has not changed, even with the 2010 MCE. The wheelbase stays at 107.4 inches, but total length increases by four tenths of an inch. Girth is the same at 72.2 inches, but height decreases by three tenths of an inch. The Sport looks genuinely different than the standard Fusion, and that's a good thing. Standard 18 inch rims adorn the wheel wells, but ride quality does not suffer. Also, a prominent spoiler is standard on Sport models. Unfortunately, the Fusion falls short in the taillight department, with the Ford looking like it's crying. The only available options on the exterior are a power sunroof, and rear back up sensors.
Score: 83 out of 100
Interior
http://image.motortrend.com/f/25177927+w750/2010-ford-fusion-sport-interior.jpg
The Fusion's interior is its selling point, and with good reason. There are oodles of soft touch materials, and fit and finish is top notch. Options are plentiful, and include a Comfort Package, which includes a power passenger seat, ambient lighting, dual zone climate control, heated mirrors, and a Universal Home Link garage door opener. In addition, a Driver Vision Package is offered; BLIS and RainSense wipers are part of the package. Touch screen navigation is offered for $1,995.00, and it has an 8 inch display that also houses a 10 gigabyte hard drive, Sirius Live Traffic, and voice recognition. A nifty option on the screen is a customizable background photo. Standard features include Sirius Satellite Radio for six months, and Sync, a Ford exclusive program similar to OnStar that allows an individual to give the vehicle voice commands (MP3, climate control, phones, etc) and check the vehicle's "health". Legroom is generous at 42.3 inches, and so is headroom, at 38.7 inches. Shoulder room is near best in class due to a wide track. Safety is also top notch, with a plethora of standard airbags, child safety door locks, and anti-theft devices, which include a panic button on the key fob. The interior is somewhat noisy at speed, so it loses points for that. The interior, in addition, is somewhat let down by pure visual appearance, something Ford should have corrected.
Score: 84 out of 100
Performance
http://image.motortrend.com/f/13084658+w750/112_0812_11z+2010_ford_fusion_sport+gauges.jpg
http://image.motortrend.com/f/25177870+w750/2010-ford-fusion-sport-engine.jpg
The Three and a Half Liter Bent Six in the Fusion Sport is nothing to write home about. All of the blame however, cannot be put on the engine. The slow shifting Aisin unit can also be to blame, with slow, deliberate shifts. The engine is lethargic and unwilling in low RPM's, but power builds, and, unfortunately, so does engine noise. The Duratec sounds rather raspy at high RPM's, unlike the Alloytec Six in the Chevrolet Malibu. But with 263 Horsepower, it trumps the Malibu's 252, albeit it lacks the oomph of the Chevy in the Torque department (251 pound feet for the Malibu, 249 pound feet for the Ford). The Ford, however, is heavier, tipping the scales at just over 3,800 pounds. The Chevrolet is about 150 pounds lighter, and it weighs about 3,650 pounds. 0-60 was dispatched in 6.9 seconds, which is considerably slower than the Chevy, which completed the same task in 6.2 seconds. The Fusion is weak off the line with minimal wheel spin, but power build quickly. Although bearing the "Sport" name, the Fusion fails to meet the criteria in terms of acceleration. Handling is very good however, and the Fusion beats quite a few competitors in this category, but fall short to the Buick Regal and Chevrolet Malibu. Braking is middle of the pack at roughly 130 feet, with a strong feel with no fade. The ride is compliant; not too hard, not too soft. The Fusion has a 17.5 gallon fuel tank, which means fill ups are less frequent than its competitors.
Score: 64 out of 100
Conclusion
The Fusion Sport is a good car. Perhaps Ford's best mid size sedan they've ever built, the Fusion is strong in some areas, such as the interior, but weak in a few, such as acceleration. Ford has a chance to alleviate the acceleration issue by using their own 3.7 V6, which is found in the Mazda 6. In conclusion, the Fusion wears the "Sport" name, but it fails to meet the standards of a sporty vehicle. Perhaps a more appropriate name for this specific Fusion would be... Fusion Limited.
Overall Score: 231 out of a possible 300 points
Closing Facts
- As Tested Price: $28,345.00
- Engine size: 3.5 L
- Horsepower: 263 HP @ 6250 RPM
- Torque: 249 ft-lbs. @ 4500 RPM
- Engine Type: Gasoline
- Cam Type: Double Overhead Cam (DOHC)
- Cylinders: Six
- Valves: Twenty-Four
- Valve Timing: Variable Cam Timing (Ti-VCT)
- Turning Circle: 37.5 Feet
Welcome. This thread will be a review of the 2011 Ford Fusion, a highly competitive car in the mid size sedan market. The specific Fusion that was tested, a Red Candy Sport, was equipped well, and included the 3.5 Duratec V6 that Ford has received accolades for. Total price, as tested, was $28,345.00, a relative bargain in comparison to similar V6 equipped family sedans, which include the Chevrolet Malibu, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Chrysler 200. I, like CARandDRIVER, asked, “What’s the Sport badge doing on a Fusion?”.
Exterior
http://cdn.getauto.com/photos/6/1126/1c/3FAHP0KC4AR232923-1c.jpg
The Fusion Sport has quite a few cosmetic differences from its lesser Fusion brethren. Noticeable differences include a body kit, mesh lower air dam, larger, dual exhausts, and a "Sport" badge. The Fusion has many amenities found on much more expensive vehicles, which include BLIS, or Blind Spot Information System,adds safety to the vehicle by scanning the vehicles blind spots for traffic. Additional Fusion exclusive features include blind spot mirrors, which are situated above the standard side mirrors. Styling is subjective, and in terms of the greenhouse, has not changed, even with the 2010 MCE. The wheelbase stays at 107.4 inches, but total length increases by four tenths of an inch. Girth is the same at 72.2 inches, but height decreases by three tenths of an inch. The Sport looks genuinely different than the standard Fusion, and that's a good thing. Standard 18 inch rims adorn the wheel wells, but ride quality does not suffer. Also, a prominent spoiler is standard on Sport models. Unfortunately, the Fusion falls short in the taillight department, with the Ford looking like it's crying. The only available options on the exterior are a power sunroof, and rear back up sensors.
Score: 83 out of 100
Interior
http://image.motortrend.com/f/25177927+w750/2010-ford-fusion-sport-interior.jpg
The Fusion's interior is its selling point, and with good reason. There are oodles of soft touch materials, and fit and finish is top notch. Options are plentiful, and include a Comfort Package, which includes a power passenger seat, ambient lighting, dual zone climate control, heated mirrors, and a Universal Home Link garage door opener. In addition, a Driver Vision Package is offered; BLIS and RainSense wipers are part of the package. Touch screen navigation is offered for $1,995.00, and it has an 8 inch display that also houses a 10 gigabyte hard drive, Sirius Live Traffic, and voice recognition. A nifty option on the screen is a customizable background photo. Standard features include Sirius Satellite Radio for six months, and Sync, a Ford exclusive program similar to OnStar that allows an individual to give the vehicle voice commands (MP3, climate control, phones, etc) and check the vehicle's "health". Legroom is generous at 42.3 inches, and so is headroom, at 38.7 inches. Shoulder room is near best in class due to a wide track. Safety is also top notch, with a plethora of standard airbags, child safety door locks, and anti-theft devices, which include a panic button on the key fob. The interior is somewhat noisy at speed, so it loses points for that. The interior, in addition, is somewhat let down by pure visual appearance, something Ford should have corrected.
Score: 84 out of 100
Performance
http://image.motortrend.com/f/13084658+w750/112_0812_11z+2010_ford_fusion_sport+gauges.jpg
http://image.motortrend.com/f/25177870+w750/2010-ford-fusion-sport-engine.jpg
The Three and a Half Liter Bent Six in the Fusion Sport is nothing to write home about. All of the blame however, cannot be put on the engine. The slow shifting Aisin unit can also be to blame, with slow, deliberate shifts. The engine is lethargic and unwilling in low RPM's, but power builds, and, unfortunately, so does engine noise. The Duratec sounds rather raspy at high RPM's, unlike the Alloytec Six in the Chevrolet Malibu. But with 263 Horsepower, it trumps the Malibu's 252, albeit it lacks the oomph of the Chevy in the Torque department (251 pound feet for the Malibu, 249 pound feet for the Ford). The Ford, however, is heavier, tipping the scales at just over 3,800 pounds. The Chevrolet is about 150 pounds lighter, and it weighs about 3,650 pounds. 0-60 was dispatched in 6.9 seconds, which is considerably slower than the Chevy, which completed the same task in 6.2 seconds. The Fusion is weak off the line with minimal wheel spin, but power build quickly. Although bearing the "Sport" name, the Fusion fails to meet the criteria in terms of acceleration. Handling is very good however, and the Fusion beats quite a few competitors in this category, but fall short to the Buick Regal and Chevrolet Malibu. Braking is middle of the pack at roughly 130 feet, with a strong feel with no fade. The ride is compliant; not too hard, not too soft. The Fusion has a 17.5 gallon fuel tank, which means fill ups are less frequent than its competitors.
Score: 64 out of 100
Conclusion
The Fusion Sport is a good car. Perhaps Ford's best mid size sedan they've ever built, the Fusion is strong in some areas, such as the interior, but weak in a few, such as acceleration. Ford has a chance to alleviate the acceleration issue by using their own 3.7 V6, which is found in the Mazda 6. In conclusion, the Fusion wears the "Sport" name, but it fails to meet the standards of a sporty vehicle. Perhaps a more appropriate name for this specific Fusion would be... Fusion Limited.
Overall Score: 231 out of a possible 300 points
Closing Facts
- As Tested Price: $28,345.00
- Engine size: 3.5 L
- Horsepower: 263 HP @ 6250 RPM
- Torque: 249 ft-lbs. @ 4500 RPM
- Engine Type: Gasoline
- Cam Type: Double Overhead Cam (DOHC)
- Cylinders: Six
- Valves: Twenty-Four
- Valve Timing: Variable Cam Timing (Ti-VCT)
- Turning Circle: 37.5 Feet