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"Midsize four-door sedans are to be capable, sensible and affordable. Don't sweat the styling. Boring is acceptable."
Ford must have missed the memo.
The 2013 model year Fusion pulled off an extreme makeover, going from bland to Euro cool as it entered its second generation. In addition to being quite the looker, the family-sized sedan's been a solid seller. In fact, last year the Fusion was the 9th best-selling vehicle in the Houston region, according to the TexAuto Facts Report published by InfoNation, Inc. in Sugar Land. (No. 1, by a huge margin, was Ford's F-150.)
With the Fusion's lines, surfaces and proportions just dandy with consumers, Ford focused on technology and refinement when it was time to update the 2017 Fusion.
The lineup also expanded by two trim levels. The new-for-2017 Fusion Platinum is all about refinement and interior. High-end leather is used for the instrument panel, upper door panels and hand-wrapped steering wheel. The heated and cooled seats have quilted inserts. The Platinum, now the ultimate Fusion, starts at $36,620.
Due later this summer, the new Fusion Sport ups the performance ante with a dual-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6. Ford expects the faster Fusion to bring about 325 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque to the dance. That power is harnessed and transferred to the ground via a heavy-duty six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive.
The Sport also gets a beefed-up suspension, including bigger brakes and tires. One aspect that has us curious is its new computer-controlled, pothole-detecting shock absorber system. Using sensors to scan the road surface, the system will stiffen the shock settings to reduce wheel and tire travel if it "sees" a pothole. Smooth move if it works as advertised.
Meanwhile, optional driver-aid technology includes adaptive cruise control that Ford said can be used in stop-and-go traffic. If radar detects moving vehicles or pedestrians, the Fusion can automatically slow or even stop to prevent (or minimize) damage or injuries.
Parallel parking your Achilles' heel? Ford's updated active park assist can now also park the Fusion in perpendicular spaces, such as those in parking structures.
A 2.5-liter Duratec four-cylinder comes standard with the S and SE grades. The non-turbocharged engine produces 175 horsepower and is rated at 21 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway.
Shifting to the turbocharged alternatives, the SE can be ordered with a 181-horsepower 1.5-liter or 245-horsepower 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engines. Along with standard auto start-stop technology, the 1.5-liter is paired with the standard six-speed automatic transmission and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. EPA city/highway fuel economy ratings are 23/34 mpg with auto start-stop enabled.
The 2.0-liter EcoBoost four, standard on Titanium and Platinum, is rated 21/31 mpg in FWD cars or 20/29 for the all-wheel-drive. It, too, uses the six-speed auto.
The 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine, offered only in the coming Fusion Sport, is matched to a six-speed automatic with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, plus standard all-wheel drive. The estimated mileage ratings are 17/26 mpg.
The budget friendly Fusion S has a starting price of $22,120. Standard equipment includes the 2.5-liter Duratec engine, six-speed automatic, AM/FM/CD/MP3 SYNC-enabled infotainment system with four speakers, 16-inch alloy wheels with 215/60R16 tires, push-button ignition, manual six-way driver and four-way passenger seats. For safety and security, there's a rear-view camera, keyless entry fob and the tire-pressure monitoring system reports the pressure of each individual tire.
Next is the $23,120 SE, which adds SiriusXM satellite radio, SecuriCode keyless-entry keypad and power driver (10-way) and front passenger (six-way), LED signature lighting, 17-inch painted nickel wheels with 235/50R17 tires.
The Titanium ($30,120) throws in a boatload of niceties such as leather, reverse sensing system, 18-inch aluminum wheels with 235/45R18 tires, remote start, Ford's improved SYNC 3 interface with 8-inch touch screen, Sony audio system with 12 speakers and HD radio, LED fog lamps, solar tinted glass and heated front sport seats.
For 2017, the Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid receive software updates, more efficient electric motors and can hit 85 mph on juice alone, Ford claims. The Hybrid has a 1.4-kilowatt-hour battery, a 2.0-liter Atkinson cycle engine and continuously variable transmission. The Hybrid S has an MSRP of $25,185. The estimated mileage is 43 city/41 highway.
On battery alone, the Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid should go about 19 miles before its gas engine ? also the 2.0-liter four - kicks in. Ford said the Fusion has a range right around 610 miles. The 7.6-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery takes 2.5 hours to charge on a 240-volt circuit. Figure 7.5 hours on household current. The Energi SE stars at $32,120. Used as a gas hybrid, mileage is identical to the Fusion hybrid but in electric rechargeable mode the Energi earned an equivalent mpg rating of 104 city and 91 highway.
This month the 2017 Fusion received safety kudos. The midsize sedan earned a Top Safety Pick Plus award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety after Ford went back to the drawing board, added some reinforcements to the front structure and made the automatic braking system available.
Technology, whether for safety or fun, is a powerful selling tool, said Mitchell Dale, vice chairman of the Houston Area Ford Dealers.
"Houston customers love to talk about their cars with family, friends and coworkers," said Dale, who's also general manager of McRee Ford in Dickinson. "What really gets people going around here, though, is the technology. They're going to love showing off the new pedestrian detection system, the much improved cell phone integration, and that this car can park - parallel or perpendicular - hands-free."
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