It tautens the adaptive-damping system, increases steering effort, quickens throttle response, and amps up the artificially enhanced engine sounds. The S button also engages a more aggressive shift program from the six-speed automatic transmission a heavier-duty unit than in other Fusions and gives you more control through the standard paddle shifters.
It upshifts automatically at rpm no matter what you do with the paddles, but it will hold gears through corners and rev-match downshifts under braking. None of this changed the measurable on-track performance, but it does make driving the car more entertaining.
Adaptive dampers are all but commonplace in pricier, near-luxury sedans and many crossover-utility vehicles but are overdue to trickle into the mass market.
Steering feel is lackluster, and the brake pedal has a long travel and little feedback. And the car feels every bit as heavy as the pounds measured on our scales. Ford needs to make haste with its lightweighting research , a field where General Motors is doing much better. All that mass leaves an overall impression that the Fusion Sport amounts to a smaller version of the Taurus SHO , a car whose days are numbered, and even the performance figures are similar.
LOWS: Porky mass, lackluster steering feel, responses not quite polished. When driven aggressively, there are hints of torque steer before the AWD system activates and moments of hesitation where you can feel the car sorting out, just for a moment, which gear to choose and how much steering effort should adjust to conditions. To deliver on that promise, besides putting the car on a diet, would require a less fuel-economy-minded all-wheel-drive system with more rearward bias of torque distribution and a lot more attention to the niceties of control feel and precision.
Our car also had voice-activated navigation and an 8. Leaving off some of the gizmos might even pare the weight down a bit. New Cars. Buyer's Guide. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. The trade-off for this larger battery is a significantly smaller trunk. The plug-in Energi model also doesn't acquit itself as well on the road, suffering from a softer suspension tuning and overly light steering that robs it of prowess in the corners.
From boosted four-cylinders to a plug-in hybrid with double-digit EV range, the Fusion's powertrains cover a lot of ground. The reliance on turbocharged gasoline engines in most versions could mean that drivers have a hard time replicating EPA fuel-economy numbers in the real world. Our plug-in Energi test vehicle delivered 39 mpg over our mile highway fuel-economy test.
From cloth seats to quilted leather, a Fusion can be spartan or luxurious. Overall, the car's multiple interior trims are attractive and in line with what the rest of the class offers, but drivers of the base model might feel they've gotten a raw deal if they step into a richly appointed Platinum model. The gas-powered Fusion holds as much cargo as most competitors, but the hybrid and plug-in-hybrid models sacrifice a lot of space for their battery packs, which reside in the trunk.
The Fusion Energi we tested held a measly two carry-on bags in its trunk while the standard Fusion held six. Infotainment options in the Fusion lineup range from so last decade to totally of the moment. We've never tested the bare-bones model, but Ford's Sync 3 system is available on other trims and we found it to be intuitive and reasonably quick to respond. Designed to rely on touch inputs and voice commands, the Sync 3 system is simple to navigate.
It's a big improvement from previous Ford efforts. The Fusion performed well in its crash tests and its newly standard suite of driver-assistance features provides an extra layer of protection. Key safety features include:. Ford's warranty coverage is about average for the segment, but it doesn't include any complimentary scheduled maintenance.
In this class, both the Toyota Camry and the Chevrolet Malibu offer that benefit. Ford's roadside-assistance terms, though, are above average. More Features and Specs. New Cars. Buyer's Guide.
Type keyword s to search. By Drew Dorian and Maxwell B. More Model Years.
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