2017 Ford Fusion: First Look
CARS.COM
Competes with: Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Hyundai Sonata
Looks like: The current Ford Fusion
Drivetrains: The three carryover engines include the 175-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder; a 181-hp, turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder; and a 231-hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. New this year is a 325-hp, twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V-6; six-speed automatic transmission; front- or all-wheel drive.
Hits dealers: Summer 2016
Related: More 2016 Detroit Auto Show Coverage
Ford has had some significant success with its midsize sedan; the Fusion has doubled its annual sales since it was introduced in 2006. While sales still trail the perennially best-selling Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, it’s definitely getting closer every year to matching those two consumer favorites. So hot off of two years of 300,000-plus sales, Ford listened to customer feedback and took a conservative approach to the Fusion’s midcycle update. For 2017, the sedan has a subtly cleaned up look, an updated multimedia system, and new Sport and Platinum trim levels.
Exterior
If you parked the new Fusion next to the old one, I bet you’d be hard pressed to tell which is new. Such is the subtlety of the update. It wears a new front clip, slightly revised headlights and a larger grille. Most notable is a Sport model that now features different front-end styling, with larger air scoops and a revised bumper. A new chrome strip runs between the taillights as well, helping to add horizontal emphasis.
Interior
Inside, a new center console with a rotary gear selector replaces the old shifter knob, opening up better access to the media connection, storage bay and cupholders. Ford’s Sync 3 multimedia system adds the latest connectivity to the new Fusion, but the real news is in the new Platinum model. Slotting above the Titanium trim, it features a leather-wrapped interior with cowhide on the dash, doors, console and steering wheel. Quilted leather patterns adorn the seats, while 19-inch wheels and a unique grille give the Platinum level some cachet (and likely an even higher price tag than the already-pricey Titanium).
Under the Hood
Four engines are available in the Fusion. The base unit remains the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder, but this is typically only found in fleet specials. Most folks will end up with one of the three turbocharged EcoBoost engines — the economical 1.5-liter, the more powerful 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine or the 2.7-liter V-6.
New for 2017 in the Fusion, the twin-turbo V-6 was first seen in the Ford Edge Sport. It makes a hefty 325 horsepower and 350 pounds-feet of torque, significantly more than the most powerful 3.5-liter V-6 engines in the Camry or Accord. The new Fusion Sport features standard all-wheel drive, a six-speed automatic transmission, larger brakes, an electronically adjustable sport suspension and 19-inch wheels.
The Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid models also return for 2017, but the performance of both models is unchanged from the outgoing 2016 vehicles, according to Ford.
Safety
The Fusion gets a host of new safety systems for 2017. Ford has enhanced the automatic parking feature with perpendicular parking and park-out. A new automatic collision-avoidance braking system has been added with low-speed pedestrian detection. Also, adaptive cruise control now adds a stop-and-go function for heavy traffic situations, and new lane departure and lane keeping assist systems are available.
The new Fusion will hit showrooms in the summer of 2016, with the V-6 Sport model to follow later in the year.
