You remember that overachiever in high school? The honor society kid who did extra credit work even though he didn't need to? That's how it is with the 2011 Ford Fusion. Earlier incarnations of the Fusion already had the basics down, including a pleasant driving demeanor, a comfortable ride and a high level of overall refinement. Last year's makeover of the Fusion vaulted the car to the front of the midsize sedan class, however, with sizable improvements in performance and efficiency. And this year, Ford goes for extra credit by chipping in a few more standard features.
Fusion gas-powered and hybrid models deliver plenty of responsive performance. So go ahead, enjoy your ride in the MPH zone. And all the while be assured that you’re doing right by the environment, with fuel efficiency that is very impressive.
Does having a powerful engine mean you have to sacrifice economy? The answer is no, if you’re driving a mid-size Ford Fusion. The 2.5L Duratec I-4 engine generates power ratings of 175 horsepower and 172 lbs./ft. of torque, while delivering impressive city and highway mpg.* And imagine getting 41 miles per gallon and being able to travel over 700 miles on a single tank of gas in city traffic. That’s the kind of mileage you can expect to achieve in a Fusion Hybrid. No compromise – expect nothing less in a Ford Fusion.
The Fusion earns some of its high marks because of its architecture, which is a slightly stretched version of the first-generation Mazda 6 platform. The Fusion's slightly smaller size than some other sedans doesn't negatively impact interior room, and it gives the Fusion more agility than the norm. For power, there's a fully competitive 175-horsepower four-cylinder base engine, a 240-hp 3.0-liter V6 or a 263-hp 3.5-liter V6 in the Fusion Sport. The midlevel V6 is a bit down on power and acceleration compared to the V6s in most other models, but it still provides decent real-world performance.
The Fusion does have some downsides -- a button-happy center stack and numb steering being the most notable -- but overall the Fusion is very well-rounded. It drives well, is comfortable and has very good safety ratings. On top of this, it also offers Ford's excellent Sync multimedia voice-control system and available all-wheel drive. Certainly, there are other solid picks for a midsize family sedan, including the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 6, Suzuki Kizashi and Toyota Camry. But no matter which one you end up with, know that a 2011 Ford Fusion is going to earn high marks for you.
Class-exclusive, available voice-activated SYNC shows what we know about technology. Technology that actually listens when you speak. Tell it to call a friend, get you turn-by-turn directions or play your favorite artist and that’s exactly what it will do. Another available feature, called BLIS™ (Blind Sport Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert, lets you know when a vehicle is in your blind spot or behind you when you’re backing out of a parking space. With technology like this, you might just think the car of tomorrow is here today.
The 2011 Ford Fusion is a midsize sedan available in S, SE, Sport and SEL trim levels. The base S comes standard with 16-inch alloy wheels, blind-spot mirrors, keyless entry, the MyKey system (limits top speed and audio volume), full power accessories, a trip computer, cruise control, air-conditioning, 60/40-split rear seats, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and a four-speaker stereo with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack. The SE adds 17-inch steel wheels (alloy-look covers), foglamps, automatic headlights, dual exhaust tips, a fold-flat passenger seat, an eight-way power driver seat with manual recline and lumbar, steering-wheel radio controls and a six-speaker stereo with satellite radio.
The Sport adds a sport-tuned suspension and steering setup, 18-inch alloy wheels, exclusive styling cues inside and out, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, a 10-way power driver seat, a four-way power passenger seat, unique leather-trimmed seats and the Sync entertainment and communications interface. The Fusion SEL adds heated exterior mirrors, puddle lights, a numerical keyless entry pad, ambient lighting, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats and leather upholstery.
Options on the base S are limited to remote engine start (automatic transmission only) and all-weather floor mats, which are available across the lineup. SE options include an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Sync and a sunroof. The Sport model can be optioned with the SEL's standard equipment plus a blind-spot warning system, a back-up camera, a sunroof and a 12-speaker Sony sound system. On the SEL, you can get 18-inch wheels and the sport-tuned suspension by ordering the Appearance package. Optional on Sport and SEL models is a voice-activated hard-drive-based navigation system with Travel Link (includes real-time traffic and weather information).
The 2011 Ford Fusion features three different engines. The base power plant -- standard on S, SE and SEL models -- is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 175 hp and 172 pound-feet of torque. This mill comes with a six-speed manual transmission by default, while a six-speed automatic with manual shift control is optional.
A 3.0-liter V6 (240 hp and 223 lb-ft) is optional on SE and SEL models, and it's only available with the six-speed automatic. The Sport model comes exclusively with a more powerful 3.5-liter V6 (263 hp and 249 lb-ft). The automatic is standard here, too. All-wheel drive is optional on the Sport and V6-powered SEL.
In testing, we found a V6-powered Fusion SEL went from zero to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds, which is a bit slower than most other V6-powered family sedans. Fuel economy ratings for the four-cylinder Fusion with the automatic check in at 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined. The 3.0-liter V6 has a 20/28/23 mpg rating and the 3.5-liter V6 drops to 18/27/21 mpg.
Antilock disc brakes, stability control, front-seat side airbags and side curtain airbags are standard on all Fusions. In government crash testing, the Fusion earned a top five-star rating for its protection of front occupants in head-on collisions. In the side-impact test, the Fusion earned five stars for front passengers and four stars for those in the rear. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests, the Fusion earned a top rating of "Good" in both the frontal-offset and side-impact tests.
Specification:
Exterior Dimensions
Wheelbase (in.) 107.4
Length (in.) 190.6
Height - empty (in.) 56.8
Width without mirrors (in.) 72.2
Width with mirrors (in.) 80.1
Tread Width - front/rear (in.) 61.7/61.3 (Hybrid: 61.3/61.0)
Interior Dimensions
Head Room front/rear (in.) 38.7/37.8
Shoulder Room front/rear (in.) 57.4/56.5
Hip Room front/rear (in.) 54.0/53.4
Leg Room front/rear (in.) 42.3/37.1 (Hybrid: 42.3/36.7)
Capacities: Passenger, Luggage, Fuel
Seating Capacity 5
Passenger Volume (cu. ft.) 100.3 (Hybrid: 99.8)
Trunk Volume (cu. ft.) 16.5 (Hybrid 11.8)
Fuel Capacity (gal.) 17.5 FWD; 16.5 AWD
Chassis Specifications
Front Suspension Independent Short-and Long-Arm (SLA) with Double Lower Ball Joints, Stabilizer Bar
Front Shocks Hydraulic Gas-Pressurized
Rear Suspension Independent Multi-link Twist Blade with Stabilizer Bar
Rear Shocks Hydraulic Gas-Pressurized
Front and Rear Brakes Power Front/Rear Disc, Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Traction Control AdvanceTrac™ with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Standard
All-Wheel Drive Optional (requires V6 Engine)
Steering Electric Power-Assisted (Fusion S, SE, SEL, Hybrid);Hydraulic Power-Assisted (Fusion Sport)
MSRP from $19,820
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