{"id":3503,"date":"2016-10-10T10:32:13","date_gmt":"2016-10-10T17:32:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rickdebruhl.com\/?p=3503"},"modified":"2016-11-25T14:39:26","modified_gmt":"2016-11-25T21:39:26","slug":"car-review-2017-ford-fusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carcentrick.com\/?p=3503","title":{"rendered":"Car Review: 2017 Ford Fusion"},"content":{"rendered":"

What’s the old line? Familiarity breeds contempt? I think that’s one reason the 2017 Ford Fusion doesn’t get the respect it deserves.<\/p>\n

\"2017
2017 Ford Fusion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I’m telling you right now that while there are a ton of Ford Fusions out on the road, this is not a car to thumb your nose at. Everyone wants to buy something different. They either want an upscale name or distinctive shape. The result is that\u00a0sometimes the Fusion gets passed by.<\/p>\n

If you’re considering a four door good-sized sedan, and you’re not putting the Fusion on the list, you’re making a mistake.<\/p>\n

Let’s start with the styling. The current look originally debuted in 2013. I liked it then, and I like it even better with its most recent refresh. You’ll notice most of the differences up front with slightly revised\u00a0driving light surrounds.\u00a0I like the corporate grille with the Aston Martin-like shape. I like the smooth lines. It’s not overly bold or edgy, but it has a great modern look. It’s an attractive car and what’s wrong with that?<\/p>\n

\"2017
Fusion Styling Refreshed for 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The fusion starts with the basic S model. Without options that price starts around $23,000. My test car was the Platinum edition. It begins at $36,365. Just for the record, the Platinum will make you feel like you’re living the good life every single day.\u00a0It’s was both comfortable and luxurious. My test car had quilted leather on the\u00a0seats and door panels and a chocolate-colored leather\u00a0dash with baseball stitching. Plus it has tons of\u00a0modern\u00a0goodies like blind spot warning and lane keeper assist.\u00a0If you want to split the difference, go for the Titanium model that starts in the $30,000\u00a0range. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2017
Plenty of Luxury Inside<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My test car had the turbocharged\u00a0four-cylinder Ecoboost engine. While its 240 horsepower isn’t in the ooh-baby range, it’s a solid number that will get you around town without leaving you feeling that you’re underpowered. If you opt for the S version you can have a 175 horsepower engine.\u00a0While I haven’t driven the smaller engine, I have a feeling it wouldn’t be enjoyable. Your other option is to buy the Fusion Sport which has a 325 horsepower. If you crave acceleration, that’s obviously going to be your choice. Of course the\u00a0Ecoboost\u00a0advantage is fuel economy. You’ll get 21 mpg in the city and 31 on the high way for a combined total of 25 mpg in all driving. I didn’t fare\u00a0quite that well during my week with the\u00a0Fusion. I managed only 22 mpg.<\/p>\n

I should mention that you also\u00a0have a Fusion Hybrid available. That will get you a combined\u00a0mpg number of 42.\u00a0The trade-off is that it will cost you about $3,000 to $4,000 more depending on the model.\u00a0If you think you’ll be doing a lot of driving, it could be worth the extra expense. As always, do the math and figure it out.<\/p>\n

\"Ford
Get Used to Rotary Gear Selectors in Every Car<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ford has moved to the rotary drive selector. Gone is the shifter that stands tall on the center console. In its place is a round dial that looks like a small hockey puck. You change gears by simply\u00a0clicking to a new choice. While it takes a little getting used to at first (after all we’ve been grabbing some form of a shifting stick for decades) after a while you adapt completely.<\/p>\n

\"2017
The New Sync 3 Display Interface<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It’s important to point out that Ford has a new display interface called Sync 3. It replaces the trouble plagued\u00a0MyFord Touch system. The old version was a disaster out of the box and slowly but surely improved but still wasn’t where it needed to be. I can tell you the Sync 3 was a solid improvement. While I still think that Chrysler has the best display interface on the market, Ford is at least back in the game.<\/p>\n

So back to my original point. Ford sells a lot of Fusions. You’ll see plenty of them on the road. Before you dismiss them as mundane and boring, take a good luck. The styling is great.\u00a0The luxury feel of the\u00a0Platinum edition\u00a0will leave you smiling. Mileage is solid and your engine choices will give you plenty of options. Like the old Life\u00a0Cereal ad used to claim, “Try it, you’ll\u00a0like it!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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