The new Fusion Energi is designed to be efficient, thanks to combining a
high-voltage battery and electric motor with a gasoli
ne engine. The
high-voltage lithium-ion battery pack provides enough power to operate
in all-electric mode for short commutes. Thanks to plug-in capability,
you can charge the battery using a 120-volt outlet. Or you can use a
240-volt outlet, upgraded with electric vehicle supply equipment. To
lessen any concern you may have about driving range, when the battery is
depleted or more power is required, the vehicle functions as a
traditional gas-electric hybrid. The Fusion Energi also features a
Regenerative Braking System, allowing it to capture kinetic braking
energy and store it for later use.
www.edmunds.com
Plus-Size Utility, Petite Road Manners
By Josh Jacquot
Published: 10/17/2012
The festival of upsizing that has dominated the midsize
sedan segment for generations has mercifully come to an end. Everywhere,
that is, but
Ford.
The new generations of the Honda Accord and Mazda 6 have both evolved
into sedans with less overhang and shorter overall lengths than their
predecessors. Chevy's 2013 Malibu is shorter, too. At Ford, however, the
2013 Fusion grows in both length (1.0 inch) and wheelbase (4.8 inches).
And despite perpetuating a dying trend, the upsizing pays dividends for Team Blue Oval in tangible ways.
At 112.2 inches, the 2013 Ford Fusion has the longest wheelbase in
the midsize segment by a large margin. Though this added length makes
the car look big, it is beneficial for rear-seat passengers. More
importantly, from behind the wheel you never know it's there, as this
Fusion is the best-handling family sedan we've tested in recent memory.
The Power of EcoBoost
It's worth noting that our 2013 Ford Fusion test car is an
all-wheel-drive model, which likely contributed to its strong handling
in our instrumented tests. As important, though, is that Ford succeeded
in making a large car with a very long wheelbase drive like, well, a
smaller car.
Part of the credit goes to the new 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder
engine. It's now the most powerful engine in the lineup and it stomps
out 237 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 270 pound-feet of torque at a low
3,000 rpm on 87 octane fuel. Compare this to the V6 in
Honda's Accord
— probably the best big engine in the segment — and the Ford's
liveliness begins to make some sense. The 3.5-liter Honda mill needs
1,900 more revs to deliver 18 fewer lb-ft of torque. Advantage: turbo
engine.
The new four-cylinder is smooth and quiet, too. There's virtually
none of the unpleasant harmonics common to this layout and it gladly
revs to its 6,500-rpm redline.
Questionable Efficiency
Of course, the real reason Ford replaced the Fusion's old V6 options
with a turbo-4 was to improve fuel economy. On this front the verdict is
still out. Like most boosted four-cylinders, this engine encourages use
of its low-rpm grunt enough that most drivers will take advantage of
it.
We are no exception.
The EPA says this powertrain is good for 22 city/31 highway/25
combined in the 2013 Ford Fusion. We recorded 22.1 mpg over 432 miles
spent largely on the highway. The words "your mileage may vary" have
never been more true.
Comparing the Other Numbers
Ford couples the EcoBoost engine to a six-speed automatic transmission
with paddle shifters and a Sport mode, which is a huge step up in
control over the "Drive" and "Low" positions common to Ford products in
recent years.
Our test car requires 6.9 seconds (6.6 seconds
with 1 foot of rollout)
to achieve 60 mph and passes through the quarter-mile in 15.1 seconds
at 90.6 mph. These milestones are slower than most other turbocharged
four-cylinder or V6-powered family cars.
Kia's Optima SX,
for example, hit 60 in 6.5 seconds (6.1 with rollout) and completed the
quarter in 14.6 seconds at 98.4 mph. Honda's stonk-fast Accord V6 hits
60 in 6.1 seconds (5.7 with rollout) and purrs through the quarter in
14.3 seconds at 98.1 mph.
Here, the all-wheel-drive system that makes the car so nimble is a
burden, as it contributes to the Fusion's 3,736-pound as-tested weight.
That's 201 and 205 pounds heavier than the Optima and Accord,
respectively.
The Fusion's brakes don't seem to mind, though, as it stops from 60
mph in 123 feet, which is a few feet shorter than both the Optima and
Accord.
Back to the Handling
Remarkably, the longest-wheelbase car in the segment also produces the
quickest slalom speed we've ever seen for the group. Balanced by an
all-wheel-drive system using an electronically controlled clutch-type
center differential, the system yields a more neutral attitude on the
throttle than its front-drive competition. The result is a 66.3-mph
slalom speed despite nondefeat stability control.
If we had to pick a midsize sedan for pure driving pleasure, the
all-wheel-drive 2013 Ford Fusion would be our first choice. Its light
steering yields ample feedback and the whole package changes direction
with remarkable ease. Circling the skid pad at 0.87g puts it at the top
of the field in outright grip, too.
The Fusion's Practical Side
Inside, the Fusion now sports Ford's latest instrument panel design that
uses a centered speedometer flanked by reconfigurable displays on each
side. On the right is a screen displaying phone, navigation or audio
functions, and on the left you can select from various displays
including a digital tachometer, trip meters or fuel economy data.
Other than these flashy displays, the new interior offers a clean
layout thanks to the largely smooth center stack, which has only two
traditional buttons and one knob. There's an open area for small-item
storage just below the center stack and easily accessible cupholders.
Leather is standard on Titanium trim models like our tester, and while
it doesn't feel luxurious, we know from experience that it is durable.
As one might imagine from a car with the longest wheelbase in its
class, there's ample interior space — especially in the rear seats. Even
large adults swim around in the rear like toddlers in an Olympic pool.
Bulky, rear-facing child seats are swallowed without a thought — even
behind 6-footers up front. Also, the trunk pass-through coupled with
60/40-split folding rear seats is large enough to accommodate a bike,
while the overall space in the trunk is near the top of its class at 16
cubic feet.
Tech Wars
With the passing of the size war in the midsize segment, manufacturers
are turning to features — mostly tech features — to distinguish
themselves. The technology arms race includes Toyota's Entune and
Honda's Hondalink, which couple Internet services with a
Bluetooth-paired smartphone to ensure you're never without your social
media or streaming music. Ford's answer is Sync, a system developed by
Microsoft, and although it was first on the market, it hasn't
necessarily been without issues.
Our own experience with Sync has been mixed. Pairing a phone is
commendably easy and the system's traffic rendering on freeways is good.
Overall usability is solid, with straightforward access to major
functions like phone, navigation, climate and entertainment.
But there were glitches in our test car. It periodically refused
volume control on both Sync's single-knob interface and its steering
wheel buttons until we turned the car completely off and then back on
again like a seized-up computer. Another Fusion we had repeatedly took
minutes to bring the whole system to life after starting the car.
"Powered by Microsoft," indeed.
There are additional gripes with My Ford Touch, the biggest of which
is that, unlike buttons, contact with the touchscreen isn't registered
without your having to take your eyes off the road. Of course, if you
happen to like talking to your car, there are voice commands for most
functions.
The Take-Away
A $35,980 tab for the 2013 Ford Fusion produced real sticker shock, but
it's a fully loaded Titanium model with nearly every box checked. Among
its $2,985 in options are 19-inch wheels, navigation, Platinum Tri-coat
paint and the Driver's Assist package which includes blind-spot
monitoring and a lane-keeping feature.
For perspective, a fully loaded Honda Accord Touring V6 will run up a
$34,220 tab and it isn't available with all-wheel drive. Nor are the
Hyundai/Kia twins for that matter. Stick with front-wheel drive and the
midgrade SE trim and the Fusion starts closer to $26K and goes up from
there.
Pricing aside, the Fusion's road manners and solid powertrain make it
a sedan we prefer over many cars in the segment, even if it's bigger on
the outside. Plus, the added size pays off on the inside, where its
passenger and cargo room are exceptional. And despite the Sync glitches,
its interior is largely functional and easy to use.
Perhaps bigger still is better.
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