The 2010 Ford Fusion has just received a major redesign and these changes have been very well accepted. The Fusion received the 2010 car of the year award from Motor Trend and this speaks volumes about this new sedan and its performance and likeability. The new interior design adds many smart features that will make your time spent inside the car much more enjoyable. This car offers a huge variety of power train and engine options allowing consumers to really build the car that they want very easily. For example the sports model offers a powerful 263 horsepower V-6 engine to make this small sedan really get up and move and then there are smaller engines available that can offer up to 41MPG on the highway.
With such diversity in its offerings this car may be one of the most versatile in all of Fords offerings. The interior design really makes long trips a viable option, but may lack some high end options and upgrades that consumer's want. However, for a midsized 5 seat sedan economically priced under $20,000 the Fusion offers more than enough for most to see the real value it offers.
The Range
Bodystyles: Sedan
Engines: 2.5L I-4, 3.0L V-6, 3.5L V-6, 2.5L I-4 with electric motor
Transmissions: 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic, continuously variable transmission (CVT0
Models: S, SE, SEL FWD, SEL AWD, Sport FWD, Sport AWD, Hybrid
What's New
Just about everything on the 2010 Fusion is new or heavily updated, including the powertrains, exterior and interior design, plus high-tech features like Ford's blind spot Information system.
Exterior
New sheetmetal retains the old model's three-bar grille, but incorporates it into a more organic design that carries hints of the stylish European Mondeo. The result is a sedan that's more attractive than much of the competition.
Interior
The Fusion's cabin is accented by plentiful ambient lighting. Optional 12-speaker, 390-watt Sony audio system provides a great soundtrack. Hybrid models get a unique LCD gauge cluster that provides fuel economy and power-flow information.
Performance & Handling
The Fusion's I-4 makes 175 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque, while the optional V-6 makes 240 horsepower and 223 pound-feet of torque and is capable of running on E85. Sport's 3.5L V-6 is good for 263 horsepower and 249 pound-feet of torque. The Hybrid's Atkinson-cycle I-4 makes 156 horsepower and 136 pound-feet, plus there's 106 horsepower from the electric motor.
Safety
Six airbags are standard along with seatbelt pretensioners. Optional safety features include a rear-view camera, reverse sensors, and a Blind Spot Information system that detects vehicles that may be in the driver's blind spots.
EPA Fuel Economy
S manual: 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway
S automatic: 23 mpg city/34 mpg highway
SE manual: 22 mpg city/29 mpg highway
SE, SEL I-4 automatic: 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway
SE, SEL V-6 FWD: 18 mpg city/27 mpg highway
SEL V-6 AWD: 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway
Sport FWD: 18 mpg city/27 mpg highway
Sport AWD: 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway
Hybrid: 41 mpg city/36 mph highway
You'll Like
- Good fuel economy
- Plentiful high-tech features
- Wide powertrain range
- Available AWD
You Won't Like
- 3.0L V-6 lacks oomph
- Lack of option flexibility
Sum Up
The 2010 Motor Trend Car of the Year
If You Like This Vehicle
- Hyundai Sonata
- Mazda6
- Nissan Altima
- Toyota Camry