LOOKS BELIE SEDAN’S BOLD PERFORMANCE
Compared to competitors, Fusion Sport packs a powerful punch for the price
The Ford Fusion has so far passed under my radar. There’s nothing wrong with the family-sized sedan, it’s just that its businesslike appearance has allowed it to blend into the crowd, maybe a bit too convincingly. That stealthy styling, however, works very much in the Fusion Sport’s favour.
Unlike some other “sport” models out there, the Fusion Sport gets a healthy dose of performance without the accompanying gaudy styling accents. There’s no hood scoop, aerodynamic flicks or airflow-channelling diffusers. There are no bold graphics declaring its sporting nature. There’s a discreet spoiler on the deck lid and it rolls on lowprofile tires mounted on 19-inch wheels, but aside from that, the only things that hint at its penchant for performance are the four tailpipes.
Inside, there’s not much more to tip you off that you’re in anything other than a family car. An uncluttered instrument panel features a logical gauge layout, with a large analogue speedometer flanked by two configurable colour screens. The centre stack has manual controls for the dual-zone climate control system, with redundant controls within the eight-inch infotainment and navigation colour touch screen. Seating is firm but comfy, and there’s good rear visibility, due to small corner windows that allow a peek aft of the rear doors.
Despite the simplicity of the interior, all the important convenience features are there, including electrically adjustable heated and cooled front seats, a heated, telescoping and tilting steering wheel, two USB ports (both permitting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity), and two accessory outlets. The 12-speaker Sony sound system features Sync Connect and Sync 3; while it sounds great, it won’t rattle your neighbour’s windows.
Push the start button and the Sport idles silently, giving no indication that anything is out of the ordinary — until you turn the shift dial to Drive, push the central S button and punch the throttle. That’s when this boosted Fusion’s 325 horsepower sinks you into the seat, accenting the forceful forward momentum with a throaty growl. It’s enhanced in Sport mode, but without the phoney exhaust burbling and popping often programmed into the fuel management system of some sports cars.
Engaging Sport mode sharpens throttle response, alters shift points, firms up the suspension and adds a bit more weight to the already well-weighed steering. The engine pulls hard right up to redline, which is not surprising because the 2.7-litre turbocharged EcoBoost V-6 is lifted from the F-150. The engine produces even more peak torque in the Fusion, claiming 380 poundfeet compared to the pickup’s 375. It proved quite amusing when taking on new passengers to hammer the throttle while passing and seeing the astonishment on their faces when they were surprised by the acceleration.
This power comes at a cost. Although premium fuel is not mandatory, you’ll only get maximum horsepower when using it. Despite sub-freezing temperatures during our test drive, the Fusion was right on its claimed fuel consumption, measuring 13.3 L/100 km of mostly city driving.
The engine drives all four wheels through a six-speed automatic which transitions smoothly between ratios, except when it hasn’t yet warmed up in sub-freezing temperatures. At that point, it sometimes hangs up on a gear and is a bit abrupt when getting back on the gas.
What also impresses is the Fusion’s stellar ride quality. The Sport comes standard with continuously controlled damping, which self adjusts constantly, based on the road surface. Whatever the advertised hype, the system works remarkably well, providing firm compliance that keeps body roll in check through turns, while remaining completely free of harshness.
Even in Sport mode, the suspension remains compliant and
composed, though it’s too firm for comfort on rough city roads.
The car comes with most of Ford’s driver assists, including stop-and-go adaptive cruise control, lane-keep warning and assist, active parking assist, blind-spot monitoring, pre-collision assist and rear cross-traffic alert.
To get similar power in an all-wheel-drive car you’d have to look at German sedans such as the Audi S4, which starts at $54,000, a BMW 340i xDrive starting at $55,000, or the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC, at almost $52,000. The Fusion Sport costs $42,288, including all the assists and convenience features with no available packages or options, aside from a few colour choices.
Sure, it lacks the interior refinements of its European counterparts, but it packs a powerful punch for that price and can match any of them in ride quality. That should put it on the radar for many sport sedan buyers.