Power and performance at an affordable price
2017 Sport packs a serious punch
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 allowed it to blend into the crowd, maybe a bit too convincingly. That stealthy styling, however, works in the Fusion Sport’s favour.
Unlike some other “sport” models, 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 is a discreet spoiler on the deck lid and it rolls on low- profile tires mounted on 19-inch wheels, but aside from that, the only things that hint at its performance are the four tailpipes.
Inside, there’s not much more to tip you off that you’re i n 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, thanks to small corner windows
All the important convenience features are there, including electrically adjustable heated and cooled front seats, a heated, telescoping and tilting steering wheel, t wo 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 lacks the power to rattle your neighbour’s windows.
Push the start button and the Sport idles silently, giving no indication 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.
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 V6 is lifted from the F-150. The engine produces even more peak torque in the Fusion, claiming 380 pound- feet compared to the pickup’s 375.
It proved quite amusing when taking on new passengers to hammer the throttle while passing and witness the look of astonishment on their faces from the sudden, forceful acceleration.
This p o we r 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.
Aside from the underhood brawn, what really 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.
Even in Sport mode, the suspension remains surprisingly compliant and composed, though it’s too firm for comfort on rough city roads. The suspension also features pothole detection, which “keeps the tire and wheel from dropping as deeply into a pothole,” according to Ford. The expectation is potholes will magically disappear beneath the vehicle; the reality is you still get a jolt, but the system reduces the impact enough that you’re not forced to slalom your way through town.
The Fusion Sport comes standard with most of Ford’s driver assists, including stopand- go adaptive cruise control, lane- keep warning and assist, active parking assist, blind- spot monitoring, precollision assist and rear crosstraffic alert. It’s also equipped with a remote starter.
So, where does this level of performance put the Fusion Sport? 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 MercedesAMG CLA 45 4MATIC, at almost $ 52,000. The Fusion Sport costs just $42,288, and that includes all the driver assists and convenience features mentioned, as well as several more.
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.
And t hat s hould be enough to at least put it on the radar for many sport sedan buyers.