The new Fusion is notable for being available in a variety of trim levels with a variety of optional powertrains. Of course, with a gasoline engine, but also as a hybrid electric vehicle. The Fusion has a low starting price but can also be configured as a premium luxury vehicle. Then, a powerful V6 engine is optional, which Ford used to attract a larger audience to the 2017 Ford Fusion.
The Ford Fusion, one of the best American family sedans on the market. It progressed from being merely adequate and enjoyable to the almost luxurious vehicle that it is now. The 2017 Ford Fusion received exterior and interior updates while maintaining the sporty sedan appearance of its predecessors.
Exterior design
The 2017 Ford Fusion‘s front end has some minor changes in the detailing. The grille outline has the same overall shape as the grille, but it is a little sharper at the edges. Except for the V6 Sport and Platinum trims, the grille pattern remained consistent across the board. The Sport V6 has a fine black mesh pattern that is reminiscent of chicken-wire. The Platinum gets the same grille, but in chrome.
The hood appears to have remained unchanged. The lower air dam, on the other hand, has been transformed into a much more sporty version. Only two diagonal body metal strips separate the air dam from the foglights, which cover the entire lower bumper. These have a different shape as well, being angular rather than circular. The headlights have also changed slightly, now wrapping around the side more. LEDs took the place of actual lamps.
Overall, the front looks sportier, more luxurious, and a little more aggressive.
There have been no significant changes to the side since the previous model. The 2017 Ford Fusion V6 Sport trim gets new and distinctive 19-inch wheels.
The new taillights with the chrome line between them make the rear stand out. For the base model, the lower bumper remained unchanged. That translates to a single round exhaust on the right side. The Taurus trim has two rectangular chrome exhausts on each side, while the V6 Sport has four round chrome exhausts.
Interior design
The interior appears to be cool and fresh. The gear shifter freed up space for a rotary knob, reducing clutter. A sturdy and sporty steering wheel has been added. There are two cloth upholstery color options for the lower trims. The higher trims have one or more color options for the leather upholstery.
Standard features include an air filter and manual climate control.
The base 2017 Ford Fusion S trim includes a radio and CD player with a four-speaker sound system. The standard package also includes an 8-inch infotainment screen and a rearview camera. The instrument cluster on the base model is a 2.3-inch TFT-screen.
Heated and cooled seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a 12-speaker SONY audio system are available as options. In addition, the standard digital instrument cluster screen can be replaced with two 4.2-inch screens. Those who prefer manual shifting can get a steering wheel with paddle shifters mounted on it. The steering wheel can also be heated, and there is an ambient lighting package available.
Engine specs
Starting with the engine found in the base model S, a 2.5 liter Duratec four cylinder. It has a six-speed automatic transmission, front wheel drive, and a 175-horsepower engine.
The SE trim level comes with the same engine as the base model but has two additional engines to choose from. This is the 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine with direct injection and front-wheel drive. The engine produces 181 horsepower and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with optional paddle shifters. The 2.0 liter direct injection EcoBoost engine is also available. Front-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive available as an option. The engine has dual exhaust system and a horsepower rating of 245.
The 2017 Ford Fusion hybrid is powered by a 2.0-liter gas engine with electric assist. The Fusion Energi (plug-in hybrid) has the same engine and a 7.6 kWh lithium-ion battery. At high speeds, the battery has a range of only 19 miles (30 kilometers). The combination of the gas engine and battery provides a range of more than 500 miles (800 km). On a household socket, the battery can be fully recharged in 2.5 hours and can be programmed to recharge during off-peak hours to save money. Both the hybrid and the plug-in hybrid have a gas engine that produces 141 horsepower on its own and a combined output of 188 horsepower. Both engines are only available with front-wheel drive.
Then there’s the Sport V6, the most impressive 2017 Ford Fusion trim. It has a 325-horsepower 2.7-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 engine. All-wheel drive is standard, and the Sport V6‘s active suspension can detect and reduce the impact of potholes.
Tech specs
The tech department is also quite impressive; even the base model includes a number of standard tech features. The infotainment system includes Ford’s SYNC with voice recognition as standard. The driver can make a hands-free call and specify which artist or song he wants to hear. Texts can also be read aloud, and 911 Assist automatically calls for assistance in an emergency.
Higher trims also include SYNC3, an enhanced version of SYNC and SYNC Connect that allows remote access to vehicle features. In addition, SiriusXM satellite radio and a voice-activated Navigation System with SiriusXM Traffic and TravelLink are included.
There are also rain-sensing wipers and a remote decklid release. Finally, higher trims of the 2017 Ford Fusion can be started remotely.
Hill Start Assist, Perimeter Alarm, Brake Assist, and SOS Post-Crash Alert are all standard safety features.
Enhanced Active Park Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go, and Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection are optional safety features. There’s also Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and a Lane Keeping System.
Price and sale date
The 2017 Ford Fusion is now available for purchase across the United States. The regular Fusion FWD starts at $22,610 for the base S trim. Then there’s the SE trim, which starts at $23,740, and the Titanium, which costs $30,740. The Sport V6 is priced at $33,605 while the Platinum trim begins at $36,750. Optional all-wheel drive has a $2,000 premium.
For Europe, the Fusion is called Mondeo with prices starting at £21,395.