2014 Ford Fusion Review

 

The 2014 Ford Fusion seems to have it all; great all-round performance, stunning looks, excellent safety features and decent duel economy - without jeopardizing space and interior comfort, making it one family car that really stands out.

Let's take a closer look at the mid-size sedan that seems to have everything, and why it's making waves in 2014.

Last year's redesign was quite a stepping stone for the Ford Fusion, which really transformed the car into what we see today. A year later, it still stands out with its forward-thinking, dynamic and daring yet family-friendly design.

While making such a progressive leap in style, the Fusion managed to keep hold of its engaging and appealing driving dynamics, making it not only tech-forward but also fuel-efficient and quite frankly gorgeous as an overall package, with basically everything you'd need for a mid-size sedan.

Style

The Fusion really sets itself apart from other sedans, with its hexagon grille which bends and bevels towards headlamps and foglamps in a fashion reminiscent of Aston Martin or Hyundai. The Audi A7's roofline and LED taillamps show from the back, although from the side it's clearly a Ford we're seeing. The Interior is spacious, with comfort as a main priority. 

Interior

The Fusion is a little longer, ensuring for more legroom where we need it. This is also helped by thinner yet firm and supportive front seats. Headroom is more than adequate, as long as you don't opt for the sunroof option. The interior has a great quality feel to it with decent materials used everywhere you look. The vibration quelling and noise damping features allow for greater comfort. The trunk's 16 cubic feet comes out as big for the car's class, and there's also decent storage throughout the cabin.

Engine

The Fusion's base-level engine is a 178 horsepower, 2.5 liter four-cylinder, which we'd expect to perform as well as its design suggests, although it still does the job with the six-speed automatic. However, if you want V6 level performance, go for the 2.0 liter EcoBoost turbo four. This baby is quick to rev and comes with 240 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque. Paddle controls mean the automatic's shifts click swiftly and efficiently. As for the 1.6 liter EcoBoost turbo, it's been replaced this year by a 1.5 liter turbo four.

Drive

The Fusion, at its heaviest (taking into account the available all-wheel drive), comes in at around 3,700 pounds - it's still pretty light for a car of its league, and it works out pretty well with nicely-tuned steering and an overall feel which is taut yet also absorbent. Its cornering works out firm and reassuring, with a nimble quality most sedans this size seem to be lacking. New for 2014 you'll find a new performance tire option that comes with summer-only rubber.  

Safety

As for safety, this car has five-star ratings from the government along with IIHS Top Safety Pick+ status. Features such as front knee airbags and Bluetooth hands-free also help make this a great car for safety.  New for 2014, we have an inflatable rear seat-belt system.

You can take this car home with all its top features for just under $40,000, but a model with the smaller EcoBoost engine costs around $30,000. You'll still have navigation, leather seats, blind spot monitors, rear parking sensors and a rearview camera. The base car also has cruise control.