2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid

Great car Great Mileage

Thursday, June 16, 2016

I bought the Fusion Hybrid when gas was around $3.50 per gallon and rising. I commute 25 miles one way 5 days per week. I have consistently achieved 39.7 mpg. The car was WAY ahead of it's time with technology at the time. Bluetooth and voice activated controls were cool and are just now being matched by other high end cars. Leather seats and interior still look good. When the car was new, I had to replace one of the front wheel bearings which was covered under warranty. After 3 years, I had to replace the 12 volt starting battery (not the hybrid battery). After 6 years, I did have to replace the throttle body which stuck closed. The dealer fixed it in less than 4 hours at a cost of $500. The car has NEVER had a brake job presumably because the regenerative brakes take most of the work off the pads. I have heard the hybrid battery may last beyond 200k and that is the only concern I have. So far it has been a really great car.

A sensible, quality Ford sedan for anyone!

Sunday, May 10, 2015

I have owned my 2011 Ford Fusion SE for a few years now. So far, I have plenty of positive things to say about this car. I found this car attractive at first because of its stylish design and large trunk. I remember when my friends and I would play golf, we would car pool in a Fusion and it would easily swallow 4-5 golf bags...plus all of our other belongings and bags. Thus, many of my friends own this car, and recommended it to me since I was looking to replace a ten year old Altima. I visited most of the major mainstream dealerships before making a choice on my next midsize sedan. After visiting the Nissan dealer, I found the Altima to be a little bit bland, in regards to performance and the interior. It didn’t feel like a new car to me. I also looked at the Accord, which I really did enjoy due to its comfortable ride and how the controls were all logically laid out. But, what set me back was that so many people drive it, and it didn’t really surprise me or, like the Altima, feel engaging or fun. Same goes for the Camry. I then visited the local Ford dealer, and here goes: Like I said before, I found the Fusion the most attractive looking car out of the bunch. As a taller person, I felt that there was great headroom. The steering wheel also has many controls that the other cars seem to lack, as well as being easy to operate. Even while driving the SE model, I found the car very comfortable in terms of the materials where I would be resting my arms. Lots of padding in the important locations. The Fusion also had great ride quality thanks to its superb chassis, which it shares with the Mazda6. I’m assuming that was the reason why the car felt so in control and able to take corners well. The transmission, a 6 speed automatic, is geared just right, and there are no rough shifts or jerking. It is a very smooth gearbox. Sometimes I don’t even know what gear I’m in. Let the car do the work! Legroom in the front and rear are great. The dashboard, which doesn’t have too much technology, (I opted for the lowest level SE model, with no SYNC, navigation, sunroof, etc.) looked very modern and made the car feel more expensive. However, there are many buttons on the dashboard, and it took a few days for me to figure out the controls and their placement. Storage space is also excellent, with a big glove box and bins smartly located (such as the middle storage compartment and the bin on top of the air vents). One interesting things I found was how superb the instrument panel was displayed. Everything is very clear and large. A bright blue light illuminates the instrument panel which looks beautiful any time, any day of the week. I average about 27 miles to the gallon with a mix of city and highway driving. Excellent for this size car! I seemed to get higher results than what the EPA suggests. While there are many positives to this car, I have to mention some negatives for the general consumer. I wanted the four cylinder model for its efficiency, not its performance. The car felt that it had about the same power as my Altima. I thought it would be a little bit quicker. It really starts to pull at higher RPMs. Also, the steering does feel a bit light. If you want something sportier, go for a Mazda6. But, if you still want a Fusion, there is an available V6 and Sport model that makes the car much more like an enthusiast car. Under heavy acceleration, the engine does drone, but as a conservative and frugal driver, I don’t have an issue with that. The cloth seats are generally good, but after three hours on the road they start to bother you a little bit. I found the cloth seats in the other cars somewhat better. I should have gotten the leather now that I think of it. Therefore, I found that the Fusion since it seemed to outshine the other competitors in many areas. However, the price of this car made everything just work. The base SE model that I got retails at some amount hovering about the $21k mark. After negotiating with the dealer, I was able to drop the price down to $20k. A similar priced Altima, Accord, or Camry would have made me pay upwards to $25k. Although the resale value may not be as great, I do keep cars for at least 10 years before finding a replacement, so I might be able to get some money of it. J.D Power Associates give the Ford Fusion a great reliability score, and I have had no problems with the vehicle besides regular maintenance and conditioning for the 60,000 something miles I’ve driven it. It is also a top safety pick, receiving 4 and 5 stars on all of the tests. Safety is always a priority, so all the cars performed well in the crash tests. Thank you for those who took the time to read this comprehensive review. Let me know if I missed something, there are many parts to a car! Out of all the midsize sedans, this is definitely my recommendation. For those of you who are just going for the traditional Accord or Camry, think again. Look at all of your options. Do not underestimate any car. All of these cars in the class are good picks, but each has a personality that attracts different buyers. For me, the style, efficiency, practicality, reliability, and features made the 2011 Ford Fusion SE the best midsize sedan.

Good vehicle

Thursday, September 27, 2012

This 2011 Fusion is the SEL 4 cyl. w/roof and Sony upgrade. This is a lease car. I get something new every two years. Only reliability issues has been the upper control arm bushings on both sides wore out at 60,000. No other repairs, except for resurfacing the front rotors at 50,000. The standard Michelins lasted 55,000 miles. All trim and controls have held up well as have the leather seats. Synch system has not given me any issues except on occasion it will disengage from my i-phone and not restore without a re-synch. All other controls are intuitive and work without effort. A better satellite radio signal than in my wife's Toyota The car handles well, brakes well, runs smoothly (although the trans. will make a sudden lurch when cold occasionally) and I have averaged around 29mpg. The front pads have at least half their life still left on them. Except for the typical 4 cyl. lack of power, I have been pleased with the car.