2012 Ford Fusion Owner’s User Manual & Maintenance Reviews The 2012 Ford Fusion marks the end of an era at Ford. After the Taurus lost the narrative in the mid-1990s, Ford’s fortunes in the family-car segment faded – for a Decade. The Fusion meat along in 2006 and it s been a steadily growing ever since sales success, posting its best numbers Some of This Year events as Ford prepare a replacement for the 2013 model year.
It’s easy to see why the Fusion is popular. It Starts with smart styling, a little aggressive in STI grille and thick-barred squat taillamps. It owes a little bit to the Ford 427 concept car from the auto-show circuit, and it Went on to Influence designs like that of the 2010 Ford Taurus, now a full-sizer above-the Fusion in the pecking order. From the side, the Fusion’s pretty traditional, plain Almost, But It’s wearing Well with age. The cabin walks tightrope the Same, With a simple design and rich-feeling Some pieces woven cleanly laid out Into a set of controls. Almost everything looks good, in a traditional way, and the textures look and feel swell. It may not be the extrovert like the Hyundai Sonata or Kia Optima, But The Fusion still has a spring in STI styling step, six years down the road.
2012 Ford Fusion Owner’s User Manual & Maintenance Reviews
A choice of four engines, manual or automatic transmissions, gas or hybrid technology, and front-or all-wheel drive leaves plenty of room in the Fusion lineup for shoppers to find a good match. Base cars get a 175-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a six-speed manual transmission, With An automatic option. It’s rare to find in press Fleets These, But as luck would have it, we’ve rented three in showroom condition of These in the past year, and can judge it very competitive with Some Other basic four-cylinders. It’s responsive, not sluggish in the least, and the six-speed automatic Actually Improves fuel economy.
We’d choose it Before opting for the flex-fuel-capable 3.0-liter V-6. With 240 horsepower it’s better in acceleration, But It Delivers groans as it it, and fuel economy is just average. The Fusion Sport’s 3.5-liter, 263-hp V-6 is a much better bet: it’s happier to rev much horsepower Quicker than the difference Indicates, Responds briskly and STI-through paddle-shifted automatic. Gas mileage tops out at 25 mpg highway, adding all-wheel drive to the six-cylinder cars mileage drops by a mile per gallon in most cases.
Given the budget, the Fusion Hybrid would be our default choice. It teams a 156-horsepower four-cylinder engine With An electric running at the equivalent of 40 horsepower, for a total of 196 hp. The Hybrid earns a 41/36 mpg EPA rating, have an EV-only driving mode at speeds of up to 47 mph, and has a smooth feel that’s one of the best hybrid integrations this side of the Chevrolet Volt.
The Fusion Hybrid’s a calling card, But so is perky handling. Its electric power steering is one of ITS attributes better, But ITS is so well-tuned ride, Which Does not Have much body roll for a family sedan. It’s not too stiff, events with big wheels and tires and tauter suspension on Sport models, and events with All-wheel drive, the Fusion just feels more agile than MOST four-doors in the segment.
By the numbers, the Fusion Does not Have the biggest inside kind of STI, But it’s arranged very well, to make the best use of the space. The driving position is lower than you’ll find in a Hyundai Sonata, for example, leg room and head But is still ample room, and the Fusion has telescoping steering and well-contoured seats. The center console spreads Into knee room a bit. The rear doors swing open wide for easy access, there’s less knee and head room than larger sedans like in the Accord, and Fusion still is not the cramped UNLESS you try to jam in a third adult across the back row. The 16-cubic-foot trunk is big and the opening is wide, too; Hybrids Their batteries store back there, so volume is down and the rear seats do not fold flat like other models on They Do.
The 2012 Fusion is not the high achiever In This class for safety, But It performs pretty well. The IIHS Gives it a Top Safety Pick honor, with top scores in all tests, But federal ITS NCAP scores include a three-star rating for frontal impact. Curtain airbags and stability control are standard, and the Fusion offers a blind-spot monitor system, Bluetooth, and a rearview camera as options.
All standard models Have climate control, power windows, locks and mirrors, a tilt / telescoping wheel, an AM / FM / CD player with an auxiliary audio jack, and split-folding rear seats. SEL and Hybrid models get standard leather upholstery, Bluetooth, Sync, and 17-inch wheels. Options include HD Radio, Sony audio, a sunroof, real-time traffic information, and a navigation system.
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2012 Ford Fusion Owner’s User Manual & Maintenance Reviews