The 2018 Ford Fusion gets a 2.5L Inline 4 motor as standard on the S and SE trims. The Motor produces a meager 175 horses and 175 lb-ft of torque. The engine lacks luster in performance, while the acceleration is sluggish and there is a considerable lag in the engine response. The engine is noisy and produces a lot of vibrations at higher RPMs. Thankfully, there are two more engine options on offer from the SE trim. There is a 1.5L EcoBoost engine on offer which is great for fuel economy, that produces 170 horses and 203 lb-ft of torque.
There is another 2.0L EcoBoost engine on offer, which produces 252 horses and 260 lb-ft of torque. The Fusion in this configuration is an exciting package, with good performance. But for the enthusiasts, Ford has another ace up its sleeves. This is the 2.7L Turbocharged V6 which is available in the Sport trim, which produces a healthy 325 horses and 379 lb-ft. of torque. All the engine options are mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The transmission is not the best in business but is enough for a good driving experience.
|
Models
|
2018 Ford Fusion
|
2018 Toyota Camry
|
2018 Kia Optima
|
2018 Hyundai Sonata
|
|
MSRP
|
$22,120
|
$23,495
|
$22,500
|
$22,485
|
|
Engine
|
2.5L
Inline Four-Cylinder
|
2.5L
Inline Four-Cylinder
|
2.4L
Inline Four-Cylinder
|
2.0L
Inline Four-Cylinder
|
|
Transmission
|
6-speed automatic
|
6-speed automatic
|
6-speed automatic
|
6-speed automatic
|
|
Drivetrain
|
FWD
|
FWD
|
FWD
|
FWD
|
|
Power
|
175 hp @ 6,000 RPM
|
203 hp @ 6,600 RPM
|
185 hp @ 6,000 RPM
|
245 hp @ 6,000 RPM
|
|
Torque
|
175 lb-ft @ 4,500 RPM
|
184 lb-ft @ 5,000 RPM
|
178 lb-ft @ 4,000 RPM
|
260 lb-ft @ 1,350 RPM
|
|
0-60 MPH (seconds)
|
8.9
|
8.5
|
6.8
|
6.8
|
|
Quarter-Mile (seconds)
|
15.2
|
16.4
|
15.2
|
15.8
|
The Hyundai and the Kia are the fastest accelerating cars with 0-60 coming up in 6.8 seconds. The Toyota does it in 8.5 seconds, while the Ford takes the longest time of 8.9 seconds. The 2018 Sonata, Optima, and miraculously the Fusion cover the quarter-mile in 15.2 seconds. The Toyota on the other hand takes 16.4 seconds to cover the quarter-mile.
How well does the 2018 Ford Fusion Sedan handle?
The 2018 Ford Fusion offers balanced handling. The sedan stays composed on the highway at triple-digit speeds. The Fusion also handles corners pretty well. The body roll is negligible which allows aggressive cornering. The AWD configuration makes the package even sweeter. The handling is considerably better in the AWD trim level, with intelligent power distribution. Making turns is easy, even on uneven terrains. The feedback from the steering is a little bit lacking, but it is confidence-inspiring.
There is a considerable amount of torque steer but it is not unnerving. The ride quality is very plush and comfortable. The suspension is tuned to devour potholes and to glide over road undulations. At the same time, it is not too soft and allows for high-speed cornering. The sedan is comfortable, spirited, and fun to drive.
2018 Ford Fusion Sedan Braking Performance
The 2018 Ford Fusion comes with disc brakes on all four wheels. As expected, ABS is standard, and the system is well calibrated. Though the brakes have good bite and feedback, after a few hours of use it felt spongy. The braking progression is good but the car becomes unstable on panic braking which is a bit unnerving. It is due to an improperly tuned ABS system and will be hopefully resolved in future updates. The Ford Fusion makes use of 11.8-inch rotors at the front and 11.9-inch rotors at the rear. Despite its heavier curb weight, the 2018 Fusion comes to a halt at 122ft, which is also the segment standard.
|
Models
|
2018 Ford Fusion
|
2018 Toyota Camry
|
2018 Kia Optima
|
2018 Hyundai Sonata
|
|
Brake Rotors: Front (inches)
|
11.8
|
12.0
|
12.0
|
11.5
|
|
Brake Rotors: Rear (inches)
|
11.9
|
11.0
|
11.2
|
11.1
|
|
Curb Weight (lbs)
|
3431
|
3241
|
3219
|
3589
|
|
60-0 MPH (feet)
|
122
|
122
|
124
|
113
|
The Hyundai is the heaviest car here, but it stops at the shortest distance of 113ft. The Toyota Camry is the lightest but takes considerably more distance to stop than the Hyundai. In our tests, the brakes of the Kia performed the best. The brakes on the Hyundai were equally prompt. But the same cannot be said about Toyota. The brakes on the Toyota have good bite, but the feedback is lacking. Moreover, there is also a considerably low amount of progression.
