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Hybrid
After years of disappointing sedans, the 2006 Ford Fusion wasn’t just any old midsize four-door – it was a revelation. That first-gen Fusion finally gave Ford a true contender for the sales crown versus the perennial favorites, Toyota’s Camry and Honda’s Accord.
The second-generation Fusion of 2013 had even higher aspirations, becoming the first four-door sedan available in gasoline-only, plug-in gasoline/electric hybrid (each covered elsewhere), and plug-free gasoline/electric hybrid forms. Add to that the fact the cars are well-made, well-equipped, sharply-styled, and a solid value, and it’s easy to see why the Fusion has become a fan-favorite in the midsize sedan segment.
What's New for 2018
The Fusion Hybrid hums along unchanged.
Choosing Your Ford Fusion Hybrid
All Fusion Hybrids are powered by a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-four paired to an 88-kilowatt electric motor that draws its juice from a 1.4-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack partially recharged through regenerative braking. Able to run its gasoline and electric motors separately or together, when fully-engaged, the hybrid system produces a net 188 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque. Regardless of powertrain mode, whatever power the Fusion Hybrid produces is sent to the front wheels alone via an electronically-controlled continuously-variable transmission.
Starting MSRP on the base Hybrid S is $26,170 (including $875 Destination Charge), while its non-Hybrid equivalent is $3,175 cheaper. But as the EPA figures are 21 mpg city, 31 highway, and 25 combined on the latter and 43/41/42 mpg on the Hybrid – plus an additional 176 miles between refuel stops – it won’t take long for Hybrid buyers to make up that difference. And should buyers want to eke the most out of every ounce of fuel, all Fusion Hybrids come with an EcoSelect button and a SmartGauge with EcoGuide display that uses flora-based graphics to turn efficient driving into a game.
The Fusion Hybrid comes in the same four trim levels as gasoline-only four-cylinder Fusions:
S
A relatively stout standard equipment list is available on all Fusion Hybrids, even the cellar-dweller base S trim. Instead of cheap gray plastic everything inside and out, Ford has instead finished every external trim piece in either chrome or body color highlights. The result is a premium look at an entry level price.
There are a few clues that this is the “strippie” Fusion Hybrid, like its cloth-clad manually-operated seats (including a 60/40 folding rear bench), a basic nine-speaker audio system, and floormats for the front row alone. But there’s nothing “base” about dual-zone automatic climate controls, Ford’s Sync enhanced voice-recognition infotainment system with a 4.2-inch driver-configurable instrument cluster display, rear view camera, active noise cancellation, push-button start with proximity entry, a tilt/telescopic steering wheel with cruise and audio controls, 17-inch wheels, and automatic headlights.
Options are limited to one of eight paint colors (all free but one) and a batch of dealer-installed accessories.
SE
For an additional $950, SE buyers add power-adjustable front seats, LED running lights, a rear armrest with a pair of cupholders, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Ford adds a pair of new extra-cost colors in the Fusion Hybrid’s palette as well.
Speaking of extra-cost, what buyers are really getting for their near-thousand-bucks is access to the panoply of heretofore unavailable features and equipment (many of which overlap or require others).
New equipment groups for the SE include the $1,095 601A Equipment Group (18-inch dark grey wheels, halogen fog lamps with bright chrome trim and black bezels, a rear spoiler, black cloth/vinyl upholstery with contrast stitching, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel) and the $2,995 602A Equipment Group (10-way power driver’s seat with memory function, heated front seats and exterior mirrors, leather upholstery, remote start, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and LED headlights and taillights); the $995 Hybrid SE Technology Package (SYNC 3 enhanced infotainment system with an eight-inch LCD capacitive touchscreen, an additional 4.2-inch driver-configurable LCD instrument cluster display, an 11-speaker premium audio system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability, a reverse sensing system, a 110V/150W AC power outlet, and two Smart-Charging USB ports); and the $450 Cold Weather Package (all-weather floormats front and rear plus heated front seats and exterior mirrors).
Those seeking electronic safety aids, however, will find that they come only as a combo with various packages listed above and eye-watering MSRPs. The “Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection including forward collision warning, brake support, and active braking” group – listed at $1,190 on its own – actually costs $6,255 to add, since it requires the 602A package, the Hybrid SE Technology Package, and the Drive Assist Package.
The Enhanced Active Park Assist (ultrasonic sensors that identify suitable parallel or perpendicular parking spots and will park itself in them) has a list price of $995, but as it requires all the same add-ons as the last group, it’s really $4,485. The story is the same for the Driver Assist Package (SYNC Connect services, blind spot information system with cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping aid and alert, driver alert system, heated steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers, automatic high-beams, and auto-dimming sideview mirrors with security approach lamps and turn signal repeaters) which costs a net $5,065 to add.
The list of optional features grows, too, to include a $1,095 power moonroof with universal garage door opener and a set of $175 premium floor mats for both rows and the trunk.
Titanium
With a $31,650 ante, the step up to Titanium status is a costly one at $4,530. But that includes a bunch of equipment that was optional on the SE as standard, including the Luxury, Appearance, and Technology packages, so its price hike is justified.
With those prerequisites now included, the prices for safety add-ons drop to face value, including the Enhanced Active Park Assist ($995) and Driver Assist Package ($1,575). But as the Adaptive cruise control option requires the Driver-Assist pack, they come as a $2,765 pair.
In addition to the individually-optional equipment previously mentioned, a cooling system for the front seats is now available for $395.
Platinum
As its name suggests, the Platinum trim is as good as the Fusion gets, and for $6,500 more than the Titanium, it had better be. To better put that into perspective, its $38,150 MSRP is almost twelve grand more than that of the S, but if one wants their Fusion with everything, this is as loaded as it gets.
In addition to including the Titanium’s options – including the moonroof – as standard, the Platinum turns that model’s equipment up to 11 with premium leather seating, premium leather-wrapped and stitched trim on the instrument panel, console rails, and armrests, plus a sport grille with unique paint.
Many of the aforementioned individual extra-cost options remain available even now, and if one checks every box on a Fusion Hybrid Platinum order sheet, their car would ring the register at just $465 short of forty grand.
Ignore the S, if for no other reason than its $950 “savings” denies access to all of the Fusion’s best packages and features with an SE. From there, it’s a matter of reconciling your desire for all of the Fusion’s features with what you can actually afford. But if you’re looking for the best value in the Fusion Hybrid line, it’s the Titanium trim with the optional driver aid packages as it will include everything one needs while saving thousands over the Platinum’s price.
