2011 Ford Fusion S
MSRP $19,820
The 2011 Ford Fusion S is the base of 4 trim levels. It is a midsize family sedan. Ford has obviously noticed that a lot of cars in this class are delivering a lot of features while keeping their base trims under $20,000, and do the same here. The Fusion gets a lot of “top pick” mentions in consumer/trade publications; this is no accident.
The 2011 Fusion S has a 2.5 liter, 4-cylinder engine that produces 175 horsepower. It has 16-inch alloy wheels, and a 6-speed manual transmission. It is rated at 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. A 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shift paddles is also available as an upgrade.
The Fusion S has a lot of features for a base trim level under $20,000. It comes with full power accessories, a tilt-telescope steering wheel, standard air conditioning, split rear seats, cruise control, keyless entry, blind spot mirrors, and a trip computer. The sound system has 4 speakers, AM/FM radio, CD/MP3 player, and an audio jack.
The Fusion S has anti-lock brakes, stability control, traction control, side front airbags, and side curtain airbags. It also comes with the MyKey system, which allows you to limit the speed and audio volume for your teenager. It scored a perfect 5-stars on every crash test except for 4 stars on rear passenger side impact. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Fusion its top rating in all tests.
Conclusions and driver feedback:
There is a lot of competition in the midsize family sedan segment, and crossovers that pretty much do the same thing are also in the mix. Through its looks, marketing, and overdelivering, the Fusion has found a way to stand out.
The interior is made of nice, soft-touch materials, and is attractive in a non-pretentious way. There is a lot of room for passengers in the Fusion. It is one of those cars that looks bigger from the inside than it does from the outside. Ford uses their space extremely well here. There is plenty of legroom and headroom all around, and plenty of storage space, too.
Somehow, while providing all of this inside space, the Fusion still has the pep and agility of a smaller car. The engine provides sporty acceleration while still giving good gas mileage. The suspension, even in the base model, provides a nimble quality to the Fusion. It corners nicely, and the suspension is tuned to prevent body roll. Though the ride isn’t European, the Fusion still pulls off the magic trick of sporty handling with a family sedan ride.
There aren’t a lot of negatives here. The steering can feel a bit numb in the base model. Industry experts find the center stack to be too “busy.” And there is some engine noise. All in all, though, the Fusion overdelivers.
The verdict: the Fusion is tied with three others for “best in class.” It’s your choice from there.
Related posts:
- 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid Review, Cheapest Price & Specs
- Cheapest Price 2011 Ford Fiesta SE – Reviews & Ratings
- Cheapest Price 2011 Ford Taurus SHO Review & Specs
- Cheapest Price 2011 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Review & Ratings
- Cheapest Price Deal 2011 Nissan Maxima S – Review & Ratings
