While we normally review high performance cars in the Ford family, and their aftermarket variants, this review focusses on a more practical Ford. Not all of us can have a Mustang for daily transportation, weather and the need to haul more things and people often are the deciding factors in this. Recently editor Creason?s wife was in need of a larger ride to better accommodate their growing family. While they enjoyed their Focus hatchback, it was time to upgrade to a bigger, family sedan.
The recently redesigned 2013 Ford Fusion was chosen as our new family ride.We selected the SE model with the 1.6 liter 178 hp EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, and automatic transmission from Byerly Ford in Louisville, KY. The car also has the popular My Ford Touch and Sync systems.
The mid-size segment is highly competitive and one where Ford once dominated with the Taurus. That car has since made the transition to ?Full size? class, and the Fusion has been the Blue Oval?s mid-size car for right at a decade now.
On The Road
There?s no better way (in our minds) to test out a new car than to hit the road. The family loaded up and made an over 900 mile journey with infant in the back seat and mom and dad up front. We found the interior cabin of the Fusion ideal for this kind of driving. The car provided ample room for us and all of the things we took along.
A summer road trip to the beach seemed the perfect way to test the new 2013 Fusion for comfort, fuel economy, and practicality.
The front seats are comfortable, offering the right amount of firmness. We traveled through two southern states including Georgia and Florida and found the AC system was also quite capable of managing the 90-plus-degree summer heat. returning the car to comfortable temperatures following each stop.
Engine
We averaged just over 30 MPG round-trip, mostly highway miles for just over 2,000 miles of driving.
The EcoBoost 1.6 averaged just over 30 MPG for the entire trip, not too bad for a car that started out with just 400 miles on the odometer when we began the journey. The small four-cylinder doesn?t have tons of grunt, but we were never worried merging on the interstate, and had plenty of power to pass, you can feel the engine?s torque bolstered by the turbo at those times when it?s needed.
Since this car is destined to commute over 70 miles round trip daily, the 1.6 was the ideal engine as it offers the best fuel economy aside from the Hybrid models. We imagine that with a little more ?break in? this engine will probably average slightly better fuel economy.
We?d like to see about 20 more horsepower in this engine, and feel that would make it even better suited for a car this size. Still though it?s economy is well suited to our needs.
Handling
The SE is not designed to lap the tracks, again this car is put together with commuting and daily driving tasks in mind. The Michelin tires offered excellent road comfort, and the suspension was one of the most accommodating we?ve driven. The ride is not so light that you feel as though you?d be rocked to sleep while driving. However it?s not harsh either, soaking up seams, and bumps in the road, all prevalent as the summer road construction season is well under way.
We also noticed the car had excellent stopping ability. Wth the summer driving season comes plenty of driver?s who feel that it?s a race to get to their destination, thus quick braking, and sudden lane changes were both part of our trip. We?re pleased to say the Fusion handled both well, never leaving us to feel out of control, or having any sense that the car was anything other than confidently in our control.
Even with a rear-facing child seat installed front passenger leg room was still plentiful.
Technology
The My Ford Touch and Sync systems worked well in our car. While the voice commands sometimes struggled with our southern accents, for the most part with some patience we could get the system to do what we wanted. We also found the system easy to use, we?ve seen reviews bashing this system through the years, but really it?s no more difficult to use than the latest smart phone or tablet to hit the market.
We connected phones via Bluetooth, and enjoyed playing audio that way as well. Climate controls were easily set. The Navigation system did an excellent job, and we also enjoyed the SIRIUS traffic link function which warned of accidents and delays ahead.
If we had one gripe on the navigation system, we thought it should feature an easy reroute or alternate route function. We found construction delays weren?t always noted, which is to be expected. It would be nice to have a button in the Navigation menu that says reroute, and allows users to choose to bypass an area easily.
The backup camera on the car is excellent as well, it offers a wide view, and we found it most helpful in tight tourist destination parking lots.
The Final Opinion
The only other piece of advice we?d have for those looking at the 2013 Fusion is to have the windows tinted. We noticed from day one the amount of glass in this car. It?s great for visibility, but with a small child, shielding them from constant direct sunlight is a must. We had the windows tinted less than a week after we bought our car.
For those who need a family hauler, but don?t want to step up to the bigger Taurus, the 2013 Fusion offers the right combination of style, technology, economy, and comfort for everyone from Gen X or Y?ers who are starting families, to baby boomers looking for a solid, stylish, and affordable mid-size car.
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