CAR REVIEW – 2014 Ford Fusion

I was provided with a week long test drive of the Ford Fusion featured in this post. This post has not been monetarily compensated. Please note that, as always, any personal opinions reflected in this post are my own and have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.


Have you ever seen a Ford Fusion? I’m sure you have, particularly if you’re a Nascar fan like me. I’ve been watching the Fusion flex it’s racing muscle on television since it’s debut as well as up close and personal whenever I go to a race. But until recently I’d never driven the mid-size sedan, or even sat inside of one.
The look of the 2014 Ford Fusion is sleek, clean and modern. Like many of the other 2014 Ford models it has a front end that just commands your attention.  The 2.0L EcoBoost^® I-4 Engine was surprisingly peppy. The 6-Speed automatic transmission shifted through the gears effortlessly. I never had an instance where the car couldn’t pick up speed quickly enough to get out of its own way. The car comes standard with Intelligent Access Push-Button Start, which means you don’t actually have to have the keys in your hand, you only need to have them on your person.
The ride was very quiet. Averaging 22-33 miles per gallon, the gas mileage of the Fusion Titanium model I drove can be quite impressive. I took it out on both highway and city roads and averaged about 28 mpg myself.

The interior of the car is laid out nicely. Everything is within reach of the driver.  The front seats are very comfortable, and can be adjusted in many ways. I wanted to adjust the steering wheel upwards a bit but was unable to find the lever to do so at first. I had to google to find that the lever to telescope the wheel is underneath the steering wheel in the very, very back. I had felt there but I guess I didn’t reach far enough back. Another thing that I couldn’t quickly figure out was how to turn on the heated seats, which will also cool in the summer.
The front of the car has dual-zone electronic automatic temperature control, so the driver and the passenger can each be comfortable at different temperatures. The inside was roomy enough for a family. The specs say it can hold five. It can. Having two teens we don’t handle tiny interiors well. The Fusion was able to accommodate all of us without making us feel totally squashed like some cars. My oldest is 6 ft tall and was able to sit behind his father, who was in the passenger seat. FYI I do recomnend putting the smallest person in the middle, that’s the spot with the least room. I am happy to say that the back of the car does have vents for the air or heat.
I loved the Sony stereo system! No surprise there, I’ve loved every Sony system I’ve ever heard in a Ford. The stereo featured HD radio and the car had 12 speakers. I was in heaven! Sharing the screen at the top of the console with the stereo is , well, everything. Many features are designed with safety in mind. Hands-free Bluetooth mobile phone, audible text messages, and voice-activated music search mean no more distractions fumbling looking for the right button or menu on your cell phone. Climate controls and GPS navigation can also be accessed there. The car has a reverse sensing system, to let the driver know there’s something behind the car. The standard rear view camera displays on the center screen.

The car I drove had a Forward Collision Warning option. If you don’t know this feature is there you may get a big surprise like I did! Basically there’s a group of lights up on the dashboard. If the system senses a potential collision it will alert you by making a sound and flashing these lights, which are sort of like having brake lights go off right in your direct personal space. If for some reason you don’t react to the situation in time then the brakes gain increased sensitivity to provide full responsiveness when you do finally brake. And speaking of alerts. The mirrors have little lights that will light up when something is in your blind spot.

There’s a surprising amount of storage space in the 2014 Fusion. There are storage compartments in all four doors.

The glove box is very generously sized. The inside of the center console has several compartments to help you stay organized, and also offers conveniences like a built-in USB port.

Everything in the back folds down. The back seat is a 60/40 split, and you can fold either or both sides down.

There were only two things that I found with the car that I had to change my day to day driving style for. One was the button for the Active Park Assist. It’s right on the  side of the console. My purse hit it. The dog’s foot stepped on it. My son’s leg pressed against it. Each time it was pressed it tried to activate. This didn’t impact the ride at all, it only caused a message to appear that I found a bit distracting. The other was the actual “frame” that the driver’s seat sits on. I have very large, wide feet and I found that I kept feeling the edge of the steel bumping against my foot, which made me have to reposition my leg. This could have just been due to the way I sometimes place my foot when I drive.
I enjoyed driving the Fusion a lot. The 2014 Ford Fusion has an MSRP range of ^$21,970 – ^$36,500, with the Titanium model that I drove having a starting MSRP of $30,600. If you’re looking into family sedans this is one you will want to check out.
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 What features do you find convenient in a family car?