2011 Ford Fusion Overview Change Vehicle

This 2011 Ford Fusion review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2011 Fusion, and includes Ford Fusion safety, reliability, and fuel economy information.

After significantly upgrading the Fusion last year, Ford continues refining its bread-and-butter family sedan by adding MyKey programmable features and integrated blind-spot mirrors as standard equipment on the 2011 Fusion. The available Sync information and entertainment system is now integrated with the navigation system’s screen when that option is selected, and the Fusion can be outfitted with new HD Radio and rain-sensing wipers for 2011. The Fusion SEL is available with a Luxury Package that includes Ginger or Charcoal Black premium contrast-stitched leather, illuminated door sills, machined-finish pedals, and special interior trim. There’s also a new Comfort Package for the Fusion Sport, which comes with heated front seats, heated side mirrors with puddle lamps, dual-zone climate control, and a 4-way power front passenger’s seat.

The 2011 Ford Fusion meets almost any need with five trim levels, four powertrains, and an optional all-wheel-drive system. The base model is the Fusion S, equipped with a six-speed manual transmission and basic equipment including a CD player, cruise control, power door locks with remote keyless entry, power windows, power mirrors, and 16-inch aluminum wheels. The Fusion S also has an auxiliary audio input jack, a tilt/telescopic steering wheel, a trip computer, and Ford’s Easy Fuel fuel-filler system. The only options on this model are floor mats and an automatic transmission.

Most people prefer the Fusion SE, which adds 17-inch wheels, fog lights, body color mirrors, a power driver’s seat, a fold-flat front passenger’s seatback, satellite radio, steering wheel audio controls, and floor mats. In addition to an automatic transmission, the Fusion SE can be outfitted with a 3.0-liter V6 engine, Sync information and entertainment technology, a power moonroof, a reverse sensing system, and an Appearance Package with sporty exterior trim and 18-inch alloy wheels.

If you’re interested in obtaining a more luxurious cabin, try the Fusion SEL. It comes with leather, heated front seats with power adjustment for the driver and passenger, Sync infotainment technology, dual-zone climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and ambient interior lighting. The SEL also has 17-inch alloy wheels, Ford’s six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission, automatic headlights, heated side mirrors with security approach lamps, and a SecuriCode keyless entry pad. A 3.0-liter V6 is available, along with AWD, a power moonroof, a Sony surround sound audio system, a reverse sensing system, and a sport-tuned suspension with 18-inch wheels. Ford’s Blind-spot Information System (BLIS) with Cross-Traffic Alert is also optional on the SEL, along with a rearview camera and a voice-activated navigation system with Sirius Travel Link service. A new Luxury Package adds premium leather with contrast stitching and upscale interior detailing.

The Fusion Sport starts with Fusion SE equipment, adding a 3.5-liter V6 engine, hydraulic rather than electric steering, a sport-tuned suspension, and a SelectShift automatic transmission with a manual shift gate. Additionally, 18-inch alloy wheels, a decklid spoiler, and a body kit give the Fusion Sport a performance-oriented look. All Sport models come standard with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather seats, an 8-way power driver’s seat, Sync, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and special interior trim. In addition to this year’s new Comfort Package, the Fusion Sport’s option list is lengthy, allowing buyers to add AWD and all the features that come standard or optional on the Fusion SEL, save for the Luxury Package.

The Fusion Hybrid includes the same standard equipment as the Fusion SEL, adding a reverse sensing system, a 6-disc CD changer, a 110-volt power point, and unique 17-inch alloy wheels. The SEL’s leather is replaced with eco-friendly cloth made from 85 percent post-industrial materials, and the Fusion Hybrid gets a configurable SmartGauge with EcoGuide LCD cluster that can be set to Inform, Enlighten, Engage, or Empower with vehicle information. We especially like the efficiency leaves display that communicates how “green” you’re driving with a glance at the dashboard. Options include leather, heated front seats, a power moonroof, a navigation system, Sony premium audio, a rearview camera system, and a Blind-spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert.

Something that deserves a special mention here is Ford’s new MyKey technology, which allows the Fusion’s owner to set specific vehicle settings, such as maximum speed and stereo volume, or defeating the ability to switch off the stability control system. This feature is particularly helpful when young drivers are in the household, allowing parents to help their children preserve their hearing, and perhaps even their lives.

Buyers have four different engines, three transmissions, and two drive types to choose from when choosing a new Fusion. Let’s review the choices.

Standard on S, SE, and SEL models is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 175 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque. Paired to this engine is a six-speed manual (S and SE models) or six-speed automatic transmission (optional on S and SE). The Fusion SEL comes with a six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission. EPA fuel economy estimates are 22 city/29 highway with the manual, 23 city/33 highway with the automatic, and 22 city/30 highway with the SelectShift automatic.

Optional on the Fusion SE and SEL is a flex-fuel capable 3.0-liter V6 with 240 hp and 222 lb-ft of torque. The V6 comes only with the six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission, and AWD is available in combination with this engine. According to the EPA, the V6 returns 20 city/28 highway with front-wheel drive and 18 city/26 highway with AWD.

A 263-hp, 3.5-liter V6 is exclusive to the Fusion Sport, driving the front or all four wheels through a six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission. Fuel economy estimates are 18 city/27 highway with front-wheel drive and 17 city/24 highway with AWD. Last year, we reviewed the Fusion Sport AWD and extracted 19 mpg from the car in mixed driving, exactly matching the EPA’s combined fuel economy rating for this model.

For maximum fuel economy combined with minimum emissions, try the Fusion Hybrid and its sophisticated gasoline/electric powertrain. An Atkinson-cycle 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, a nickel-metal hydride battery pack stacked behind the rear seat, a continuously variable transmission, and a regenerative braking system work together to return an EPA-rated 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. Ford’s sophisticated hybrid can achieve 47 mph on electric power alone, and the automaker claims a potential 700-mile city driving range. In our testing, we averaged 31.7 mpg, far short of the EPA’s combined mileage estimate of 39 mpg.

Blind-spot side mirrors, six airbags, stability control, traction control, and ABS with electronic brake-force distribution come standard on every 2011 Ford Fusion. An SOS Post Crash Alert system is also included on every model, and this technology unlocks the doors and activates both the horn and flashers in the event of an airbag deployment. Other safety features that are available on the Fusion, depending on model selected, include rain-sensing wipers, a reverse sensing system, a reversing camera, Sync with 911 Assist, and BLIS with Cross-Traffic Alert.

For 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has revised its testing procedures, making it harder to get a 5-Star protection rating. As a result, the 2011 Fusion’s scores are not as impressive as last year, with a 3-Star frontal impact rating and a 4-Star side impact rating. Rollover ratings remain unchanged at 4 Stars for the front-wheel-drive model and 5 Stars for the Fusion AWD.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is a bit more optimistic about the Fusion’s ability to protect occupants in a crash, naming it a Top Safety Pick for the third time in three years.

There’s also cause for optimism with regard to the Fusion’s reliability. Consumer Reports thinks the Fusion will provide much better than average reliability over time. Similarly, J.D. Power and Associates expects the Fusion to return above average levels of dependability over time.

Last year, we tested the Ford Fusion Sport, and while we did find it entertaining to drive, we also discovered that it’s more a sporty sedan than an actual sport sedan. This year, we gave the Ford Fusion Hybrid a try, and came away more impressed even if our observed fuel economy of 31.7 mpg wasn’t anywhere near the same neighborhood as the EPA’s combined 39-mpg rating.

Not surprisingly, our observations about the Fusion’s interior from last year hold true for 2011. The interior, while covered in soft-touch materials, still manages to look and feel down-market thanks to high gloss levels and exaggerated patterns. Plus, we think the stereo and climate controls are located too low on the dashboard, making them hard to use without glancing away from the road. The small size of the buttons and knobs doesn’t help, either.

Comfort levels remain high for the front seat occupants, who perch on power adjustable front chairs with plenty of cushioning and support. You can drive a Fusion all day without needing Advil at the end of the trip. Back seat passengers are not so lucky because of a flat bottom cushion that lacks thigh support, tight under-seat foot space, and an oddly reclined backrest in the Hybrid model.

We’re big fans of the Hybrid’s SmartGauge with EcoGuide LCD gauge cluster, which can be configured a number of ways to deliver a wide range and depth of information about the car’s hybrid system and resulting impact on fuel economy. The ingenious efficiency leaves display is an easily-digestible reminder about driving green – the more leaves on the vine, the less gas you’re using, and the fewer emissions you’re releasing into the atmosphere.

Most hybrid cars don’t provide much enjoyment from behind the steering wheel, and the Fusion is a rare exception. Ford has preserved the Fusion’s inherently communicative nature while simultaneously developing electric steering, regenerative braking, and suspension tuning that almost completely masks the fact that this is a hybrid car. The steering offers utterly natural levels of response and heft regardless of speed, the brakes never grab or release unexpectedly, and the added weight of the hybrid components is competently managed by the suspension. Unless someone told you this was a hybrid, you’d never know it.

Of course, if you managed to get the Fusion Hybrid up to 47-mph on battery juice alone, you’d guess this isn’t an ordinary sedan. Ford’s claim that the Fusion Hybrid can get to 47 mph in Electric Vehicle (EV) mode is accurate, and we succeeded at this numerous times. You can’t expect this performance when accelerating even moderately, and hill climbing requires the gasoline engine to kick in, but otherwise it’s pretty easy to get EV mode to engage at city speeds.

If you do need to get up to freeway speeds in a hurry, or you’re crossing a mountain range, the Fusion Hybrid can handle these tasks with ease. Total hybrid system horsepower is rated at 191, more than enough to get the driver a speeding ticket. Add the Fusion Hybrid’s capable twisty-road handling and its quiet cabin at highway speeds, and this is one green machine that’s a pleasure to drive, every single day.

Available in a wide variety of trim levels, the 2011 Ford Fusion can be outfitted as a basic family sedan, a luxury car, a sporty four-door, or a fuel-sipping hybrid. Better yet, AWD is an option for people living in cold-weather climates. Add favorable safety and reliability scores, comfortable front seats, impressive standard and optional technologies, and attractive styling, and it’s no mystery as to why Vehix recommends the 2011 Ford Fusion.

By Christian Wardlaw