2018 Ford Fusion Review

The 2018 Ford Fusion hasn't changed dramatically in the last few years, and that's a good thing. The Fusion is in a highly competitive class of midsize sedans, but it continues to impress us with its comfortable interior, user-friendly tech and great driving dynamics.

The 2018 Fusion would also be lost in this class if it weren't for its high-quality interior and abundant available safety equipment. Available items such as adaptive cruise control, an automated parking system and forward collision mitigation should definitely appeal to the safety-conscious, while Sync 3's excellent controls should satisfy the tech crowd.

The Fusion has a few flaws, but most of them are related to base versions of the car and they can be dealt with via a few upgrades. For instance, the base 2.5-liter engine doesn't have much power, but three available options offer improved performance. So while the 2018 Ford Fusion may look relatively similar on the outside to Fusions from years past, the rest of this midsize sedan has been continually updated to assure that it remains a top competitor in the class.

Notably, we picked the 2018 Ford Fusion as one of Edmunds' Best AWD Sedans, Best Midsize Sedans and the 2018 Fusion Sport as one of the Best Sport Sedans for 2018.

The 2018 Ford Fusion is a four-door, five-passenger midsize sedan available in five trim levels: S, SE, Titanium, Platinum and V6 Sport. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid (known as the Fusion Energi) are reviewed separately. The base trim levels (S and SE) of the Fusion have a good amount of standard equipment including features such as Bluetooth connectivity, power front seats and satellite radio. On upper trim levels, there's a long list of available comfort and convenience features such as ventilated seats, adaptive cruise control and premium sound systems.

The base Fusion S comes standard with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (175 hp, 175 lb-ft), front-wheel drive, a six-speed automatic transmission, 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, LED taillights, a rearview camera, cruise control, air-conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, cloth upholstery, a height-adjustable driver seat, 60/40-split folding rear seats, audio and phone voice commands (Sync), Bluetooth connectivity, smartphone app integration and a four-speaker sound system with a 4.2-inch center screen, a CD player, an auxiliary audio jack and a USB port.

For a few more creature comforts, the Fusion SE adds 17-inch wheels, LED daytime running lights, exterior keypad entry, an eight-way power driver seat (with power lumbar), a six-way power passenger seat, rear heat ducts, a rear center fold-down armrest and a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio.

Optional for the S and SE is the Appearance package, which features 18-inch alloy wheels, foglights, a rear spoiler, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and special cloth upholstery. The SE is also available with the Luxury package (Equipment Group 202A), which adds the turbocharged 1.5-liter engine (181 hp, 185 lb-ft) with automatic engine stop-start to help save fuel, LED headlights and foglights, keyless ignition and entry, remote ignition, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and driver-side mirror, heated mirrors, leather upholstery, driver-seat memory settings and heated front seats.

Opting for the SE's Technology package equips the Fusion with rear parking sensors, dual-zone automatic climate control, an 11-speaker sound system, the Sync 3 technology interface (with an 8-inch central LCD touchscreen and two configurable gauge cluster displays), enhanced voice controls and an additional USB charging port.

The Fusion Titanium gets all of the SE's optional features, plus it comes standard with the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine (240 hp, 270 lb-ft), 18-inch wheels, LED taillights, a rear spoiler, ambient interior lighting, sport front seats, eight-way power adjustment for the passenger seat, a premium 12-speaker Sony sound system and HD radio.

The Fusion SE (with the Technology package selected) and Titanium can also be equipped with a navigation system, an automated parking system for parallel and perpendicular parking, and adaptive cruise control with frontal collision warning and stop-and-go traffic capability. For the SE and Titanium, Ford additionally offers the Driver Assist package, which includes automatic high-beam control, automatic wipers, a 110-volt power outlet, a heated steering wheel, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a lane departure warning and lane-keeping assist system. A sunroof is optional for both the SE and Titanium, and the Titanium can be had with 19-inch wheels and ventilated front seats.

The borderline luxury-level Platinum trim includes all of the above features in addition to a unique grille insert, upgraded leather trim and a power-adjustable steering wheel.

If you're looking for a sporty version of the Fusion that still has some top-end features, the V6 Sport starts with features from the SE with the Luxury package and adds a turbocharged V6 engine (325 hp, 380 lb-ft), all-wheel drive, a different grille, 19-inch wheels, quad exhaust tips, a rear spoiler, adjustable suspension dampers, leather and simulated suede upholstery, and a nine-speaker audio system.

The V6 Sport Upgrade package (Equipment Group 401A) is about as high up as you can go in a Fusion, and it includes most of the features from the Titanium trim. It is also available with the Driver Assist package and the stand-alone options listed above.