Ford Motor Company is set to continue to success of its D-segment Fusion sedan with an all-new version. The new car is debuting in conventional, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid versions. The “conventional” powerplants are themselves innovative: the 1.6-liter EcoBoost, reportedly capable of 15.7 km/liter highway, and the 2.0-liter EcoBoost, which will be the performance option. The 1.6 features an idle stop feature for the engine, a first for a Ford with an automatic. The 2.0 gets a six-speed automatic transmission, available 19-inch wheels and tires, and all-wheel drive with rear-biased torque capability.
Available also will be Fusion Hybrid, with lithium-ion batteries and capable of going up to 100 km/h on electric power. The gasoline engine has been downsized to 2.0 liters from the previous 2.5, netting nearly 20 km/liter in city driving.
Then there’s the plug in version, called Fusion Energi, with an equivalent metric of 100 mils per gallon (42.5 km/liter). Ford says it will deliver more mileage than the Chevrolet Volt and Prius plug-in hybrid.
Electronic systems are on board for camera-assisted lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, auto steer for parallel parking, and blind-spot warning system. There’s also the infamous Ford Sync and MyFordTouch voice and touch-screen systems.
Will Ford Group Philippines bring in the Fusion anytime soon? It seems like a long shot, given the company’s regional product lineup and the not-exactly-sizzling hot midsize sedan market. Still, if Ford wants to have a complete car lineup, it has to bring in a model that can go head-to-head with the Hyundai Sonata and Toyota Camry. The Fusion, or Mondeo, as it will be known in Asia and Europe, will be just the ticket.
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