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Now, when you have the most expensive looking face in non-expensive cars, you don't **** with it.
And Ford didn't.
There are some minor sculpting differences if you put the 16 and 17 next to each other, but they're really hard to spot.
All the new Fusions have LED tail lights.
You've got to go to the higher trims to get LED headlights.
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Now if you upgrade to this Fusion from one you've already got, you're not going to be lost.
The instrument panel, you've seen that before.
That's classic Ford stuff.
Same thing with the wheel.
Placement of controls, SYNC 3 now infusion, and it can also have SYNC Connect.
That means you have the new head unit, but it also has a two-way data radio built into the car.
That's all under a new FordPass app that will also soon grow its offerings into the areas of Ford concierge, parking space finder, And other mobility services.
Self parking's here and it was something Ford pioneered in the mass market.
This car will do it in three directions if you get a high trim Fusion.
Now some nice new feature conformance around the counsel here.
Most of the driven by the fact that they went to a rotary shifter.
Kind of like what we've seen for a few years in Jaguar without all that up and down lifting who-haw.
This one is very simple for your gear positions as you can see And so Electronic Drive controls behind it gives you a little more room for the cupholders, for the phone cubby.
Lots of engines on the 2017 Fusion but not a lot of changes to them.
As the 2.5 liter in-line four, kind of the dunce of the group but cheap and happy.
One and a half liter eco-boost is the little guy.
There's a two liter version of that, as well, that can also be had with all-wheel drive.
New is a 2.7 liter V6 sport model, all-wheel drive only.
And two electrified cars, a hybrid and a plug in.
One gets 42 MPG, and the other gets 97 MPGe and 20 miles of electric range.
By the way, no Fusions are available with a manual transmission.
Only a six speed automatic for gas or a CVT for the hybrid.
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Okay, underway in the hybrid, the ride quality I would say is extremely comfortable.
And isolate it.
This is not a car that has canyon carving in it's DNA, even though that's what I'm doing right now, but it's not really happy here.
Know, you may have noticed the extra battery in the back that gives this car it's additional electric range and it's part of what gives it Some additional weight and kind of makes it feels a little bit heavy on its feet.
But, here is the thing, for the person who is always pissing and moaning how cars are not comfortable anymore, why can't they arrive like they used to?
This one car arrives like they used to.
One of the things if lacking, is any kind of a sport mode which typically defeats the efficiency goal of a hybrid but Once in a while you might like that.
The nearest thing to it is this low range mode here, which is more of a high regen.
It's not really a sport mode, but it kind of gets you about a third of the way there.
Now the plug in version of this hybrid I'm driving is almost identical, except it has six times bigger a battery and the 20 miles of pure EB range I mentioned.
Engine.
And notice both electrified cars have got some junk in the trunk.
It's kind of a big old battery.
It takes up some space.
Know that.
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Now, on the road in the 1.5-liter EcoBoost non-hybrid, what a difference a few hundred fewer pounds and a different power plant make.
This version of the new Fusion just has a relative sharpness that the hybrid utterly lacks.
Also helping is a true gear transmission six speed with paddle and a true sports mode that rematch the throttle.
I know it's gonna confuse this particular car for a performance car.
That's where the Fusion Sport comes in but it's much more tossable light on its feet enjoyable to drive on enjoyable roads.
Something else I just noticed in the Hybrid there was a [UNKNOWN] Blowing sound that I couldn't quite figure out.
Apparently, it's a cooling fan for the big battery pack behind you.
If you have one of the seats down you notice it.
It's intrusive, this car doesn't have that.
Now, once you're on your way in a properly optioned 70 infusion you have a lot of driver assist.
Full scope and go with adaptive cruise.
Forward collision tech with pedestrian detection.
First time for a Ford Active lane departure, blind spot alert.
And this interesting pot hole mitigation they've done where the adaptive suspension can feel a pot hole coming and hold the tire from falling all the way in it.
As you can see, the Fusion's had a lot of subtle changes around the edges.
The core of the vehicle Hadn't changed that much and that's understandable.
That's not what you do in this Sudan segment.
You want a basically keep it from going to cross overs.
That's winning the [UNKNOWN].
Interestingly the biggest single push here in technology has been an adaptive driving, parking assist and active road hazard mitigation pushing it pretty forward.
More cars driven CNet style standing by now at CNETOnCars.com.
Click on the road.
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