2020 Ford Fusion Pros vs Cons. Should You Buy?

Ford's Fusion is a mid-sized, four-door sedan with a seating capacity for up to five people. This popular sedan first rolled off of the assembly line in 2006. The 2020 Ford Fusion is scheduled to be the last in the line as Ford is focusing on trucks and SUVs going forward. Here are ten good reasons why the Fusion is a great purchase along with a few negatives to be aware of.

What's New For 2020?

The 2020 Ford Fusion is a part of the 2nd Fusion generation that began in 2013. The Sport trim with a V-6 engine has been discontinued this year. Ford has also removed paddle shifters from the 1.5-liter-engine models. Other than these minor changes, the Fusion remains mostly the same as the 2019 models.

 

Top 10 Reasons to Buy a 2020 Ford Fusion – The Pros

1. Good performance.

The latest Fusion offers great engine performance. This is especially true once you move up from the base engine. Ford offers a few choices here. The first trim package comes equipped with a 2.5-liter I-4 Engine. This gets you 175 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque.

For real performance, you should go with one of the Fusion's turbocharged options. You can get a turbocharged, 1.5-liter I-4 Engine that cranks out 181 horses. For the most power available, the 2.0-liter I-4 turbo gets you 245 horsepower with 275 pound-feet of torque. This powerful engine comes stock on the Titanium trim level that also comes with all-wheel drive.

2. Athletic steering and handling.

The 2020 Ford Fusion features downright sporty steering and handling. Steering is tight and responsive. It gives you a decent amount of feedback from the road. The Fusion has a tight turning radius and there's very little body roll. It can take curves and tight turns surprisingly well. If you get the Titanium trim with available all-wheel drive, the handling gets even better. Steering improves and the car gets more of the power directly to the wheels where it belongs.

3. Comfortable front seats.

The Fusion gives the driver and front passenger some really nice seats. They are both comfortable and supportive. They have just the right amount of snugness to hold you in place during more spirited driving. At higher trim levels you can get both heated and cooled front seats. You can also opt for leather-trimmed sports seats. The passenger seat has 6-way power adjustments while the driver's seat gives you 10-way adjustment and lumbar support.

4. Great ride quality.

All trim levels of the 2020 Ford Fusion offer a solid suspension system. The Fusion offers a great, smooth ride. Almost every bump in the road will be adequately soaked up by the suspension and barely felt by driver or passengers. Ford has done a great job of mitigating engine and road noise too. This makes for a comfortable and a quiet ride. The previously-mentioned comfortable seats just add to the great driving or riding experience here.

5. Lots of storage space.

This may be a medium-sized car, but it packs a lot of space in that interior. There's plenty of space for passengers to ride comfortably. There is also a ton of small storage spaces on the inside. Best of all, the trunk space is huge, offering up to 16 cubic-feet of storage space. You should be able to easily get 10 grocery bags in their with some room to spare.

6. A modern infotainment system.

The 2020 Ford Fusion comes with a decent infotainment system on the base model. You can also opt for Ford's Sync 3 system which is a great upgrade. You get both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the Sync 3 system. It also comes with an 8-inch touchscreen and a navigation system.

The sound system gives you 11 speakers. An upgraded system by Sony is also available. This upgrade gets you 12 speakers, more power and crystal-clear sound quality. It's set up for optional satellite radio too.

7. An attractive interior.

This mid-sized sedan gives you a beautiful and comfortable interior. All of the interior materials are of a higher quality than one might expect at this price point. This is a real strong point for the Fusion, and one that makes it a better choice than many of its competitors. Ford gives you plenty of choices for high-quality upholstery. The fit, finish and trim is superb throughout, and the console is sharp and well thought out. At higher trim levels you can opt for ambient lighting too.

8. A stylish exterior.

The 2020 Ford Fusion has an attractive and stylish exterior. It rides the line between classy and aggressive. It has both elegant and sporty elements. The front end gives it a bit of an edgy and athletic appearance. The lines and contours have a functional, aerodynamic component as well as just being beautiful.

On standard models, you get body-colored bumpers, mirrors and door handles. You also get halogen headlamps and LED headlights. Additional fog lights, LED signature lighting and a rear-deck spoiler are all optional.

9. Good safety features and ratings.

The Fusion gets a "Good," rating in all categories from The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. The IIHS does extensive safety and crash testing in a number of categories. Some of these include side impact, roof strength, rear crash and overlap front-crash tests.

Ford's 2020 Fusion gives you a lot of nice safety features. Best of all, most of them come standard on all models. Ford's MyKey is a system that allows you to set limits and parameters for other drivers. This can be a an invaluable safety tool if you have teenage drivers in the home.

The latest Fusion also comes equipped with a Lane Keeping System. This system makes adjustments to keep you aiming in the right direction. It also gives you a fair warning if you veer too far outside of your own lane. Ford has also added a Pre-Collision Assist. Drivers are warned of an impending front crash and can even automatically apply your brakes if necessary.

10. Available all-wheel drive.

The 2020 Ford Fusion offers all-wheel drive on higher trim levels. This is a rarity among mid-sized sedans. This makes the Fusion a good performer in rough weather conditions. It also adds to the Fusion's athletic steering and handling.

 

Reasons Not to Buy a 2020 Ford Fusion – The Cons

1. The base engine offers underwhelming acceleration.

The base engine offers 175 horsepower. This sounds like a decent amount of power for a vehicle of this size. Unfortunately, acceleration isn't so great with this model. The good news is that Ford has provided better options. You can select a turbocharged 1.5-liter or even a 2.0-liter. The 2.0-liter model cranks out 245 horses for excellent acceleration.

2. The standard infotainment interface isn't the greatest.

The base model of the 2020 Ford Fusion comes with a standard system that isn't as intuitive as it should be. Fortunately, you can upgrade this to Ford's Sync 3 system. A better interface and voice commands makes this upgrade worth it.

3. The fuel economy is lower than official estimates.

The base model of the Fusion is rated as having a combined fuel-economy rating of 25 miles-per-gallon. The 1.5-liter turbo does slightly better with 27 miles-per-gallon and the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine matches it at 25 miles-per-gallon. These numbers aren't terrible, but there are competitors that offer better. Also, many consumers have claimed that they're getting lower real-world fuel economy than these official numbers.

4. The V-6 Sport package has been discontinued for 2020.

In previous years, Ford offered a Sport trim package loaded with a V-6 engine. The engine was equipped with twin turbochargers and produced a whopping 325 horsepower with 380 pounds-feet of torque. This was a performance-lovers dream wrapped in a classy-sedan package. Unfortunately, the option is not available at all for the 2020 models.

How the 2020 Ford Fusion Stacks Up to the Competition:

The Ford Fusion faces some stiff competition from the Honda Accord, the Toyota Camry and the Hyundai Sonata. The Accord is one of the top-selling vehicles in this class. It offers slightly more cargo and passenger space. The Fusion is the more economical choice with its lower base price. Ford's Fusion also comes with more standard features.

Toyota's Camry is another top-selling mid-size sedan. The Camry is known for its reliability. The Camry offers a V-6 and more horsepower than the 2020 Fusion does. The Ford gives you more cargo space in the trunk and a roomier interior. The Ford Fusion once again offers the better base price.

Last of all, we have the Hyundai Sonata. The Sonata is the only car on this list with a lower base price than the Fusion, but it's only a small difference. Its base engine offers more horses than the Ford, but the Ford wins out here when you move up to one of the upgraded-engine options. The quality of the interior materials and the features offered are better for the Ford Fusion too.

Conclusion:

The 2020 Ford Fusion is set to be the last of its kind, but it's still a wonderful option if you want a mid-sized sedan. You get a ton of standard features and technology even with the base model. The available all-wheel drive makes it unique for this class of vehicles. It's also a stylish car both inside and out. As the market moves more towards trucks, SUVs and crossover vehicles, there is still a place for the classic sedan. You can't do much better in this class than a Ford Fusion.