danielj1
Go Kart Champion
- Location
- Seattle WA
I just returned from a 1200 mile trip from Orlando through Charleston up to Franklin NC back then down to Atlanta (I do this every year to visit friends and family).
My rental car options were either a Camry, Impala, Malibu (the new one) or an Altima (last gen). I saw a Fusion with dual exhaust and asked for that, even though it's technically a class down according to the folks at Enterprise.
With leather, sunroof, sirius, power seats and the ecoboost, it was far from a stripper and much better equipped than the other offerings. At $10 per day it was a steal. $141 total for 9 days and 1200 miles - no better deal out there.
Ive driven many cars in this segment at was thoroughly impressed with the Fusion. Especially the 2.0 ecoboost engine. I understand there have been a few issues in the Escape but all in all, this is a great performing engine. It felt and drove like a much larger engine. I didn't miss a V6 option.
This was not only an excellent freeway cruiser, it did surprisingly well in the "mountains" of Western NC. Far superior to the Camry I last drove through the area. The paddle shifters were helpful to keep it in the sweet spot as I took some curves, which again, I was surprised at how well planted the car felt. The only thing needed were additional side seat bolsters. Great steering, braking and smooth acceleration with minimal torque steer. The Fusion is also quite durable. I was backed into at an angle by a Kia Soul with pretty good force. Pop the bumper back in where it meets the headlight, no visible damage. I averaged 30.5 MPG on my entire trip, not bad.
The Fusion is the only domestic car I've driven with comfort turn signals. Sounds silly but a pain point when you drive a car without them after you've become accustom to them.
A few things that were annoying. The drivers left dead pedal had serious intrusion causing my foot to contort. It's as if something was blocking the extra space needed to sit comfortably. This would actually be a deal breaker should I actually want to buy one. It was that uncomfortable. Also, the gas pedal was too short. During relaxed driving my foot would slip off the pedal. I'm 6"3 with a size 13 shoe - never had that happen before in a car. Lastly, the audio and cruise buttons needed swapped on the wheel. Audio controls should always be on the left side. Cruise on the right. I also longed for push button start. The Fusion's keys are massive and in the way of my knee. The tech on my current car has spoiled me. I was missing the backup camera with proximity sensors lol.
All in all, I'm thoroughly impressed with the Fusion. I can't begin to count how many I saw on the road during my trip although most were the 2.5l Duratech. I'd never buy one, especially with the drivers foot rest intrusion but would definitely recommend the Fusion to anyone looking in this segment.
My rental car options were either a Camry, Impala, Malibu (the new one) or an Altima (last gen). I saw a Fusion with dual exhaust and asked for that, even though it's technically a class down according to the folks at Enterprise.
With leather, sunroof, sirius, power seats and the ecoboost, it was far from a stripper and much better equipped than the other offerings. At $10 per day it was a steal. $141 total for 9 days and 1200 miles - no better deal out there.
Ive driven many cars in this segment at was thoroughly impressed with the Fusion. Especially the 2.0 ecoboost engine. I understand there have been a few issues in the Escape but all in all, this is a great performing engine. It felt and drove like a much larger engine. I didn't miss a V6 option.
This was not only an excellent freeway cruiser, it did surprisingly well in the "mountains" of Western NC. Far superior to the Camry I last drove through the area. The paddle shifters were helpful to keep it in the sweet spot as I took some curves, which again, I was surprised at how well planted the car felt. The only thing needed were additional side seat bolsters. Great steering, braking and smooth acceleration with minimal torque steer. The Fusion is also quite durable. I was backed into at an angle by a Kia Soul with pretty good force. Pop the bumper back in where it meets the headlight, no visible damage. I averaged 30.5 MPG on my entire trip, not bad.
The Fusion is the only domestic car I've driven with comfort turn signals. Sounds silly but a pain point when you drive a car without them after you've become accustom to them.
A few things that were annoying. The drivers left dead pedal had serious intrusion causing my foot to contort. It's as if something was blocking the extra space needed to sit comfortably. This would actually be a deal breaker should I actually want to buy one. It was that uncomfortable. Also, the gas pedal was too short. During relaxed driving my foot would slip off the pedal. I'm 6"3 with a size 13 shoe - never had that happen before in a car. Lastly, the audio and cruise buttons needed swapped on the wheel. Audio controls should always be on the left side. Cruise on the right. I also longed for push button start. The Fusion's keys are massive and in the way of my knee. The tech on my current car has spoiled me. I was missing the backup camera with proximity sensors lol.
All in all, I'm thoroughly impressed with the Fusion. I can't begin to count how many I saw on the road during my trip although most were the 2.5l Duratech. I'd never buy one, especially with the drivers foot rest intrusion but would definitely recommend the Fusion to anyone looking in this segment.
