2012 Ford Fusion Total Car Score Analysis

The 2012 Ford Fusion earned much critical praise and an excellent Total Car Score among midsize sedans.  
 
Reviewers appreciated the Fusion’s sharp styling, spacious interior and excellent balance of smooth ride and taut handling. Unlike others in the segment, underhood options include two V6s in addition to the base four-cylinder, and all-wheel drive can be ordered with the larger engines.  
 
The driving enthusiast with a family will gravitate to the Fusion Sport, which is packaged with a 265-hp V6, 18-inch wheels, a specially tuned suspension and aerodynamic bodywork.  
 
Complaints about the Fusion were few. Some felt there was less backseat room than in other makes, others called out the 3.0-liter V6 for mediocre fuel economy, and one critic wished you didn’t have to order a V6 to get AWD. Other than those minor beefs, the Fusion comes highly recommended.  
 
First introduced in 2006, the Fusion was revised two years ago, and it’s due for a redesign next year. The 2012 Ford Fusion SE receives a standard six-speed automatic transmission and 17-inch alloy wheels, and there are three new exterior colors for the Fusion line: Black, Cinnamon and Red Candy Tinted Clearcoat Metallic.

2012 Ford Fusion Model Line-Up

The 2012 Ford Fusion is a four-door, five-passenger sedan offered in four trim levels (and a gas/electric Fusion Hybrid model, covered separately).  
 
Standard in S and available in SE and SEL models is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine sending 175 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque through either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission to the front wheels.  
 
SE and SEL models are also available with a 3.0-liter V6 that routes 240 hp and 223 lb-ft of torque through a six-speed automatic. Fusion Sport models feature a 3.5-liter V6 making 265 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. Both V6s can be paired with FWD or AWD powertrains. Fuel economy ranges from 23 mpg city, 33 highway and 26 combined for the 2.5 with an automatic, to 17/25/19 for the AWD 3.5 V6.  
 
Standard equipment starts with cloth bucket seats, 16-inch alloy wheels and a tilt/telescope steering column in the Fusion S. The SE model adds an upgraded sound system, 17-inch wheels and a powered driver’s seat, while SEL versions have heated leather-trimmed front seats, automatic climate control and keyless entry.  
 
The 2012 Ford Fusion Sport rolls on 18-inch wheels and a tuned suspension and gets a rear deck spoiler, side rocker moldings and special upholstery.

Total Car Score is not affiliated with, associated, authorized, or endorsed by, or in any way officially connected to any of the Expert Resources, nor does Total Car Score endorse any of the Expert Resources, or its affiliates.
Click here to see more.