As the Ford Fusion rides off into the sunset, it can only be playing one song: Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” Production at Ford’s Hermosillo plant ends today for the mid-size and its Lincoln counterpart. Throughout its fifteen year run, the Fusion presented itself as a stylish mid-size with good ride and handling characteristics. It was frequently part of Ford’s attempts to rehabilitate its image amid product droughts and paradigm shifts. By contrast, the Lincoln MKZ played second fiddle to its more popular sibling. But as that mid-size also faces the final curtain, it ends its run on a surprisingly respectful footing.
When Ford launched the Fusion in 2005 for the 2006 model year, it faced years of stagnant product and falling marketshare. Ford’s passenger cars were in dire need of replacement. And their SUV lineup wasn’t faring well either. Although the Escape was doing reasonably well, Explorer sales dropped off precipitously, as buyers instantly gravitated towards the new crop of three-row crossovers from Honda and Toyota. Basically, aside from Ford’s full-size truck lineup, the brand was facing an existential crisis.
The Fusion essentially became the vanguard for a new wave of Blue Oval vehicles. These cars were relatively cautious products from a pretty lean period in the company’s history. But at least in the Fusion’s case, they were smart ones. While the D3 platform duo (Ford Five Hundred and Freestyle) channeled their Volvo heritage to make a set of somewhat bland entries in the full-size and three-row crossover segments, Ford wisely sliced off a bit of that sweet Mazda pie to create a dynamically capable sedan. The designers combined visual DNA from Honda, Cadillac, and Ford’s own roster to make a very attractive design, one of the best looking mainstream sedans of the 2000s.
The Fusion received praise from critics upon its debut and it made for a relatively smooth and successful launch. But it wasn’t without its flaws. The interior was a no-nonsense affair of the highest order. And despite some nice touches like a piano black interior option, it couldn’t really overcome a center stack centered around Ford’s ultimate cost saving move: the ubiquitous double DIN audio unit. Ford wasn’t the only automaker to employ one identically designed audio unit throughout its entire lineup during this era, but for a car that needed to make inroads, it wasn’t the best decision Ford could have made.
There was another issue too. Ford, like Hyundai with its 2006 Sonata, was simply playing catch-up to the seventh generation Honda Accord. That model represented the apotheosis of the American mid-size sedan in the early 2000s. It arrived fully baked and with excellent powertrains and competitive features to boot. Toyota and Honda didn’t perfectly replicate the Taurus formula until 1997 and 1998, respectively. But it only took one generation for Honda to unquestionably surpass it. By 2006, it was Ford that had to respond to its rivals, not the other way around. In that context, the Fusion faced an uphill battle even before it reached showrooms. An Automotive News article from September 19, 2005* highlighted Ford’s problem very acutely:
Ford Motor Co. expects its new Fusion sedan to take on the mid-sized segment leaders, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.
But Ford executives aren’t counting on winning over a big chunk of Camry and Accord customers. Instead, the Fusion will enable Ford to retain its own buyers, says Steve Lyons, group vice president of North American marketing, sales and service.
Each year, 20,000 drivers trade in their Mustangs to buy a mid-sized car, and “none of them buy a Ford,” Lyons said at a press event here.
And 20 percent of consumers who have an F-150 pickup or an Explorer SUV also own a competitor’s mid-sized car, he added.
Ford executives are under the gun because of falling market share and mounting losses in the company’s North American auto business. They are counting on the Fusion to arrest that decline.
“This is arguably the most important car launch for Ford since the Taurus in 1985,” Lyons said. “Fusion is the centerpiece, and we’ve got to get this right.”
Ford didn’t create a revolutionary vehicle with the first generation Fusion. The company simply demonstrated that it could build a modern mid-size sedan. But between 2006-2010, something interesting happened: Toyota and Honda played it extremely safe with their redesigns. The 2007 Camry, for example, itself borrowed quite a bit from the 2003 Accord, most notably its rear end and its interior.
Even the Accord slumped a bit. The eighth generation gained some mass and lost the precisely chiseled aesthetic of its predecessor.
Its interior lost a bit of that elegant simplicity too.
A lack of credible competitors led the Japanese into a period of complacency. Ford had been steadily narrowing the quality and feature gap with the 2006-2009 Fusion, as it endured a smooth launch and steadily built up its roster of options, which included Ford Sync, satellite navigation, and optional all-wheel drive for the Duratec V6. But it wasn’t until the 2010 redesign (or heavy refresh, depending on your perspective) that Ford thoroughly closed the enthusiasm gap. Suddenly, Ford breathed so much fresh air into the Fusion that it became 100 percent competitive with its longer running competitors. Here’s what Motor Trend had to say about the new model in its piece announcing the Fusion as its Car of the Year for 2010:
“Want an economical midsize sedan that doesn’t cost much, yet won’t bore you to tears? Need to please your greener side with a high-tech hybrid? Fancy a near-sport sedan with AWD, 18-inch rolling stock, and the latest infotainment and electronics? Depending on which model you choose and how many option boxes you tick, the Fusion can be any of the above. Arthur St. Antoine calls the Fusion “a compelling sweep across one of the market’s most hotly contested segments.”
Ford’s competitive roster grew stronger between 2010-2012. Ford took already decent products like the Edge, Escape, and Fusion and outfitted them with enough improvements to make them even more compelling. The Explorer rose from the ashes of body-on-frame hell to become a more sophisticated three-row and instantly regained its lost mojo. Then the Mulally-era “One Ford” vehicles started to trickle in. The Fiesta and Focus burst onto the scene with their sharp styling, feature content, and sophisticated driving dynamics.
Another one-two punch arrived in the form of the 2013 Escape and Fusion. The Escape represented just as much of a leap forward as the Fusion. However, mid-size sedans were still viewed as the default vehicle of choice for Middle America back then. And that’s to say nothing of Fusion’s styling, which was (and still is) an absolute home run. Ford combined the Mondeo’s overall profile with some Aston Martin touches and developed a visual knockout in the process. Moray Callum, then Executive Director of design at Ford, is the man most likely responsible for that. And he probably consulted with his brother Ian too, the guy who basically created Aston Martin’s modern design ethos. Possibly over dinner. Either way, Ford was back to dictating terms in the segment.
If you want to find the vehicles most important to an automaker, just look for the models with the highest number of powertrains, trim levels, and overall customization options. For a while, the Fusion was one of those vehicles for Ford. The lineup was sprawling. There was the super basic rental-spec S, the mid-grade SE, and top tier Titanium. The SE was the true star of the bunch, as it allowed buyers to obtain niceties like leather and a sunroof without moving up a trim level, which was standard practice with the Accord.
Fusion sales grew substantially from 2010-2014, rising about 40 percent. It came within spitting distance of the Altima for a brief period of time. A clear upward trajectory. Too bad the crude oil price collapse of 2015 took the wind out of its sails. But the Fusion always faced an uphill battle in a cutthroat segment. It wasn’t exactly through any fault of its own. The Japanese, despite entering a very minor malaise period between roughly 2008-2015, still produced cars with unassailable build quality and refinement. The Japanese weren’t at the top of their game during this time. But they greatly benefited from the goodwill they had earned with their previous models.
And while the Fusion avoided major quality and reliability issues – mainly because it didn’t come equipped with Ford’s problematic PowerShift dual-clutch transmission – its reputation hasn’t been perfect. Ford seemingly engineered their 4 cylinder EcoBoost and third generation hybrid powertrains for performance over fuel economy, despite what their EPA ratings suggested. And there have been some notable recalls too, like an early issue with the 1.6 liter EcoBoost four cylinder that resulted in fires. Ford would replace the engine with a slightly smaller 1.5 liter variant shortly thereafter.
That being said, the Fusion has been fairly reliable. Additionally, the Fusion’s fourth place status in a declining segment enabled it to become quite the value on the used car market.
When Honda and Toyota introduced their model year 2018 redesigns in 2017, they emphasized their sportiness and dynamism. The rapid ascension of the crossover enabled that, at least to a certain extent. But they clearly also felt it necessary to inject some Fusion-inspired DNA into their sedans. Basically, the Fusion can confidentially go off into the automotive afterlife knowing that it mattered.
The Fusion’s influence is arguably more evident in the Accord than the Camry.
In any event, the end result are two sedan mainstays that are better than they’ve ever been. And both are substantial improvements over their respective predecessors. You can partially thank the Fusion for those very welcome developments.
As for the MKZ, it always operated in the Fusion’s shadow. Basically, the mid-size Lincoln existed as an Acura TL/TLX or Lexus ES alternative for Lincoln stalwarts. It was possibly hampered by the three letter nomenclature, but realistically, it had far less of a chance at making inroads in the luxury segment than the Fusion did against its rivals. The 2013+ model didn’t light the sales charts on fire, even if it was a big step up from the original model.
Although when compared against Cadillac’s repeated failure to mount any sort of serious competition to the Germans, despite spending billions of dollars, Lincoln’s sedan struggles seem pretty quaint. That’s especially true when pretty much every luxury sedan priced between $35k-$50k is getting thoroughly embarrassed by the Model 3 these days, so the MKZ’s relative invisibility ultimately didn’t matter that much.
And surprisingly enough, the MKZ can leave this world in peace knowing it influenced at least one other vehicle: the 2020 Kia K5.
What else is there to say about the Fusion that hasn’t already been said? It represented an era (roughly 2008-2013) when the Big Three finally learned one major lesson from escaping death and/or bankruptcy: their products couldn’t arrive under-cooked anymore. That was a lesson they should have learned by 1990. But American automakers got lazy. However, in a broad sense, they’ve maintained that axiom to this day.
The Fusion itself did the best that it could given the circumstances. But the boondoggle that was the 1996 Taurus redesign and the long decline of the fourth generation model may have sealed the Fusion’s fate before it even debuted. By 2006, the Japanese already held an ironclad grip over the segment.
The 2013 Fusion ultimately became the true successor to the original Taurus. With one big caveat: the Taurus competed in a sparsely populated segment in 1986. By the 2010s the opposite would be true. All things considered it’s still an overpopulated segment. But Ford really couldn’t have done any better than they did.
There is one other notable detail about the Fusion’s demise. Technically, it’s not dying, just going to purgatory until Ford uses whatever black magic it needs to in order for it to be reborn as a Subaru Outback competitor. When it does return it will most likely be built at Hermosillo. But this time it will be constructed alongside the Bronco Sport and the upcoming sub-Ranger pickup. And like the 2006, 2010, and 2013 models, it will be summoned as part of a new paradigm shift away from the strategies that didn’t work in the past.
It’s hard to say how many more times Ford can keep rebooting itself while executives say “we’ve got to get this right,” but upcoming products like the Mustang Mach-E, 2021 Ford F-150, and 2021 Bronco look very promising. It seems current CEO Jim Hackett is leading the company to a future that looks a bit brighter than it did back in 2018, when Ford announced its decision to stop making small cars and sedans, but lacked any major replacement products to soften the blows that would come with their cancellations.
Ford’s last mid-size sedan faced it all and stood tall. The company’s steady crescendo last decade crested with the Fusion. And it was the right car to cap off that veritable renaissance period, an era that felt a bit more exciting and dynamic than the current automotive landscape, even if there is a lot to look forward to.
* – Wilson, Amy. “Why Ford’s new Fusion can’t flop; Forget chasing Camry buyers, Ford wants to hang onto its own.” Automotive News, vol. 80, no. 6166, 19 Sept. 2005, p. 8.
As good as the Fusion/MKZ is, I still find it damming that Ford admits that it cannot compete (nor does it intend to try) again foreign competition in the sedan category. There are still some of us who don’t want to own a crossover/SUV/pickup truck, and Ford is telling us that we’re not worth competing over.
They’re only interested in the easy markets. Which has been a major failing of American automobile manufacturers for a couple of decades now.
Saw my first Kia K5 last week. Gorgeous! Nice to know the Koreans can do what the Americans can’t/won’t.
It isn’t “can’t compete.” it’s that the segment has shrunk enough where not everyone can play in it profitably. Toyota and Honda took over the segment in the 1990s, and they will have the most volume until the heat death of the universe. Everyone else is left to fight for scraps. And especially when incentives get in the mix, those scraps are unprofitable.
Losing money to vote “present” in a declining segment is just bad business sense, regardless of what some Internet Complainers think.
You’ve basically got to clear at least 200-250k units a year to turn a profit on these, and I’d put a firm bet on Toyota and Honda being the only ones making any money on mid-size sedans, and it probably isn’t a heck of a lot. even before the coronavirus, Honda was on track to only ship around 180k Accords this year; they were within spitting distance of 400k in 2014. The Sonata has absolutely tanked since 2017, and the new model doesn’t appear to have moved the needle at all (though CV threw a wrench in that.) Hyundai has to be losing their a**es on it.
You aren’t necessarily wrong but I would very much argue that if someone needs, owns, or buys a sedan now and eventually decides they want to upgrade to something larger like an Explorer they are far more likely to start where they had a good experience with whatever sedan they had , i.e. Accord to Pilot, Camry to Highlander, Sonata to Palisade, etc., vs any of those sedans and then just outright switch to an unfamiliar Ford product for the larger product. If nothing else at all, they at least see the larger, more profitable product when they come in for an oil change. Build a great sedan, do what you can to at least break even on it now, and if the car is as good as it should be (and is in many of cases), if the dealer treats the customer right, there is little reason to not at least have that buyer’s eyes on the in-house product first. It’s even more the case if they lease the sedan and then are in a time crush to get the replacement or worse, are upside down due to mileage or whatever and the “home-team” can roll it into the next one or forgive it.
“Build a great sedan, do what you can to at least break even on it now, “
loss leaders are fine, unless they cost you billions of dollars.
Owning two Fusions at a time when I needed some great used car values to get three kids on wheels, I’ll miss this car.
Technically, my kids drive Dodge Dart, Mustang and Fusion, the second loaded Fusion is my wife’s car.
The Fusions have been great ambassadors (lower case!) for Ford. There is some excited talk among my kids regarding the Mach E and new sub brand Bronco line – take that, Jeep!
So, I’d agree there is some risk in Ford abandoning sedans where they were obviously playing well, and still have investments in them in Europe where it shouldn’t be that hard to keep them going for at least one more generation in North America.
But, sedans feel a bit weird to me now. Just too damn low, kind of wonky to get into. That may have been the norm for 50 years, but the new norm seems to be already deeply ingrained. Those “chair height” seats of the 1940s are very much in vogue.
It may come down to Ford fielding a decent Ecosport for the entry level, and even Honda and Toyota dropping their iconic sedans in the next several years. That would leave Ford looking like a leader for quite a while.
And, sedans may not be dead in the long run. With wagon roofs becoming boring with all the CUV / SUV vehicles out there, Ford playing with the fastback Mach E, and people generally liking it, says we’ll see new kinds of variety again.
They’ll just have the proportions of a 1948 Chevy…..
Jim makes a good point about the lead-in of a prior vehicle being very important to sticking with that brand. I can only surmise that Ford (as well as the other domestics) are hoping that first-time buyers aren’t going with a small sedan (which would very likely be an Asian brand) but their first car is one of the small domestic CUVs that are now proliferating.
It’s a calculated risk but, apparently, one the domestics are willing to take in throwing in the towel on their mainstream sedan offerings.
I think you are right about this. The proliferation of smaller CUVs is what is going to be taking over for the compact/mid-size sedans. While I’ve seen and sat in (but not driven) the EcoSport, it’s crap right now. But the $ that Ford would have invested in the Fusion could be used to make that a better and more compelling entry level CUV. There’s only so much development $ to spend, and I think it’s the right thing for Ford to be funneling those $ into segments that are growing and not dying.
The problem as I see it is that Ford is but one maker and while they could certainly make the EcoSport for example better suited for this market, they’d better get on that fast, as most every other maker also already has something in that same space and in some cases more than one or even several overlapping models. For example just Hyundai has Venue and Kona to combat Ecosport. Then higher trimmed Konas and Tucson and lower SantaFe all compete vs Escape. Kona even has an all electric version. No direct answer to BroncoSport (yet) but that will largely split the Escape crowd into which look they prefer. Kia has much the same type of options including Soul and the variously electrified Nero versions among several others. Nissan has Kicks, Rogue Sport, and regular Rogue. Toyota has CHR and RAV incl Hybrid and PlugIn, although overall that’s just as few options there as Honda with HR-V and CR-V (also Hybrid option now). FCA has various small Jeeps (Renegade, Compass, Cherokee), and GM has a few small things like Trax, two sizes of the Encore, Equinox, and I know I’m forgetting a couple here. But the point is it’s even more competitive and Ford’s current entry at the base level is considered fairly weak although I have not sampled it for myself yet.
So Ford thought the Midsize Sedan market was crowded, the entry level CUV market is even more so. This strategy (get ’em in the door with EcoSport and base Escape) might work in areas where there is a Ford dealer and everyone else is an hour or more away but in most Urban or Suburban areas there’s no problem looking at all the options and that’s precisely where I think Fusion was getting killed already (besides large but somewhat niche markets like CA or WA where Hybrids/PlugIns have appeal due to external factors and represent a large subsection of overall Fusion sales).
The small CUV market is so saturated that very soon the day will come that everyone will kill each other to sell theirs and poof the increased profit margin will disappear there too. Why would Ford now have any advantage? It’ll just be the same, that will be the new sedan market equivalent and everyone will whittle everyone else’s profit down to the bare minimum (or below).
I don’t know, I hope it doesn’t play out that way but it wouldn’t surprise me if it did. King F-150 rules the roost over there and that’s almost ten eggs of the dozen. Bronco will likely be successful but as a standalone type of vehicle (i.e. people will buy Bronco not because it’s a Ford but a Bronco) and the Mustang isn’t going to keep the lights on either. Maybe the e-Mustang will be the second golden ticket but it needs to be here now. That new EcoSport of the future had better be all that and a bag of chips to keep pulling the entry levelers in the door but I don’t see Ford concentrating much on the cheap stuff anymore.
@Jim Klein
I agree with your sentiments regarding the EcoSport. Just look at what Ford of Europe has on the shelf; a stylish mild hybrid CUV roughly the same size called Puma, and Ford is saying they won’t bring it over? I don’t understand the logic here whatsoever.
The wife and I just got done seriously exploring that range of cars, with a Nissan Kicks SR being the eventual winner. We liked the Kia Soul (as expected, that was our initial first choice), hated the Ford Ecosport (to the point that it didn’t even make a test drive), also disliked the Hyundai Venue (hard to believe that is the same platform as the Soul – the lane changing warning in that car is particularly annoying), and looked at a Chevy Trax, but it was about as unimpressive as the Ecosport. Also test drove a fwd Jeep Renagade which is the closest FCA comes to this class. Too heavy, thirsty, and they’re really pushing the fwd version because they don’t have a real competitor.
The American marques really need to up their game in this class. Right now they’re being outclassed by the Japanese and especially the Koreans who seem to understand these vehicles better than anyone else. Killing off your small cars to replace them with a substandard small crossover is not good for the future.
@Cjiguy, the Puma is actually a little bigger than the EcoSport and FWD only. Where a rear differential could go there is a Mega Box storage container/ice chest. So that likely makes it a no go for the US, unless structural changes are made. Despite the fact that many people don’t really need AWD they want it in a CUV type vehicle, w/o it would be a non-starter for them.
They are supposedly working on a replacement for the EcoSport.
Ford isn’t admitting that it can’t compete, it is that it isn’t a good business decision to use the resources to compete in a shrinking segment with low profit margins.
The writing has been on the wall for decades now. Back when the Explorer was new and the must have vehicle the father of a good friend of mine worked at the local Ford corporate office. I had called him to find out which dealers he recommended as the best in our area.
We talked about more than just that though and he told me that the average per unit profit, of the Explorer was 10x that of the Escort. The Taurus was better at ~3x the Escort numbers.
Fact is the biggest cost of bringing a new car to market is the development and tooling cost and the fact is that it isn’t really any cheaper to design Sedan than a CUV. The cost to build isn’t significantly different either, in base form.
The other big factor is what the buyers of each buy.
Back in the 90’s the Explorer was so profitable because the average unit was loaded with additional options that are high margin. Meanwhile the average Escort had far fewer additional profit items.
So do you spend the money on developing a car that you could make X% margin on, with current volume that in a segment that is expected to continue to shrink, or do you use it to develop a CUV with 2x, 3x or 4x the margin in a segment who’s volume is expected to continue to grow?
Don’t get me wrong I’m not happy to see the Fusion and MKZ go but I understand there were better uses of development money than finishing development of and bringing the 2021 versions to market.
While I mostly agree Ford is sending the message of not wanting to compete, is Honda and Toyota also sending the message they can’t compete with the Mitsubishi Mirage and Nissan Versa in the subcompact segment by dropping the Fit and Yaris?
The volumes in that segment are significantly smaller than in the midsize segment and Mitsubishi is talking about pulling out of the US Market completely so that’d be the end of the Mirage as well (which only sold 27k units in ’19), obviously Mitsu USA is not a profitable operation. The Versa is now a genuinely good car at that end of the market and hopefully it works out for Nissan, they may clean up but only having one body style may hinder that. Nissan also has been losing money hand over fist.
Ford had potential with the Fiesta and it had strong sales (comparatively) until it was realized that Ford literally was knowingly hanging their buyers out to dry with a known-to-fail-and-unfixable transmission in the US, which isn’t a good way to ensure brand loyalty.
The Fit was considered a very good car in the segment and likely could have continued with the just released (but not here) new generation. Honda seems to be trying to figure out what it wants to be these days and Fit was never offered in unlimited quantities over here, it was often hard to find (not built here). Toyota’s Yaris was a decent car but never really caught on for whatever reason, the Scion program ending added a lot of turmoil to that sector of the showroom lineup as well.
If any of those models though sold anywhere close to 200k as the Fusion did, they’d surely still be around. None of them did anywhere near that though, you have to go up a class and see Toyota and Honda selling over 300K Civics and Corollas each every year with Sentra and Elantra right behind and the Jetta of all cars in fifth place (100k). No US maker in that segment either anymore (Focus, Cruze, etc – Ford self inflicted its own damage with PowerShift and Cruze went from a well-liked and respected car to a general snooze-fest that looked far cheaper than it actually was.
If the top five positions combined in any segment form a million sales annually (as the Civic/Corolla class does), I would think that a large automaker should be able to compete instead of being an also-ran and quitting. When the segment though gets to be so small that the entire segment with everybody in it combined (not just top five) is barely totalling 300k sales as in the Fit/Yaris class over here, well, then it may be time to get out, the consumer really isn’t interested enough seeing as how the top two positions one class up each sell over 300k annually. (2019 top seller in the Fit/Yaris class was actually the old Versa at 66k sales surprisingly followed by the Fiesta at 60k)
I’ve written extensively about the MKZ and Fusion, having owned one of each (search for my COALs for more). These are (were?) great cars. Their biggest sin? They weren’t making enough money for Ford (relative to what trucks and SUVs bring in).
I’d be surprised if the Fusion was a break-even affair for Ford after they put the cash on the hood to move it. Which is probably still better than the Focus and Fiesta, which Ford was probably selling at a loss.
While I like my sedans, I am in an increasingly small minority of buyers. No surprise – even I have to admit that the two-box form is more useful. But this is why I like my sedans: Designed for criteria other than just its ability to haul a dishwasher home from Lowes.
It wasn’t that the Fusion and MKZ didn’t make money, it was that they didn’t make enough money. The Fiesta and Focus were loosers though, once the transmission is accounted for. But compared to an Escape or Explorer the profits were slim.
I have zero experience with these cars – a single ride in a several-year-old early Mercury Milan is my sole data point – but from the outside they seemed like the best combination of concept and execution to come out of Ford’s passenger car business in a long time. Nasser’s cost-cutting era took a lot of air out of Ford’s tires as far as product appeal went, and this car did a good job of making up some lost ground.
Am I the only one who thinks that the Koreans are making better American-style cars than Americans are these days?
Am I the only one who thinks that the Koreans are making better American-style cars than Americans are these days?
No, but then, the Koreans are building those American-style cars in America. Georgia and Alabama. Add to that the fact that the Camry is built in Kentucky and the Accord in Ohio. Ford built in Mexico. GM builds the Malibu in the USA, but probably not for much longer. Yes, one can argue “they are designed here” for the American brands, but so are the Koreans and Japanese. It seems that the “foreign” companies build what their customers want, and then try to make the other models to compliment sales. SUVs are taking over in volume, but those sedans are still being built by the other companies.
Look, I don’t think a company should build a product that does not sell, but I fully believe that the USA big 2.5 just gave up on trying and built trucks and SUVs as a way of making hay while the sun shines. They surrendered the market, willingly, and never gave their customers a viable product to justify trying out a new sedan.
At least the current European market still likes a good sedan, and Ford still has the Mondeo. But when fashion changes, and it will, I think Ford, GM, and Chrysler will all be caught flat footed, and will suffer the consequences of their short sighted goals.
“It seems that the “foreign” companies build what their customers want, and then try to make the other models to compliment sales. SUVs are taking over in volume, but those sedans are still being built by the other companies.”
Sonata volumes have tanked so hard I highly doubt Hyundai is making a dime off of it. probably losing quite a bit.
No, you are not the only person thinking that Korean car companies are building more “American” cars than the domestic car companies do.
Last year we bought a brand new 2019 Hyundai Sonata SEL (one step up from the base) with the 2.4 I4. It replaced our very solid 2010 Mazda 6 V6 sedan that we bought brand new in 2010. The Mazda was still running strong but had various cosmetic (dents, broken side view mirror) and courtesy issues so we traded it in.
I was impressed by the value for the money Hyundai offered (Out the door tax/license/title for roughly $23K. We paid $30K on the Mazda in 2010). It is simple, cleanly styled, seems solidly put together after a years use, and runs and drives smoothly so far. I would like a V6 but that’s a rant for another time. In short, it is solid, better than basic transportation that meets our needs for a daily driver.
And once we bought the car and drove it home all I could think was “THIS is the car Ford or Chevrolet should build.” We skipped Chevrolet after a disastrous experience with a 2006 Impala (traded for the Mazda) and I skipped the Fusion after riding in a couple and really not being impressed. We looked at a Mercury Milan at the same time we were looking at the Mazda in 2010. We didn’t like the interior layout compared to the Mazda.
If you mean RWD and a reasonable engine in front shop Japan Korea Germany thats it the US and Australia got out of that game here unless of course you need an over priced two door coupe and most people dont.
I rented Fusions 2 years in a row when I visited a friend out in LALAland. I was favorably impressed altho maybe that was somewhat off as I had a small, but $$$$$ Toyota Hybrid at the time. I traded the Toyota for a new 2012 Fusion. IIRC I kept it 3-4 months before eating my lunch and going back for a new Honda Accord.
To me the Accord (4 cyl.) was simply superior by any measure, including seat of the pants! The Fusion was a competent -meh- family sedan; otoh the Accord had a wee bit of “spirit” to it!!
My current gen Accord with its 1.5L turbo 4 is another LARGE step up from my 2013 Accord. There really was not a sedan “response” from Ford to this generation Accord/Camry.
I wonder how long it will be b4 both GM and Ford come to regret stopping car (sedan) production? The big to HUGE boxy SUVz/CUVz and pickemuppz simply take to many resources to build and run, IMO. When ga$ does get tight AGAIN, well good luck getting a Accord, Civic, Camry etc. The bank$ in Tokyo will be very flu$h with USA consumer ca$h!! DFO
I agree
The Fusion was never something the Accord benchmarked – it was always the reverse and Ford finally gave up
A personal transport pod for 2 is well served by an HR-V. Room for 4 is more than sufficient in a CR-V. Plus there’s a lot of room “in the boot” for luggage, etc. Add in easier ingress/egress, taller seating stance and usually bigger windows to see out of, and I can’t frankly understand how a sedan can measure up. The mileage penalty has become minimal. The HR-V and CR-V are just examples; there are many other fine examples out there that now sell for reasonable prices.
As a Chevy guy, I couldn’t help but take notice when this generation of Fusion came out, as it just seemed to fill a space that the ’55 Chevy once held…
– dynamic styling
– improved road manners and drivability
– well-screwed together
etc, etc.
And the 2013 Fusion was a hit, just as Chevy decided to take a few steps back with a Malibu that couldn’t hold a candle to the outstanding 2008-12 generation.
And unlike their Japanese competition, Fusion was built for an enjoyable, engaging drive. What wasn’t there to like?
Even though I get it, it’s still a shame that the US is ceding the mass-market mainstream sedan arena, at least for now. Something tells me there’ll be at least a mini-renaissance when BEVs become more affordable and practical to build. IOW, when a big breakthrough happens in battery technology. We’ll see.
At least FoMoCo can exit this segment with their head high.
So Lincoln is now just a truck outlet? When it comes to cars, Ford only has the Mustang, and that seems destined to be replaced by a battery CUV. Lots of Ford car buyers are going to be forced to buy something else next time. They’re in for a pleasant surprise.
Son No. 1 just bought a 2010 Fusion SE Hybrid (177K miles) to replace his 2010 Grand Caravan (230K miles). He hopes it will hold out 5 years or so, and given he lives ~15 minutes from his work, won’t be putting too many miles on it. It was a coworker’s car that appears to have been well-maintained. With a 3- and 5-year-old to haul around, a hybrid sedan seems to be a good fit from a use-case standpoint.
I find the grille styling a bit horsey, but the overall lines aren’t bad, and I was pleasantly surprised with the interior, which was a mix of dark warm greys and tans.
The interior:
Your son should be fine with the Fusion. NYC Taxi companies bought Escape hybrids and routinely ran them to half a million miles. The 2010-2012 Fusions had the exact same powertrain.
This big move to CUV-only lineups, yet the 20-somethings I know drive sedans because they see CUVs/SUVs as uncool “mom cars”. Look for the domestics to be begging for another handout/bailout in 10 years or so after they completely misread the market when these kids are in their earning and spending prime…
The Fusion is the European Mondeo rebadged and in the most recent models the Mondeo has come in for criticism for being too Americanised and its dynamic abilities had been lost The Mondeo is the car Ford buyers here walked past Australian RWD Falcons to buy being bigger than the Falcon in width and a better car on the road sold them in good numbers also it came with a diesel engine which is still a popular choice despite the RUC prepay feature, Ford killed off its own car in this country the Falcon simply stopped attracting buyers of new cars,
“The Fusion is the European Mondeo rebadged”
the current generation Fusion/Mondeo was designed in North America, so you sort of have that backwards.
Fair enough but the second half of the sentence still holds true. The American genes made the Mondeo too big and clumsy and sales tanked.
what? The Mk.3 and Mk.4 Mondeo are practically the same size and weight.
The Mondeo has exited the Australian market for similar reasons. https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/ford-mondeo-dead There’s also a perception here that they are not as reliable as the Camry etc, and those who want a European medium-large sedan or wagon for a reasonable price probably want a European badge and buy a Passat.
A very good piece and a fitting memoriam but I am not so much hearing “My Way” here as I am Beck’s “Loser”. Not that the car is bad, it isn’t, in fact it is I believe correctly acclaimed as a good car and a worthwhile obvious successor to the first couple of Taurus generations. The loser here is Ford for its inability to take what was and is an extremely popular car worldwide, sells in very large volumes (larger than many of its competitors), isn’t hobbled by union rules or wages by being built in Mexico, and yet seems to not be able to be sold at a profit.
Using the old plant to produce different models that “may” show a better result is risky, especially when replacing something that has fans and buyers. There’s no guarantee that the replacements on the assembly line will in fact show better profitability without addressing the root causes of that. Every other maker in the world (including Tesla) besides the US Three is expanding DOWNmarket in order to capture buyers sooner in their lifetime and hopefully keep them or at least get them looking in their showroom, Ford is going in the opposite direction.
The potential “Outback competitor” is ridiculous, and if serious is something that could have been produced for at least the last decade if they think it’s such a good idea. Producing a very small subset of what went before doesn’t do anything to increase profitability of that model. By even offering it Ford acknowledges that the basic Fusion idea is sound, there is NOTHING that was stopping them from creating a wagon previously and outbacking it, especially as the shape already exists in Europe, i.e. the majority of the engineering was done.
The Bronco, which is seriously intriguing to lots of people, is late to market and realistically isn’t likely to double the segment in overall sales. No non-Ford people have seen it in the flesh yet either, so all the good news about how great it is needs to be tempered by that until it is. In regard to Wrangler’s sales, at best it will siphon off a section of that pie, it won’t double the total market. It’s also likely to siphon off some F150 Raptor and regular Ranger buyers and end up with potentially a lower profit overall as the sales’ll be spread over more models. Years and years of teases and still a year away to give Jeep ideas as to exactly what they need to do in the meantime to blunt the force.
What this (Fusion/Z leaving) is though, is good news for the likes of Hyundai/Kia and Nissan who along with the others have been redeveloping their sedan lines and for the most part producing them here in the US with some also being built in Mexico, i.e. at no intrinsic advantage to what Ford had going. However now while the overall pie is shrinking, there is one less competitor to both worry about taking a slice, and one less competitor that will discount heavily, so (very slightly) less competitive pressure.
As far as Lincoln goes, this is crazy too, just kill the whole thing off. Lincolns don’t sell in huge numbers as far as their non-SUV offerings go, which is in large part to Ford just letting those branches die from the beginning. The SUVs, while superficially nice, are for the most part still way too closely Ford-clones with extra gingerbread slathered on inside and out. The grilles are different, the back end has more lights across the tailgate, and the interior leather, wood, and especially color (!) is what sets them apart from the Ford versions. Basically they could just be the “Vignale” trim or whatever of Ford and save the whole extra branding and dealership expense and would still likely sell the same.
e-Mustang is interesting but needs to be released already. Same with the Bronco, can’t just keep teasing it, people will get fatigued and this just gives Jeep and the others more time to figure out better ways to compete.
In the end I, for one, am sorry to see the Fusion go. It was good. The Lincolns, not so much, the Z was too obviously an add-on and also hampered the Continental when it was changed to look the same from the front.
It wasn’t that the current Fusion wasn’t profitable at current volumes, it was that the segment is shrinking and it wasn’t nearly as profitable as the utilities and pickups. So they didn’t expect it to continue to be profitable for another new generation to run its cycle.
It wasn’t that the current Fusion wasn’t profitable at current volumes,
Citations or other proof to back that up? Or is this just the predictable pro-Ford take we can always expect from you?
There is nothing wrong with being in a shrinking segment as long as your product is the compelling one that is being sought. As others leave, and the segment shrinks, as long as more people leave than total sales decline you could win. By leaving and taking your ball home, it’s a guaranteed loss if the sales were in fact profitable to some extent as you mention, there is zero guarantee that every Fusion that now does not get sold all of a sudden becomes an Explorer or Bronco sale at multiple times the profit, they can just as likely become an Altima sale. Or a RAV4 sale or whatever.
It’s a huge segment, and while declining, is not going completely away overnight, no matter what people seem to think. As far as development dollars go, Focus and Fiesta are still sold in other markets, I assume Mondeo as well (?) so I don’t see the huge development expense savings, the savings would only be from not having to develop some pieces for the N.A. market but not nearly the whole thing. And if they are, as Ed states, bringing the Outback version over here then there’s that development money spent already, isn’t it?
I agree with your points regarding the Fusion and MKZ more than the overly rosy arguments presented by Ed, IMO. The Fusion was a good car but not a great one.
BTW, as empty nesters, my wife and I are sticking with sedans and hatcbacks, with no plans to venture into SUVs or CUVs. As long as my 1998 Nissan Frontier remains reliable (it just ticked over 100K miles earlier this month), we’ll keep it in the fleet for hauling when needed.
“What this (Fusion/Z leaving) is though, is good news for the likes of Hyundai/Kia”
Fun fact: last year the Sonata and Optima combined barely outsold the Fusion. It might move the needle a bit for them, but I doubt it’ll be enough to turn those two into moneymakers.
at this point, “midsize sedan” means “Accord” or “Camry.”
Outsold Fusion by about 10 percent or 17,000 units in 2019 (combined).
2018 was 20 percent or 35,000 units
2017 was 15 percent or 29,000 units
In fairness I did not look up the Lincoln numbers, it could be closer or even put FMC over the top.
No idea if they make money but apparently Ford doesn’t either on the F/Z. But they do keep people coming back in the showroom where they can easily gander at the plethora of other models with really their one empty area being trucks and genuine off-road vehicles.
Hyundai was lambasted here on CC a couple of years ago for seemingly having way too few SUV’s, now they seem to have more than almost anybody while still offering a full range of sedans in both its regular as well as Genesis lineup.
The point I suppose is that Ford’s sins of the past have caught up. The Fusion should have been able to get the same prices and volume as Honda and Toyota.
The point I suppose is that Ford’s sins of the past have caught up. The Fusion should have been able to get the same prices and volume as Honda and Toyota.
‘Should have’ but couldn’t, I would have taken a Fusion (Sport, Titanium) over a Camry or Accord, but can’t think of anyone else I know who would.
Turns out decades of crap catches up to you eventually, who knew?
Of course the caveat would be that if it was a GM or Chrysler product then I wouldn’t consider it at all, still feeling crispy from the hemorrhoidesq burn those 2 inflicted.
Truth is the 2013 Fusion was never rated as highly as the 2013 Accord, altho there was a review in the Truth About Cars where the reviewer didn’t seem to have actually driven the Accord because he claimed it had no backup camera.
The Fusion was good for a Ford, but never the class leader.
I have a loaded up 2015 Fusion SE with the 1.5 Ecoboost. It’s bronze with tan leather interior and a sunroof. It’s my company car. I have to say that I love it! It drives well, it’s great on gas and it’s a looker with the bronze color. Personally, I prefer it over a Camry or Accord.
Ford cars are far from finished, only in the North American market Ford chooses not to offer them anymore due to changing market conditions, just like the F150 is not offered in Western Europe, and also due to pressure from Wall Street with their short term perspective. In Europe, and in particular Germany, Ford vehicles are usually rated best or among the best in every segment, and Ford cars and CUV’s are very highly regarded. The Focus and Fiesta redesigns are again setting class standards, and the Mondeo (Fusion) is still competitive, especially as a station wagon which is by far the most popular body style in this segment there. Contrary to that Honda and Toyota are below par, and the Camry is not even sold there. Honda pulled the Accord (a re-badged Acura TSX) off the European market a few years ago because it was lacking and did not sell. Priorities in Europe are different, with design, performance, refinement and technology (engines, transmissions, suspension) being the key criteria, while in North America, which used to be a car nation (continent), it now is mostly reliability that governs in the volume segments. That’s why Toyota and Honda still do comparatively well with their appliance cars in this extremely conservative mid-size 3-box sedan segment, and the total lack of design, refinement and sophistication are not a factor there. People that are drawn to more sophisticated brands, like Ford, VW, Mazda or the premium makes, have long moved on to other segments like CUV’s etc. Just wanted to give a Europeam/German perspective….
Car and Driver rates the Fusion near the bottom
#11
maybe it is the bottom
https://www.caranddriver.com/ford/fusion
the Accord is #1
and the Fusion was never at the top of class in the US
and btw, the reviewer at Road and Track stated the current Accord was equal to and in some ways better than the German luxury sedans that cost much more
the problem for Japanese brands in Europe is not that their cars aren’t as good or better, it’s that Europe buyers are more chauvinistic
in America, people buy what’s best regardless of the products’ origin, which is why brands like VW don’t do very well anymore
Hans, your German perspective is highly opinionated and also inaccurate.
The Toyota Camry is very much available in Germany, as hybrid only. And thanks to Toyota’s hybrids, their sales overall were up some 50% last time I checked. In fact, Toyota’s sales in German/Western Europe are constrained by demand outstripping supply.
The Ford Mondeo is not that highly regarded in Germany. A very quick check at auto motor und sport shows a recent comparison test of four diesel wagons, and the Mondeo came in third, behind the Kia Optima and Renault Talisman. The VW Passat was not in this test, but previously, the Passat consistently was rated well above the Mondeo.
https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/test/kia-optima-sportswagon-ford-mondeo-turnier-mazda-6-kombi-renault-talisman-grandtour-test/
In another comparison, the Mondeo again came in third, behind the Passat and Skoda Superb:
https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/test/ford-mondeo-hyundai-i40-skoda-superb-toyota-avensis-vw-passat-kombi-kampf/
Your comment perfectly belies the chauvinism that is so rampant in Germany about its cars. But more and more, that is crumbling, and all of the German manufacturers (Daimler, BMW, VW) are in a major panic, as drooping sales, losses, and the sense of being behind the EV and software wave is spreading. The glory days of the German Big Three are very much over, at least for now.
The Toyota Camry Hybrid now occupies the segment of the German market that Mercedes-Benz did when they made high quality cars with superlative engineering.
There was no fusion in a Fusion. But, there will be in the future. When necessary, Ford will bring out a new product Fusion that will be a real fusion between SUV and car. That will be a real Fusion.
I had a 2017 rental SE 2.5 for several weeks while my 2013 Impala was getting bodywork after an accident. It was a nice driving solid car but the power train was ho hum. In fact my Epsilon Impala with a 3.6 is getting about the same real world mileage and is light years quicker and more refined. Still I think both Ford and GM are being very short sighted killing off all of there sedans and keeping slower selling duds like the Bolt. I would gladly have bought another Impala to replace my 2017 if GM would have kept making and improving it. But alas it looks like my next sedan purchase will be a Kia or Hyundai as I didn’t care for the current noisy and unrefined 2.5 Camry and the Accord’s 1.5T is having lots of issues with oil contamination even though they claim it is all fixed. Not a fan of CVT’s either!
Something else that Ford is giving up with the loss of the Fusion is that I once read a while ago that it was none other than the Fusion Hybrid which had supplanted the Toyota Prius as the best selling hybrid sedan. But, perhaps, the hybrid sedan market as a whole is declining (GM recently discontinued the Volt which, while technically a PHEV, is close enough), so maybe it’s a moot point.
I don’t believe the Fusion Hybrid ever beat the Prius but they did move a lot of them, and the plug in version the Energi around here. The Escape hybrid however seemed to do better, it is back and it pretty much seems to match the mpg of the outgoing Fusion and the plug in version has near twice the range too.
Maybe it was combined with sales of the PHEV versions. I don’t think Toyota sold many of the Prius ‘Prime’ PHEV, but that could have been due to limited supply.
Ford put in a good effort and the model retired with some dignity.
I tried a 2012, with the 2.5 + 6spd auto. The engine was weak off the line compared to the Japanese 2.5s, and the automatic reluctant to downshift. Ruined the car, I liked nearly everything else about it.
Tried the Aston-aping Fusions a few times as well, both with the 2.0T. Again, nearing excellence. Solid, quiet, comfortable, handled well, notably refined, a better large VW than anything VW was putting out, and a nicer interior than Accord or Camry. The 2-liter was very strong until about 40mph, then ran out of steam. Again, the Japanese with their 3.5L sixes were far better. The last two generations didn’t have competitive powertrains and I consider that to be their biggest weakness.
I felt bad about the loss of the Fusion until I tried the new Camry and Accord, and read about the current 6 and upcoming H/K. The refined high-quality midsizer is back from multiple manufacturers.
I thought you found the current Accord miserable? Debbie Downer or something like that…I thought it was quite good and the segment has never been stronger or a better value overall.
I dislike the way the 1.5T and CVT pair up, immensely. The seating fabrics are really poor. There is evident cost cutting in numerous places–nothing out of hand, but it’s there. Other than that, it’s a very good car. Steering, chassis, interior volume, most dashboard and door materials. Give me a leather wrapped wheel and stick shift with either engine and I’d probably be a happy camper.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/uncategorized/borrowed-car-review-2018-honda-accord-ex-debbie-downer-drives-the-best/
My argument was that the automotive press overrates the car and ignores faults that should be noted (and probably would be with other manufacturers), so I made sure to note them with vigor as a counterpoint. I felt the same way about the 2013-2017 generation: the car was good, but certainly not the nigh unto perfection that was being claimed.
That makes sense, the seat materials especially, a turnoff at first sight. And I found parts of the dash objectionable especially that very hard “knob” shape that sort of sticks out just to the right of the wheel mid-height, which normally (most dashboards) I’m fairly amenable to.
The powertrain seemed fine to me on both conventional and hybrid models for the intended vast majority purpose, i.e. getting people to work with the best possible fuel economy. For corner carving, likely not so much but then there are other choices for that and until just last week or so, a stick was in fact theoretically available for either engine.
If 2.0 was too weak for you, have you tried a Fusion Sport? It had a 2.7T V6 with 325 hp and 350 lb-ft. paired with AWD.
Haven’t, but I am very curious. They were out of my target price range and almost overkill.
Requiem for the sedan.
At least here in California, the Fusion was one of the few domestic sedans which caught-on and found a customer base. Obviously nowhere near camcord volumes, but Ford seemed to be selling a lot of loaded-up Titanium and Hybrid models out here in the early/mid 10s. So it was a qualified success in that regard, and hopefully Ford can build on that.
(However, I’ve heard that elsewhere in the country, they were still putting buckets of cash on the hood, so it seems the big picture was not great.)
I might very well have bought a Fusion if I’d known more about it when I was last in the market for a car. I may still get one one of these days.
I almost got a 2015 Fusion to replace my grand marauis. Ive always loved the 2013+ fusion but instead I got a 2015 Honda Accord exl v6. Why? The grand marquis of course! 7 years with a grand marauis made me love the low beltline and acres of glass. That really grew on me and the Honda kept that while the fusion and other sedan makers went with the high beltline swoopy look with much less glass and poorer visability. Sometimes the little simple things matter more than you realize.
I have an ’02 Grand Marquis and an ’03 Avalon.
Whenever I switch to the Toyota I appreciate the better visibility as it has tall flat windows like a bus.
(What can I say, I like comfy old cars)
What is it about the American car makers that they can’t compete with the Japanese, German and Korean car makers? Are we just to lazy to do the solid technical engineering? Are we so short-sighted as to not be able to read future market demands/trends that one of our major makers all but cancels out sedans? I think it all speaks to the great decline of American know how, spirit and ingenuity. It’s been going on for a long time and it’s a very sad process indeed. So we just throw in the towel and cede the development and manufacture of major industrial goods to other countries. The US is definitely not the major world power we were in the mid-20th century and each one of us living here is hurting greatly because of this.
One reason is that we do not stress education nearly enough here in this country. We are all so wrapped up in sports and playing ball and celebrity hero worship that we gave up on everything else. And I won’t even go into the topic of the degradation of Christianity in this country. Suffice it to say that all of these things are killing us on the world stage. Very sad indeed.
The major religions in Japan are Buddism and Shintoism. Christianity is almost moot. Using your logic, how do you explain Japan’s success?
I not going to debate the superiority of one religion over another w/you. But I will state that Japan’s industrial superiority over the US is entirely due to diligent hard work and a stressing of education and attention to detail. However, it was the US that helped Japan become such a super power in this regard. Right after WWII our own W. Edwards Demming worked closely with Japanese leaders to teach them quality techniques that they learned very well. And one-by-one, America ceded it’s industries such as electronics in the early 1960s to its auto industry in the 1970s and 80s to Japan and other Asian countries.
I also won’t debate one religions superiority over another with you but I will point out that the events that you mention are true and factual and are of this world and not the heavens.
There’s this company called Tesla…
What happens when the Asian automakers get serious about making an electric car? A reputation for poor quality sank the American automakers. When it comes to quality Tesla seems to be doing no better than GM.
https://jalopnik.com/one-week-old-tesla-model-x-has-catastrophic-suspension-1844564706
From what I’ve read of that case so far it is not at all cut and dried that it just “failed”. There is perhaps quite a bit more to that story that has not been disclosed yet. As someone with their eyes quite wide open, I have found that Electrek and Jalopnik are very much (surprisingly to me, actually) on opposite sides of the spectrum as concerns all things Tesla and no longer assume either as necessarily being fair and balanced on that particular subject.
Edit: I read through that post again, it has been updated and now appears that:
1. The car was not new after all
2. It apparently was involved in a prior accident
3. Tesla is paying for the repair
4. The owner is a known Tesla stock short-seller
Not quite as clear cut anymore.
“And I won’t even go into the topic of the degradation of Christianity in this country.”
Speaking as an old-school Confessional Lutheran, what the hell does that have to do with anything?
Boomers gonna boomer, I guess.
I won’t get into the actual conduct of a number of people I know who call themselves “Christians.”
It has a lot to do with short term thinking and Wall Street quarterly expectations as well as when even a CEO utterly fails at improving a company in the US they are usually showered with money to go away. The only thing that matters is the numbers at the end of a quarter and no CEO that isn’t also the founder expects (or even likely wants) to be in charge at one company for a lifetime, it’s far more personally profitable to switch, no matter if the previous posting was a success or not. Not so in other places/countries that thinks longer term, I’m not sure if that has anything to do with this country/society being physically younger than many/most/(all?) of the others.
As an aside, over here Tesla is different in that the one person who pushed to make it successful is still the one in charge and while Wall Street matters on one level, he has repeatedly clearly stated that he thinks the valuation is too high, i.e. he really doesn’t care what Wall Street thinks as either way he’s set for life already. The achievement is what seems to drive him, not the prospect of a golden parachute no matter what happens. That’s the difference. If he bowed out and handed the CEO position to for instance Jim Hackett of Ford (as one random example of many options I could have used), the place would fall apart within a year but Hackett would have been smart enough to secure a huge piece for himself in his contract to start and the board would have let him do so.
Excellent points here. Yes, this country’s mentality has long been to think in the short-term. It takes diligent long-term planning and the flexibility to amend those plans when necessary. But that is a rare trait indeed.
Amen 😁
For everything that can be said about Musk, he seems to be truly passionate about his endeavors and that quality in business is highly discouraged and seen as unstable by MBA types. The fact that shareholders have been trying to oust him from Tesla for the last several years shows how cancerous Wall Street is on business. Sorry but throw an empty suit like Hatchet in the role and watch Tesla tumble.
I owned a 2010 Fusion Sport. It was a great car, probably my favorite. Currently own a 2015 Cadillac ATS4 sedan. Nice car, a 4 door Camaro in disguise. We had a 2010 Lexus GS350, wife dumped it for the Fusion. Lexus was very comparable vehicle spec wise but the handling was really crappy. Turned down 2010 Accord, styling too frumpy and it was noisy at highway speeds. I had lots of Fusion’s and Malibu’s in my fleet, they were the most reliable, I even bought used Fusion hybrids when I could find some clean low mileage ones. Employees wanted the Impala, Taurus or Crown Vic, they didn’t have to pay the fuel bill.
I think Ford will be sorry. On my commute to work I’ve counted over 27 fusions within 10 miles, so apparently they are popular. I have a 2016, rides smooth, and very peppy! I had a ford escape for 12 years and I loved my escape… but have to say the sedan has a better ride and more fun to drive.
That was an excellent history! I read it to the end, which brought the good news. I might be in the market for another Ford if it was an AWD wagon with some clearance. Ford’s hybrid powertrain is perfect for me. Yes, they did tune it for power over economy, but that’s a feature, not a bug! It helped someone like me trade a GTI for a C-Max. I would never have considered a gutless Prius. To make a better hybrid car, I’d rather improve the weak points (power) than maximize the strong. I just gave my C-Max Energi a set of sticker tires that dropped the MPGs by 10, but it still gives over 60 MPG overall. Further fuel savings get smaller and smaller past that point.
Sorry to see the Fusion go. I’ve had several as rentals and found them to be solid machines with good road manners. While there remains a market for such a car, Ford’s put its chips on lumbering beasts such as the Raptor, which the marketing wizards see as offering a more favorable ROI. Pity.
Nice side-by-side shots of your Taurus and the earliest of the final-generation Fusion. It really shows just how much the modern 4-door sedan has evolved since Jack Telnak’s aero-themed designs took the entire market by surprise in the 1980s.