Faults:

The inside driver door handle broke around 46000 miles (December 2015). I think that's awfully premature, and it feels loose again. Common issue on first- and second-gen Fusions and Milans. It should have been a stronger design.

The Fusion is on its second battery; I replaced it in June 2016 at around 57000 miles.

I also had new rear rotors installed at 60K.

General Comments:

This was my father's car that he traded to me. I was driving a 2011 Focus that got totalled, so my dad replaced it with a 2007 Milan (good car other than those terrible, terrible seats, stupid silver trim, and horrible fuel mileage). The seats in the Milan were so bad that I started to drive the Fusion. We got a steal on the Fusion; we bought it at three years old for $11,000 with 15K miles. I'm at 61K miles now and I'd like to keep it for another 90-140K.

Assume that if I don't cover it in this review, then I have no complaints.

Here are the cons:

First off, the Fusion is gutless. G-U-T-L-E-S-S. Wow. I can't tell you how many times I've been cut off because the Fusion won't get out of its own way. By far, my biggest complaint with the car. If you're even considering a 4-cylinder Fusion for highway commuting, DON'T DO IT. DO NOT DO IT. The Fusion's cabin is not well-insulated from the dreadful engine noise.

Fuel economy could be a lot better; driving with a 90% highway commute yields 22 MPG. I had an '05 Taurus that would consistently get 25 MPG on the highway. I get that a 4-cylinder engine will typically deliver either power OR fuel economy; operative word there being "or", but the Fusion gives me neither. Neither. My friend has a 2007 Buick Rainier V8 that is much more spirited, and he gets only 1 MPG less than I do.

The trunk control is right next to the dimmer for the dash. That's great, but if you're driving less than 30 MPH and hit it accidentally, the trunk will fly open. Why this didn't cross anybody's mind when they were designing the panel I do not understand. The dimmer should be embossed and/or the trunk control moved. I wouldn't care, but even with the auto mode off, the dash still dims and brightens as it pleases (which I personally find irritating, not cute), so I'm reaching for that dimmer switch 5-8 times in 30 miles.

The auto-dim rear view mirror works, but it needs some revision. It doesn't work for anything smaller than a semi, and even then the lights of the semi still blind you in that middle mirror. I just turned my mirror so it faces the ceiling and I don't use it to back up. The "manual" mirror I've had in every other car was better. Hey, part of ergonomics is knowing when NOT to advance, am I right?

Window lock doesn't lock the front passenger window. Not sure if that's a flaw in my unit or a functional design.

Driver's seat needs more support. It's all right, but could be a lot better. I'm not physically wide enough for the seat. After 25-30 minutes in the Fusion, my entire back hurts (and that's WITH lumbar support!). I wish the armrest on the center console was 1-2" longer.

I wish the moonroof was one inch longer (toward the front). I sit in such a way that the moonroof is out of my vision, so it's a complete waste and I'd rather have the extra head room that got sacrificed since I never, ever use the moonroof and my head is within 1/4" inch of touching the roof.

The sun visors are clipped backward. Very irritating.

Brakes are always soft, even after being adjusted or replaced. They work, but they're too soft for my taste.

There are many incessant rattles, and it sounds more like a car with 120K on the clock than only 61K.

Okay, now the good:

Favorite feature is the heat. Living in Pittsburgh, don't underestimate the benefits of good heat and good defrost.

I like the center stack. The layout is logical, easy to read, and easy to reach. Same layout as in my Focus. Took less than a day to learn it in each car.

This is the first car I've ever had where the head rest is actually contoured to my head! I can actually rest with my head on the headrest!

The ride is relatively smooth and quiet in the city, unless you're trying to merge or accelerate. Highway driving is loud due to engine noise, not road noise.

The seat fabric, while firm, seems durable. Every other Ford product my father and I have shared would have the driver seat shredded by now.

The reverse beeping system is a nice touch. I can back up without it, but it's particularly useful in parking garages and when doing parallel parking. I almost always back in when I park.

Drop-dead reliable. Always starts, whether it's 90 degrees out or -10.

All in all, the Fusion is okay; best part is reliability, worst is the four-cylinder that is both gutless and returns poor fuel economy. In my younger years, I would've only bought Fords with no question (especially since the Focus I had saved my life). Now that I'm older and see other brands out there, I'm probably going to look toward a Camry, Altima, or Legacy as my next car if I stick to midsized sedans. There's just got to be a better balance between sacrificing both power and fuel economy; to me, that mix is a large part of what makes a car useful (and, even with a degree in IT, I don't need all the "techy" features seemingly standard in every Ford nowadays).

Oh, did I mention that the four-cylinder Ford Fusion is GUTLESS?

Faults:

Low tire pressure light came on sporadically.

General Comments:

I rented this model for three weeks about a month ago, so I will do my best to offer input.

The Fusion was not very fast, but it was certainly more than adequate.

The brakes were better than my 2005 Taurus, but they made a lot of noise.

The steering was very tight.

The car had Sirius Satellite Radio in it, which was nice. The controls are straightforward and they lit up nicely. The radio needs to have more adjustability; I couldn't figure out how to adjust the bass and fade after three weeks.

The back seats (I was a passenger and a driver) were very comfortable, but the seat belt needs to be raised higher. The cup holders should be moved out of the armrest and down to the floor, like the Taurus had them.

The front seats were contoured well, but not as well as my Taurus. The fabric on the seat was "loose"... you could grab it in your hand and move it. I am attributing this to abuse and not a lack of build quality. My Taurus's interior is still intact.

The headlights were pretty good.

The gas mileage was okay; 29 highway and 19 city. My 2005 Taurus with the Vulcan gets more like 32 highway and 26 city.

Thank you for reading my survey. I'm sorry I couldn't have been more help. It really wasn't that bad of a car.

Faults:

I have had the car for only a week, so naturally nothing has gone wrong.

General Comments:

I wanted to order another Focus manual transmission, but due to ordering restrictions I could not get what I wanted. I drove the Fusion Sport, and reluctantly decided to go with it, despite the fact that it is automatic. I am well pleased.

The Fusion sport is a superior vehicle. The Sync is improved over the previous system, and offers a myriad of useful services.

The cabin is comfortable, roomy and attractive.

This car is quick and handles well.