Ford · 2006–present

Ford Fusion Americas

The Ford Fusion is a mid-size car that was manufactured and marketed by the Ford Motor Company. From the 2006 through 2020 model years, two generations of the Fusion have been produced in gasoline, gas/electric hybrid, and gas/plug-in electric hybrid variants. The Fusion was manufactured at Ford's Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly plant in Sonora, Mexico, alongside the Lincoln MKZ, and formerly the Mercury Milan, both of which share its CD3 platform. Production on the first Fusions began on August 1, 2005. The Fusion replaced the Mondeo for the Latin American markets, except in Argentina (where the current European Mondeo is available); in the United States and Canada it superseded the then mid-size Taurus and the compact Contour. The Fusion is positioned between the compact Ford Focus and the full-size Ford Taurus. In the Middle East, this model is sold alongside the Mondeo. Versions sold there are available only with the 2.5-liter engine. Unlike in the United States, Canada, and Latin America, no V6 engine is available in that region. The same is true in South Korea, where only the 2.5-liter engines (including those for the hybrid model) are available as of the 2012 model year. The second generation line-up includes a gasoline engine option, an EcoBoost engine option, a next-generation hybrid model, and a plug-in hybrid version, the Ford Fusion Energi, making the Ford Fusion the first production sedan to offer these four options. Sales of the gasoline-powered and hybrid versions began in the U.S. in October 2012 under the 2013 model. Sales in Europe and Asia as Ford Mondeo began in 2015, along with South Africa, where the Fusion name was used. Deliveries of the Fusion Energi began in the U.S. in February 2013. The entire 2013 Fusion line-up was awarded with the 2013 Green Car of the Year at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. In 2019, the Fusion was the seventh-best selling car in the United States.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Ford Contour · Successor: Ford B-Max

All Ford Fusion Americas data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years → + Compare

First generation (2006)

The Fusion used Ford's CD3 platform, originally designed by Mazda as its G platform, its wheelbase stretched by 5 cm and width extended by 5.5 cm. The Fusion was the first production car to use Ford's three-bar grille. Available in S, SE, and SEL trims, the standard engine on each was the 160 hp (119 kW) Mazda-designed 2.3 L Duratec 23 I4, paired with either a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission, both also designed by Mazda. SE and SEL models were also available with a 221 hp (165 kW) 3.0 L Duratec 30 V6 and a 6-speed automatic made by Aisin Japan. The Fusion shared some interior parts with the otherwise-unrelated European Mk III Ford Mondeo, such as part of the console and the seats. Ford's early advertising campaign for the Fusion in the United States used the tagline, "Life in Drive", in the U.S. and "Create a Reaction," in Canada. In January 2007, the company launched a new campaign for the Fusion with the tagline "Fusion Challenge" (later, "Ford Challenge"). The American Ford Fusion emerged the winner over the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord based on the attributes of styling, reliability from Consumer Reports, handling, and "fun to drive" in head-to-head comparison tests with the Japanese sedans performed by subscribers of Car and Driver and Road & Track magazines in the Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles regions. In July 2007, Motor Trend reported that Ford's Special Vehicle Team tuner group planned to release a Fusion GT in late 2009 or early 2010. Its 3.5-liter Eco-Boost V-6 would make about 340 horsepower. No such vehicle ever came to fruition. Features and model year changes. For 2007, all-wheel-drive became available on V6 models. Sirius Satellite Radio became available as an option on the SE and SEL trims. The front passenger fold-flat seat was in

Second generation (2013)

The second generation Fusion was unveiled at the 2012 North American International Auto Show as a 2013 model. The redesigned Fusion is built on the Ford CD4 platform and is an example of Ford's global car strategy "One-Ford", with design led by Ford of Europe, started with the Focus and then the extension of Fiesta production, which both came into North America in 2012. The new model marks the reconvergence of Ford's mid-size platform for both Europe and the Americas – the CDW27 program which spawned the Ford Contour/Mercury Mystique and the original European Mondeo had been the company's previous attempt at a mid-size car for the world, which was met with mixed success. As a One-Ford project, Ford of Europe Head of Advanced design team Chris Hamilton was commissioned as lead designer based in Detroit, under the guise Exterior Chief Designer for Ford/Lincoln, with design support led from Ford of Europe studios in Germany and the United Kingdom. Test and development of localized versions was undertaken in both North America and Europe, resulting in different engine choices, automatic gearboxes, suspension settings and tires. As with the previous generation Fusion, the final assembly took place at Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, with additional capacity added in Flat Rock Assembly Plant, Michigan. The hybrid version and the Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid will continue to be assembled in Mexico. The Mexican assembly plant won the prized MIT, Worlds Best Automobile Plant award. In Europe and other international markets, the engine range is similar, but the 2.5 will only be available in North America. In international markets, a three-cylinder 1.0L 123 bhp EcoBoost, claimed to produce just 125g/km of CO2 emissions; and the Ford Fusion Energi plug-

Discontinuation

In 2018, Ford began plans to discontinue the Fusion along with its other sedans in North America over the following years, as the marque shifts towards pickups, CUVs, SUVs and the Mustang muscle car. In September of that year, Ford ended all national and promotional advertising (including sales and special offers) for its entire sedan lineup, including the Fusion, whose production continued. The performance-oriented Fusion Sport was discontinued after the 2019 model year, with Ford focusing "on more popular styles" of the Fusion. 2020 was the final model year for the Fusion in North America, effectively ending what was left of Ford's 4-door car lineup in North America.

Auto racing

=== NASCAR === The Fusion also became the new body style for Ford automobiles in NASCAR beginning in 2006, replacing the Taurus. This marked the first time since the Torino in 1968 that Ford introduced a new model that went racing in NASCAR at the same time as its launch. For the introduction of the Generation 6 body design in 2013, the vehicles were updated to match the second generation Fusion. The Generation 6 body styles were also meant to closer resemble the production versions of their respective vehicles. The Mustang replaced the Fusion in the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. Land speed record success. Ford attempted to use a fuel cell version of the Fusion, Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999, to set a land speed record on August 10–17 during Bonneville Speed Week in 2007. The Fusion 999 project was born in early 2006 when Ford fuel cell engineering manager Mujeeb Ijaz approached Roush Racing about a project to demonstrate the performance potential of a fuel cell-powered vehicle. Roush's team, led by Rick Darling, worked with a team of Ford engineers and technicians led by Matt Zuehlk to come up with a vehicle design that could meet the goal of exceeding 200 mph (320 km/h) on the Bonneville Salt Flats, fueled only by hydrogen. On August 15, 2007, the vehicle set the fastest fuel cell ground vehicle speed record of 207.297 mph (333.612 km/h). The car was driven by retired Ford engineer Rick Byrnes, a long time Bonneville racer.

Reviews

In a December 2005 test, Car and Driver ranked the Fusion just below the first-place Honda Accord, edging out the Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata by only a few points. "The Verdict: Not your father's Taurus". Consumer Reports has also given positive reviews to the Fusion, as it had to the previous Taurus. It rated the Fusion Hybrid the top domestic sedan for 2010. In 2009, the magazine's automotive editor, Rik Paul, said, "The Ford cars outscored Honda's Accord and Toyota's Camry, the two top-selling cars in America, 'which many people view as the paradigms of reliability'," referring to the Fusion and Mercury Milan. Ford Fusion ranked highest among midsize cars in the JD Power APEAL study for 2006. In the January 2009 issue, Motor Trend rated the Fusion Hybrid ahead of the Toyota Camry Hybrid. and in the February 2009 issue rated the Fusion Hybrid ahead of the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the Nissan Altima Hybrid, and the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid. In a 2012 comparison test by Motor Trend, the Ford Fusion came in third place out of six cars behind the first place Volkswagen Passat and second place Honda Accord.

Consumer response

According to Ford, consumer response to the 2006 Fusion had exceeded their expectations, with 30,000 sold during the first quarter of 2006. By October 2009, the Fusion became one of the top ten best-selling cars in the U.S. for the first time, as well as the best-selling car by a domestic automaker. For the 2007 model year, approximately 77% of Fusion sales were for the retail market, with 23% for the fleet market. This sales mix has contributed, in part, to the Fusion's relatively high residual value compared to the Taurus. Ford also sold the Fusion in Mexico and Brazil. In Brazil, it became the highest-selling car in its class in 2008.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

Ford Fusion

Manufacturer

Ford

Class

Mid-size car (D)

Production

August 2005 – July 2020

Model years

2006–2020

Predecessor

Ford Contour and Ford Taurus (fourth generation)

Body style

4-door sedan

Layout

Front-engine, front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive

aka

Ford Mondeo (Europe and Latin America, 2014–2022)

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q920675CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Fusion_(Americas)CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1377300321 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2006_Ford_Fusion_--_NHTSA.jpgPublic domain · Photo: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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