Introduced for the 2013 model year and facelifted for the 2017 model year, the second generation of the Ford Fusion is a tough old bird. In each and every test dreamt by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the 2017 Ford Fusion did not disappoint.
The mid-cycle update saw the mid-size sedan gain a different front-end structure and bumper reinforcement. Ford did it as a response to the ‘acceptable’ overall evaluation in the small overlap frontal crash test of the 2013 to 2016 models. By comparison, the 2017 model year has been rated ‘good’ by the specialists over at the IIHS.
Thanks to the small structural changes beyond the redesigned front fascia and bumper, the 2017 Ford Fusion allows two inches of intrusion into the cabin in a crash of this severity. That’s much better than the six inches allowed by the pre-facelift. Better still, the seat belts and airbags have also been updated so that the crash test dummy’s movement is better controlled.
Another area where the mid-sized sedan leapfrogs from ‘meh’ to ‘wow’ is front crash prevention. The rating improved from ‘basic’ to ‘superior’ thanks to the addition of an autobrake feature. In both track tests (at 12 mph and 25 mph, respectively), the Fusion avoided collisions like a champ. Pretty neat, but not everything is perfect with this family-oriented sedan from FoMoCo, to be frank.
When it comes to the ease of use of the child seat anchors, the revised Fusion carries a ‘marginal’ rating. Why? Because it’s difficult to maneuver around the lower anchors and they're located too deep in the seat.
These being said, the 2017 Ford Fusion joins other mid-size sedans in the Top Safety Pick+ club, chief among which are the 2016 model year Honda Accord, Chevrolet Malibu, Subaru Legacy, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda6, Nissan Maxima, Kia Optima, Volkswagen Passat, Chrysler 200, and Toyota Camry.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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