2017 Ford Fusion facelift debuts – 2.7L twin-turbo Fusion V6 Sport and two hybrids lead the new line-up

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The facelifted CD391 Ford Mondeo has broken cover at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, arriving in the form of the 2017 Ford Fusion for the US market. Earlier in the week, spyshots had caught the second-gen car (fifth, in the case of the Mondeo) undisguised out on Michigan roads.

The refreshed Fusion line-up is led by the V6 Sport, which features all-wheel drive and a twin-turbocharged V6 engine. A Fusion Platinum variant has also been added to the petrol range, which now features three EcoBoost engine choices, and two hybrids – the Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid – are also to be found in the mix.

The Fusion V6 Sport is powered by a twin-turbocharged 2.7 litre EcoBoost V6 offering 325 hp and 475 Nm, with all-wheel drive present. The motor also equips the 2015 F-150 pick-up as well as the Edge Sport, and the power output listed here is almost identical to that seen on the F-150.

Equipment includes a suspension with continuously controlled damping for real-time adjustment based on setup and road inputs – the system features pothole detection technology that, in less than the blink of an eye, adjusts the shock absorbers to greatly reduce the severity of impact transmitted to occupants.

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As seen in the earlier spyshot set, the V6 Sport is distinguished by an aggressive exterior, with deeper air intakes and a gloss black-finish mesh grille. It also has 19-inch wheels, a rear spoiler and dual twin exhaust outlets.

The Fusion Platinum, meanwhile, plushes up the interior route in a similar vein to the pre-facelift Vignale Mondeo for the European market, if not that dressy – for this one, instrument and door trim panels are wrapped in antiqued Cocoa leather, and the hand-wrapped steering wheel is finished in premium Venetian leather. The facelift also introduces a new rotary gear shift dial, which reduces console clutter.

On the outside, the Platinum is adorned with a grille finished in a shade called Magnetic, and 19-inch polished wheels are also part of the dress-up kit. The variant is equipped with a 2.0 litre EcoBoost unit and also features all-wheel drive.

As for the Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Energi, the automaker says that new software in both hybrids deliver an even more refined and engaging drive for customers, while more efficient electric motors are expected to contribute to better fuel economy and a purer range of electric driving.

Both electrified Fusions can run at electric-only speeds up to 137 km/h, and in the case of the Fusion Energi, its all-electric operation range is 30 km – the car automatically switches to its 2.0 litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine when the battery is depleted, with total workable range being in excess of 800 km. Recharging the 7.6 kWh lithium-ion battery battery, meanwhile, takes just 2.5 hours.

Tech available for the facelift includes a pedestrian detection system as well as hands-free parallel and perpendicular parking capability. Also on, lane-keeping assist, BLIS with cross-traffic alert and the automaker’s SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system. The automaker says that the new Fusion will begin selling in US dealerships in the summer, with the V6 Sport arriving a short while later.

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

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