[spray99]

I've been looking at a vehicle to replace my 2015 STI for my long commute. I recently bought a z06 so having the two manual performance cars seems overkill for my needs.

The Fusion Sport looked interesting when I first found about it a few months ago. The pricing on them in Canada is crazy good right now: $38,000 Canadian + tax with EVERY option (Like the RS here they only come fully loaded).

One finally came into a local dealership so I stopped by. The interior color has been photographed all different ways so far. It's the only available color and it's much darker in person than most pictures. I tried to best portray it in the picture I took.

The car is good looking, a little understated with nice lights and wheels.

The interior is roomy, the seats are extremely comfy and the ventilated seats are heaven. The sound system is pretty good, and the sync seemed to respond well. I liked the gauges with the displays as well.

The engine is great. I didn't launch it but it had power everywhere in sport mode. Felt like my BMW 135 powerwise before I tuned it.

Transmission is so-so, it felt like it could shift a little quicker in sport mode.

Suspension setup is unbelievably good for comfort and pothole mitigation. I went over railway tracks like it was butter. This new adaptive suspension is incredible.

Car is nice and quiet on the road in normal mode, refined and great for the segment.

Overall for the features you get with this car as well as the monster motor there's nothing I can think of that touches it.

I'm going to think long and hard about trading in the STI for this car, it's definitely worlds better to live in.


There is ZERO information so far or reviews on this anywhere so if you have any questions about it ask away!

 

[Dconlan4]

Thanks!

 

[Dconlan4]

Thanks!

 

[mikesae]

Did it handle like a land yacht compared to your STI?
How was the steering ratio?

Many thanks!

 

[NukeFusion]

I think the fusion is better than the RS. How's the transmission when you're not in sport mode?

 

[Kevin74]

I think the fusion is better than the RS. How's the transmission when you're not in sport mode?

Still very sporty IMO. It seems to hold gears well under brisk/hard acceleration. In sport mode it will hold a gear much longer than typical when not driving aggressively. For example I've experienced it staying in third gear when I was maintaining a constant speed, where other cars/transmissions(including the Sport in D) would have easily been in 4th or 5th gear under similar conditions. So if I decided to stab the pedal it wouldn't need to downshift to give me significant thrust. This to me is the advantage you normally only get with a manual or some auto shift trans. Does this take away from using the paddle shifters? I'm still evaluating all of this. Trying to accommodate the recommended break in time too, which is difficult to say the least.

 

[escape]

How long is the recommended break-in period? 1,000 miles?

 

[Kevin74]

How long is the recommended break-in period? 1,000 miles?

Yes, that's what it states in the manual. Which by the way is for all 17' fusions. So if anyone is interested, the Fusion manual on Ford's website is the same as the one that came with my Sport. Received nothing Sport specific.

 

[don]

How long is the recommended break-in period? 1,000 miles?

Per the Owner's Manual:

BREAKING-IN

• You need to break in new tires for approximately 300 miles (480 kilometers). During this time, your vehicle may exhibit some unusual driving characteristics.
• Avoid driving too fast during the first 1000 miles (1600 kilometers). Vary your speed frequently and change up through the gears early. Do not labor the engine.
• Do not tow during the first 1000 miles (1600 kilometers).

 

[loudnproud75]

Avoid driving too fast during the first 1000 miles (1600 kilometers). Vary your speed frequently and change up through the gears early. Do not labor the engine.

My dealer has sourced me Fusion Sport from a dealer a couple hundred km away, which should be showing up this week. Considering any test drives the vehicle may have had as well as the trip here, is there any way to gauge how "hard" a vehicle is driven at this point ? what are the ramifications if this break in isn't done correctly

 

[DuFFman]

My dealer has sourced me Fusion Sport from a dealer a couple hundred km away, which should be showing up this week. Considering any test drives the vehicle may have had as well as the trip here, is there any way to gauge how "hard" a vehicle is driven at this point ? what are the ramifications if this break in isn't done correctly

What I've always been told is that the manufacturing process is significantly better than it once was and the break-in period is less necessary. That being said I don't think worrying about what happened to the car before you got it is a good.idea because there's no real wY to know how it was driven when it was in Mexico, when it was taken off the train, before it was put on a truck, after it was taken off a truck and when it was test driven. **** it. Sit in it, take it for a drive and listen for squeaks and rattles. That's what we do when we test drive them at the Ford plant in Oakville.

 

[Kevin74]

That being said I don't think worrying about what happened to the car before you got it is a good.idea because there's no real wY to know how it was driven when it was in Mexico, when it was taken off the train, before it was put on a truck, after it was taken off a truck and when it was test driven. **** it.

I have to agree. I did not order my Sport, however I saw a picture of it on the trailer it was delivered on, and the sales manager told me he did not drive it, that he personally took it from the trailer and set it aside for me(I had the first right of refusal on the car since it was still in Mexico). That being said, the car had 51 miles on it. At first as was like, who and why put 50 miles on the car. Did some guy get ahold of it somewhere on its journey, when they pulled it off the train? WTF?
Now it's mine, nothing wrong with it. It's just awesome. Don't bother yourself with those thoughts.

 

[escape]

That being said, the car had 51 miles on it. At first as was like, who and why put 50 miles on the car. Did some guy get ahold of it somewhere on its journey, when they pulled it off the train? WTF?

Because the Sport is so new, my guess is Ford is extensively road-testing these initial builds at the factory, before they head out to the dealerships.

 

[Airflow]

Because the Sport is so new, my guess is Ford is extensively road-testing these initial builds at the factory, before they head out to the dealerships.

That definitely happened on my last Ford, a 2012 Focus. I ordered it and it arrived with about 50 miles. If memory serves me right, I found a notice somewhere mentioning it was randomly selected for additional quality control tests. I just sold the car recently with 54,000 miles and it was one of the best cars I ever had so there were no issues from the additional 50 miles at delivery.

 

[DuFFman]

Just FYI, if a car has something wrong with it when it goes through final, it gets tested again. Which means it goes around the track again. Then it gets fixed, then it gets tested again. Maybe now it has an electrical issue, that gets fixed then it goes around the track again. You can look at this as good or bad. Your car is getting retested several times, when you get it it should be perfect.

 

[loudnproud75]

Thanks for the reply everyone !! I guess I wasn't concerned as much about the mileage "before" it arrived at the dealership, but afterwards, and how hard it was driven during test drives that may affect the break in period. Also, it mentions varying speed for the break in, but in order for my dealership to get it to me, they are sending someone 400km round trip to bring it back to my dealership. This will be almost all highway driving at constant speed, hopefully that's fine as well.

 

[BOT_ROCKET]

Unless it is driven really hard for a prolonged period, there is nothing to worry about. The main reason for the break in is to avoid extreme temps due to the added friction that is present when the metal surfaces are mating to each other. As long as that 50 miles wasn't a full throttle blast for the full 50 miles or a 50 mile trip towing a boat, I highly doubt there is anything to worry about. A few short blasts up the freeway ramp isn't going to hurt anything.