2010 Ford Fusion - Review

By Nelson Ireson

Nelson Ireson

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Nelson is an Editor at High Gear Media focusing on reviewing cars and covering the hottest topics in luxury and performance cars, car culture, and... More

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Push either car very hard and you expose weaknesses, including low-speed understeer, soft springs, and issues with damping, though not quite what you might expect. The Sport’s damping seems too soft for the application, especially when compared to the relatively over-damped Hybrid. Combined with front-heavy weight distribution and the resultant handling flaws, neither of these cars is likely to inspire break-neck back country runs. The Sport is definitely quicker and more nimble, but it doesn’t make you want to drive it more the way a true sport sedan does.

While both cars have their limits, you’ll approach the Hybrid’s a bit more quickly thanks to its low-rolling-resistance tires. They grip just fine for day-to-day driving and even hard braking, but they expose their green side with a lack of ultimate grip that isn’t a problem with the Sport’s tires.

Driving these two cars back-to-back answers the question of whether it’s more fun to drive a slow car fast or a moderately fast car slow. Slow car wins.

Quality & Comfort

Driving down the road in the hybrid, depending on the SmartGauge display mode you select, various meters show how efficiently you’re driving, helping you to stay in EV mode as long as possible or to keep average fuel economy within a given range. For those that prefer slightly less technical feedback, there’s a option for that, too, all the way to a garden of digital vines growing or shrinking with the movements of your right foot on the accelerator.

2010 Ford Fusion Sport AWD

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