As a carryover from 2011, the 2012 Ford Fusion should easily maintain its standing as one of the darlings of the midsize family sedan segment. With a smorgasbord of available trims, options and a hybrid with some of the best fuel economy numbers around, the 2012 Ford Fusion should continue to provide competition for the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata.

The 2012 Ford Fusion will continue to offer a range of trims. The base S trim comes with a standard 2.5-liter Duratec inline 4-cylinder (I4). The front-wheel-drive S comes with a standard 6-speed manual transmission (although a 6-speed automatic is an option) with fuel economy estimates of 22 mpg city/32 highway (manual) and 23/33 (automatic). Using regular unleaded fuel, the S’s I4 calls up 175 hp and 172 lb-ft of torque.

The SE trim also includes the I4 engine, but can be upgraded with a 6-speed SelectShift automatic with a thumb shifter for 22/30 fuel economy. The SE is also available in a V6 version whose 3.0-liter Duratec FlexFuel engine can accommodate regular unleaded, E85 gasoline or a combination of the two. The FlexFuel V6 comes paired with the 6-speed SelectShift automatic transmission and ups the power to 240 hp and 223 lb-ft of torque, with fuel economy of 20/28.

The SEL trim also comes in 2 versions: an I4 with a standard 6-speed automatic (or available SelectShift automatic) or the V6 FlexFuel 3.0-liter Duratec, which provides the 6-speed SelectShift automatic as a standard feature. The SEL V6, however, now includes the option to add all-wheel drive. Fuel economy drops slightly with AWD to 18/26.

The Sport trim represents the final, all-gasoline-powered trim option with a 3.5-liter Duratec V6, standard SelectShift automatic 6-speed transmission and optional AWD. The largest engine churns out 263 hp and 249 lb-ft of torque. The FWD Sport, with a trim-specific sport-tuned suspension and hydraulic power assist steering, gets fuel economy of 18/27 with FWD and 17/24 with AWD.

The Fusion also offers one of the most impressive hybrids in the segment, with a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle I4 gasoline engine paired with a NiMH-powered electric motor, charged through regenerative braking. With a combined power of 191 horses, the FWD Fusion Hybrid really shines in its fuel economy, with 41/36 mpg. Its electronic continuously variable transmission acts like an automatic.

The 2011 Fusion has been frequently described as comfortable, quiet and spacious, with interior materials that are soft to the touch, elegant and attractive. Given its carryover status for 2012, there is no reason to expect this year’s Fusion to offer a different experience. The S, SE and Sport come with manual climate control, while the SEL and Hybrid offer a standard dual-zone automatic climate control system (optional for the Sport). All trims provide a standard tilt and telescopic steering wheel, and all but the Base's incorporate cruise and audio controls. Although sometimes critiqued for the number of buttons on the center stack, the gauges in the 2011 Fusion were noted as large and easy to read. The Hybrid also includes a Smart Gauge cluster with an Eco Guide, which adds two additional displays to either side of the speedometer, providing additional information about fuel economy and “green” driving practices. Other notable interior features include standard MyKey for all trims, which is designed to help moderate younger driver’s habits by allowing parents to set limits on speed and audio volume, as well as dropping the threshold for low-fuel warnings and sounding a Belt-Minder chime until the seatbelts are fastened. The SEL and Hybrid also incorporate a universal garage door opener in their lineups of standard equipment.

Entertainment in the 2012 Fusion begins in the S with a standard AM/FM stereo with a CD player, MP3 playback and 4 speakers. The other gasoline-powered trims come with 6 speakers, and the Hybrid adds a 6-CD changer. The SEL, Sport and Hybrid also have the option of upgrading to a 390-watt Sony Premium Sound audio system, which includes Dolby Surround Sound technology and Sony DSP processing, 12 speakers and a single-CD player. All trims but the S come with a 6-month trial subscription to Sirius XM satellite radio, and the SEL, Sport and Hybrid include standard Ford SYNC (an option for the SE), which integrates voice-activated phone and entertainment systems. In addition, HD radio and a navigation system with Sirius XM Traffic and Travel Link are available options for the SEL, Sport and Hybrid.

While all the 5-seat Fusion trims have been described as comfortable, with bolstered and supportive seats in the front, the rear seats offer slightly less padding and, as is typical in the segment, two adults, rather than three, would be more comfortable. All gasoline-powered trims also come with a standard 60/40 split-fold rear seat to increase the car's 16.5 cubic feet of trunk space. Unfortunately, the hybrid’s rear seat is fixed and can't do much to solve the problem of an already smaller trunk (11.8 cubic feet). The S's seats are cloth-covered, with 4-way manual adjustment for the driver’s seat and 2-way for the front passenger. The SE upgrades to 8-way power adjustment for the driver’s seat and a 2-way manual passenger seat, in addition to a power driver’s recline feature. The SEL adds heating and leather trim to seats (optional for the Sport and Hybrid), and the SEL, Sport and Hybrid all feature 10-way power driver’s seat adjustment and a 4-way power passenger seat, as well as power driver’s lumbar adjustment and passenger reclining. The Hybrid adds a twist with its eco-friendly cloth seats (made from 85% post-industrial polyester materials, according to Ford), while the Sport offers trim-specific leather and door trim inserts.

The 2012 Fusion remains customizable, with numerous options bundled into packages. Although not every package is available for every trim, upgrades can change the interior or exterior appearance of the Fusion, add a blind-spot information system, rear-view camera or rain-sensing wipers, as well as a navigation system and power moonroof, among other features.

Safety in the Fusion is fairly uniform across trims, with standard dual front airbags, front-seat side airbags and first- and second-row side curtain airbags (although the Hybrid adds a seventh airbag at the driver’s knee). In addition to the airbags, the Fusion comes with standard front and rear antilock disc brakes, AdvanceTrac traction control with electronic stability control, tire pressure monitoring and the SOS post-crash alert system, which activates the horn and flashers after the airbags are deployed. A reverse sensing system is standard for the Hybrid, but optional in the SE, SEL and Sport. When slowly backing up, the reverse sensing system gives an audible alert for objects up to 6 feet behind the car.

Although the 2012 version has not yet been assessed by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) or Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the 2011 Fusion was tested by both. In the NHTSA’s crash tests, the FWD and AWD Fusion rated 3 out of 5 stars (4 for the driver and 3 for the passenger) in the front crash tests and a perfect 5 stars for the front-seat side crash (although only 3 stars for the rear). Rollover tests earned 4 stars for the FWD, with only a 10.5% chance of a rollover, while the AWD earned a perfect 5 (9.2% risk of a rollover). The IIHS selected the 2011 Ford Fusion as one of its Top Safety Picks, awarding the sedan its top Good rating for all its tests (front, side, rollover and rear).