The Fusion carries over mostly unchanged for 2020, except that the Sport performance trim has been discontinued. The Fusion’s competitors include the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Mazda6.
A slat grille, simple lighting, and basic alloy wheel designs come standard.
Three engines are available in the Fusion. The base trim is powered by a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder good for 175 horsepower. A turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder makes 181 horsepower and a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder yields 245 hp. A 6-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive (FWD) come standard. Some configurations offer steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters and all-wheel drive (AWD). The turbo 1.5-liter FWD powertrain gets the best fuel-economy ratings at 23 mpg city, 34 highway, and 27 combined. With the 2.0-liter turbo and AWD, combined mpg drops to 23.
The Fusion comes in S, SE, SEL, and Titanium trims. In the base S, push-button start is the only premium feature. The SE trim adds power-adjustable front seats and dual-zone climate control. Several appearance packages are available. The SEL adds heated front seats. Finally, the Titanium comes standard with a heated steering wheel, front sport seats, ventilated front seats, and a moonroof.
The Fusion S comes with a 4-speaker audio system and the basic voice-activated version of Ford’s SYNC system. The SYNC 3 system with an 8-inch touchscreen is available. SYNC 3 comes standard in the SE, which also adds a 6-speaker audio system and satellite radio. The SEL upgrades to 11 speakers. With Titanium, you get a 12-speaker Sony system, HD Radio, and a navigation system.
The 2020 Fusion hasn’t been evaluated by the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) or Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). However, the 2019 Fusion earned a 5-star overall crash test rating from NHTSA and a Good rating in six IIHS tests. Every Fusion gets a reversing camera, the MyKey safety settings system, and the Ford Co-Pilot 360 package, which includes blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, forward-collision warning, and pedestrian detection. Adaptive cruise control and rear parking sensors are available.
If Ford doesn’t plan to invest further in its small and midsize car lineup, perhaps it’s best that the Fusion’s journey ends here. That said, if the Fusion appeals to you, now’s the time to get one.