Final Comparison: Ford Fusion 2013 Titanium vs Ford Fusion 2014 Titanium vs Ford Fusion 2015 SE

[Aerone]

I'm kind of in a big pickle here:

In about a month and a half to two months, I'll be pulling the trigger on buying myself one of these beauts, however I'm kinda stuck in between two cars from two different dealerships, so I'm here asking for a little input from others.

 

Both Cars are Ford Fusion 2012 Sports.

 

Car A:

This car has about 83k miles on it, and is all wheel drive. It also has pretty much all the major features that comes in a fusion of that particular year, the 2012 model, including the Navi. It even comes with a remote start! That really saves me the trouble of going to get it installed later. So yes, this car is a very nice looking car with all the bells and whistles. It costs about $14k with taxes and everything included, and it's being sold right in my home city. The bad part about the car is that it doesn't have any warranties, and the potentially crucial 83k miles on it.

 

Car B:

This car has about 43k miles on it, and is not AWD. It has nearly every feature of Car A, save for the Navi, but it does keep the reverse cam and BLIS. It doesn't have the remote start either, but again can be installed later with the tracking device I plan to put into it(can never be too sure). I can do without the Navi system as I do have a smart phone, but again it's always a nice add-on. The car is priced at about 17k after all the taxes and whatnot. This car also comes with a 1 year warranty from the dealership as its CPO'd and it comes with a 7 year power train warranty. The only thing is that the price of the car will mean I would have to hold off on any custom installations until after I can pay off the car some. It's also about 1.5 hours away from me.

 

I know that 1.5-2 months could be a long time from now, and that cars like Car A could be purchased easily(however I have a feeling that many people will be spending their money on Christmas gifts rather than cars, unless the car would be considered the gift lol). Which car would sound like a smarter choice to make?

 

Thanks for the help everyone!

Edited September 26, 2015 by Aerone

[andyross]

How often do you think you would need AWD? I wouldn't worry much about the Navi as smartphones or a standalone GPS are generally superior to what it came with, if a bit less convenient.

 

To me, unless you really think AWD is important, I'd stick with the lower mileage if the car itself is in equivalent condition (rust, paint condition, cleanliness, etc...) Also, some good winter tires can be better than AWD, especially if you still use the default summer-only Sport tires.

[Bman505]

Not being toxic, this is real advice. It is probably too early to be asking this question. In 1.5 to 2 months one or both of them might be sold. If this was a more generalized an less about two very specific autos I would be more understanding of it. I would say to post this question again in 2 months and then add additional cars that have entered as options at that time also.

[drolds1]

Also, some good winter tires can be better than AWD, especially if you still use the default summer-only Sport tires.

 

The 2012 Fusion Sport did not come with summer tires. The OE tire was Goodyear GS-A; an all-season tire. Summer tires weren't even available as an option in 2012.

[Aerone]

Then what would be your suggestion? :o

[BlueOval2010]

I'd take what's behind door "B". The dealership can add the remote start for approx. $150, so that's no big deal. Mine's not AWD and I just drove it through back-to-back hard winters in Columbus and didn't get stuck once. Low mileage is king, & the FWD will get a couple mpg better.

[Aerone]

I'd take what's behind door "B". The dealership can add the remote start for approx. $150, so that's no big deal. Mine's not AWD and I just drove it through back-to-back hard winters in Columbus and didn't get stuck once. Low mileage is king, & the FWD will get a couple mpg better.

So she handled like normal? No sliding or anything?

[BlueOval2010]

On ice, I force the select shift into third and it rolls off with very little, to no spinning. Once moving, I just drive like I don't want to be in an accident. Works great !

[bbf2530]

Once moving, I just drive like I don't want to be in an accident. Works great !

 

LOL...

Some of the best driving advice I have heard in a long tome. Thanks for the laugh BlueOval.)

 

Then what would be your suggestion? :o

 

Hi Aerone. I agree with Bman. If you are still 1-2 months away from a decision, don't get your heart et on either car, since the chances are good neither will still be there when you are ready.

 

Otherwise? Do your due diligence. Check to see what their actual estimated values are on sites such as KBB.com, Edmunds,com etc. Maybe get a Carfax report on both cars (if they are still available when you're closer to buying time), so you can negotiate price from an educated stance. Yes, these sites are not perfect, but the information is certainly better than none at all.

 

If both cars are well maintained, in good condition and everything else checks out for their mileage, I would say purchase the FWD model. Unless you live in an area where the roads are snowy most of the year, must get to wonk no matter the weather and/or are worried about being stranded in the wilderness (not a worry for the majority of the U.S. population), AWD is not a necessity. It is added complexity, upfront cost, maintenance costs, weight and lower MPG's. I have a FWD MKZ with the same powertrain as a FWD Fusion Sport. With all-season tires onIy, I have been able to confidently get through any weather short of a full blown blizzard. Just my opinion, for what it is worth.

 

Keep us updated and good luck.

Edited October 8, 2015 by bbf2530

[durasel]

Be sure to check what package each car has.

 

There is a 401 pkg (moon and tune only) and a 402 pkg that has a lot of extras like heated seats, door keypad, outside temp on dash, power passenger seat, heated mirrors and puddles, ambient lighting, homelink visor, aluminum gas/brake pedals and dual temp hvac. This pkg cost about $2K extra.

 

Some dealers don't even know about this and I made sure when we got our 2 used Sports they had the 402 pkg.

 

BTW, reverse cam + blis can be purchased separately on the 401 but come std on the 402.

 

If you have nav, it's the 402 pkg, like car A. Nav is an option on the 402 and is about a $2K option.

 

Sounds like car B is a 401 pkg with the reverse cam and blis option.

 

There are a few bare bone Fusion Sports around (not many at all) that have neither pkg, no moonroof and the std sound system.

 

Hope this helps!

Edited October 11, 2015 by durasel

[Aerone]

 

LOL...

Some of the best driving advice I have heard in a long tome. Thanks for the laugh BlueOval.)

 

 

Hi Aerone. I agree with Bman. If you are still 1-2 months away from a decision, don't get your heart et on either car, since the chances are good neither will still be there when you are ready.

 

Otherwise? Do your due diligence. Check to see what their actual estimated values are on sites such as KBB.com, Edmunds,com etc. Maybe get a Carfax report on both cars (if they are still available when you're closer to buying time), so you can negotiate price from an educated stance. Yes, these sites are not perfect, but the information is certainly better than none at all.

 

If both cars are well maintained, in good condition and everything else checks out for their mileage, I would say purchase the FWD model. Unless you live in an area where the roads are snowy most of the year, must get to wonk no matter the weather and/or are worried about being stranded in the wilderness (not a worry for the majority of the U.S. population), AWD is not a necessity. It is added complexity, upfront cost, maintenance costs, weight and lower MPG's. I have a FWD MKZ with the same powertrain as a FWD Fusion Sport. With all-season tires onIy, I have been able to confidently get through any weather short of a full blown blizzard. Just my opinion, for what it is worth.

 

Keep us updated and good luck.

 

Yeah, I understand what you mean. However I've done KBB research on both cars, and both of them are actually quite under the price that KBB says is the average price for them. Also Car B comes with its own Carfax, while Car A has some type of history report but definitely not as popular as the aforementioned version. So with everything still being in place, I am leaning towards Car B definitely. Thank you.

 

Be sure to check what package each car has.

 

There is a 401 pkg (moon and tune only) and a 402 pkg that has a lot of extras like heated seats, door keypad, outside temp on dash, power passenger seat, heated mirrors and puddles, ambient lighting, homelink visor, aluminum gas/brake pedals and dual temp hvac. This pkg cost about $2K extra.

 

Some dealers don't even know about this and I made sure when we got our 2 used Sports they had the 402 pkg.

 

BTW, reverse cam + blis can be purchased separately on the 401 but come std on the 402.

 

If you have nav, it's the 402 pkg, like car A. Nav is an option on the 402 and is about a $2K option.

 

Sounds like car B is a 401 pkg with the reverse cam and blis option.

 

There are a few bare bone Fusion Sports around (not many at all) that have neither pkg, no moonroof and the std sound system.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Fortunately Car B's website has the information posted about what package it is. It is a 402A, so it comes with pretty much everything but the Navi unit, which I'm not too hurt about. I can do without it. However thank you.

[Aerone]

Alright everyone, I've decided to move on from the previous version of the Fusions('10-'12) after having the horror of finding out that one dealer was selling a car with reported frame damage, after buying a vin report. This ruined me do bad, coupled with the fact that there aren't say good sport models around. So I've decided to pursue the vehicles stated above after the Christmas holiday, so around Week 1 of January. So I've decided to post a comparison between three vehicles and their particular story.

Now let's get to the comparison:

- Ford Fusion 2013 Titanium($16k)
The car has about 37k miles on it and it pretty much comes with everything I could ask for(including turbo!) and it is a colossal upgrade to my Ford Ranger '99 Sport. The carfax title comes clean and I see only one recall on it at the time. However I do have a couple reservations. The first is that due to this year model being the first of the redesign, I'm afraid that the car may experience glitches not found in the other two cars that have been stated above. Second, I fear that the car is just not as great as the other two versions(please correct me if I'm wrong). However either way, I still feel as if I'm getting a good deal.

- Ford Fusion 2014 Titanium($16.5k)
This car has about 48k miles on it, a bit higher than the previous listing, but still not bad at all. This car also has a lot of bells and whistles, save for gps. That's fine as well because I have a smart phone for gps anyway, so no big loss there. This car also has turbo, something that I feel is standard, and it comes with a clean carfax report. I like the car because it's newer, however the previous model has more features and less miles. Also the previous version costs less, but either way a good deal.

- Ford Fusion 2015 SE($17k??):
This car has about 42k miles on it, a bit lower than the previous model but it lacks some of the Titanium trim luxuries, such as the bigger touch screen panel and the spoiler(important to me). It does keep a rear view camera, thankfully. It also keeps the turbo engine that's in the other two models, so that's a major winning factor. It's also newer than any other car in the list, and should still be within some good warranty. The reason why this car is on the list is because I have a coworker who knows someone at the specific dealer, where the car is located, and has promised me that he would try to work out a deal, potentially lowering the price of the car by a good bit while I'd be by myself on the other two cars. While this is great, I still would love to have the Titanium toys.

Forgot to mention that each car has a sunroof, reverse camera, and the bigger turbo.

What I'm asking from everyone is... Which is the best deal out of the three, as I'll be getting one around two weeks time. So this will be my last comparison, and my next thread will be me showing my new car! Thanks in advance everyone.

Edited December 23, 2015 by drolds1
merged with original topic

[Bman505]

Ah yes just like it was suspected all the original cars are not even in the picture at this point. Anyway on to the point.

 

By what you wrote I think your choice is pretty clear, If you have fears about a first model year, then I would not recommend getting that one because anything that goes wrong with it will be viewed as a model year problem. I would also not get the 15 SE because it lacks the things that are important to you. As such by what you wrote it seems like the clear choice would be #2 the 2014

[andyross]

When you say turbo engine, which one? There is the normal 1.5/1.6L, and the higher-output 2.0L.

Edited December 23, 2015 by andyross

[Aerone]

Ah yes just like it was suspected all the original cars are not even in the picture at this point. Anyway on to the point.

 

By what you wrote I think your choice is pretty clear, If you have fears about a first model year, then I would not recommend getting that one because anything that goes wrong with it will be viewed as a model year problem. I would also not get the 15 SE because it lacks the things that are important to you. As such by what you wrote it seems like the clear choice would be #2 the 2014

 

Yeah, you were right lol. Anyways, yeah that 2014 is looking pretty good to me. However, do you feel as if that model year had its glitches?

 

When you say turbo engine, which one? There is the normal 1.5/1.6L, and the higher-output 2.0L.

 

It's the 2.0.

[Bman505]

Well according to this site ill post below I think you're going to get the same car regardless if you got the 2013 or a 2014.

 

Since the 2015 you have as an option is lacking some of the things you wanted I'll let you do your own research on changes from 2014 to 2015 if you are still going to consider it.

 

My 2013 has been pretty solid in from what I have experienced. I have had some things done under the bumper to bumper warranty, but I don't consider them to be model year specific issues. That being said all of the cars you have posted wont have the B2B warranty due to mileage so make sure which ever one you pick is in good shape.

 

Feel free to send me a PM if you want to discuss what I have had worked on for my car.

 

For you I think I the 2014 would be a better fit, because I think that if you are concerned about first model year problems. I would say for peace of mind that getting a first model year is not for you. Ultimately though I am just someone on the internet giving their $0.02. I think deep down you probably know what you want to do but were looking for some validation.

 

 

 

https://www.cars.com/articles/2013/09/2014-ford-fusion-whats-changed/

 

a small cut and paste from that page,

Most significant changes: Ford adds a new turbocharged 1.5-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine that is available with stop-start technology. Inflatable rear seat belts are available on all models.

Price change: The starting price for the base Fusion S is unchanged at $22,695 (including destination charge), the midlevel SE is up by $25 and the Titanium models are up by $300.

On sale: Since August

Which you should buy, 2013 or 2014? The 2013; changes on the 2014 models aren't significant enough to make them more desirable.

Edited December 30, 2015 by Bman505

[Aerone]

Well according to this site ill post below I think you're going to get the same car regardless if you got the 2013 or a 2014.

 

Since the 2015 you have as an option is lacking some of the things you wanted I'll let you do your own research on changes from 2014 to 2015 if you are still going to consider it.

 

My 2013 has been pretty solid in from what I have experienced. I have had some things done under the bumper to bumper warranty, but I don't consider them to be model year specific issues. That being said all of the cars you have posted wont have the B2B warranty due to mileage so make sure which ever one you pick is in good shape.

 

Feel free to send me a PM if you want to discuss what I have had worked on for my car.

 

For you I think I the 2014 would be a better fit, because I think that if you are concerned about first model year problems. I would say for peace of mind that getting a first model year is not for you. Ultimately though I am just someone on the internet giving their $0.02. I think deep down you probably know what you want to do but were looking for some validation.

 

 

 

https://www.cars.com/articles/2013/09/2014-ford-fusion-whats-changed/

 

a small cut and paste from that page,

 

Most significant changes: Ford adds a new turbocharged 1.5-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine that is available with stop-start technology. Inflatable rear seat belts are available on all models.

Price change: The starting price for the base Fusion S is unchanged at $22,695 (including destination charge), the midlevel SE is up by $25 and the Titanium models are up by $300.

On sale: Since August

Which you should buy, 2013 or 2014? The 2013; changes on the 2014 models aren't significant enough to make them more desirable.

 

Hey, I do appreciate the two cents. I did go and get the '14 Fusion and got my B2B warranty extended by another 50k miles. Anyways, I am loving the car so far.

[Bman505]

 

Hey, I do appreciate the two cents. I did go and get the '14 Fusion and got my B2B warranty extended by another 50k miles. Anyways, I am loving the car so far.

 

The B2B warranty extension was probably a good call in my opinion. With cars becoming so electrically complex these days troubleshooting a problem is becoming difficult to pin down. One of the issues I had with the proximity door locks had my car in the dealers shop for about 1.5 weeks and with most of the cars electrical components changed out and finally came down to a wire that broke. I would have NOT wanted to pay the labor and parts on that one, I can assure you of that!

 

Glad to hear that you are loving the car. I think the Titanium trim level is really awesome in these Fusions.