SEL V6 or Sport?

[airthatibr]

Test drove a hybrid fusion and Sport fusions today. They were out of the SEL, so I couldn't test drive one. My husband likes the Sport, but this is going to be my daily driver so I get to choose. Is the Sport suspension really that much better than the SEL? Since the Cash for Clunkers started here in Calif. stock is low so I will probably have to order my 2010 Fusion. I was thinking SEL V6, add the shiftable automatic transmission, maybe 18" wheels?

[Rodeo]

Test drove a hybrid fusion and Sport fusions today. They were out of the SEL, so I couldn't test drive one. My husband likes the Sport, but this is going to be my daily driver so I get to choose. Is the Sport suspension really that much better than the SEL? Since the Cash for Clunkers started here in Calif. stock is low so I will probably have to order my 2010 Fusion. I was thinking SEL V6, add the shiftable automatic transmission, maybe 18" wheels?

Get the Sport with the 3.5 motor. After all, it gets the same gas mileage (as the 3.0) and will be much more fun to drive. (And you hubby will like it more too) but even the 3.0 motor should have more then enough pep (for the avg. driver anyway). Definitely get the 18s though, better tires will handle better (lower profile and higher speed rating makes them more tacky but may wear quicker too.) Too bad they limit the color choices for the Sport though. You can get the sport suspension which incudes the 18" wheels on the SEL you know. It's an option. So the real choice comes down to what motor do you want. With equal gas mileage, I would go with the 3.5 and that means the Sport. That leaves color, if you don't like the Black, Red, Silver or Blue, then you may have to buy the SEL and package the sport tuned suspension.

[airthatibr]

Get the Sport with the 3.5 motor. After all, it gets the same gas mileage (as the 3.0) and will be much more fun to drive. (And you hubby will like it more too) but even the 3.0 motor should have more then enough pep (for the avg. driver anyway). Definitely get the 18s though, better tires will handle better (lower profile and higher speed rating makes them more tacky but may wear quicker too.) Too bad they limit the color choices for the Sport though. You can get the sport suspension which incudes the 18" wheels on the SEL you know. It's an option. So the real choice comes down to what motor do you want. With equal gas mileage, I would go with the 3.5 and that means the Sport. That leaves color, if you don't like the Black, Red, Silver or Blue, then you may have to buy the SEL and package the sport tuned suspension.

[rfruth]

its unlikely the 3.5 in the sport will get the same MPG as the 3.0 in the SEL, yea they have the same MPG estimates but the Sport will probably be driven more aggressively and it won't ride as smooth as the SEL so the big question in my mind are smoky burnouts more important or is a quiet smooth ride ? (p.s. I'm more of the sport type ((my insurance co. isn't))

[Rodeo]

its unlikely the 3.5 in the sport will get the same MPG as the 3.0 in the SEL, yea they have the same MPG estimates but the Sport will probably be driven more aggressively and it won't ride as smooth as the SEL so the big question in my mind are smoky burnouts more important or is a quiet smooth ride ? (p.s. I'm more of the sport type ((my insurance co. isn't))

 

While I agree there may be a small actual difference in fuel mileage (due mostly to agressive accelerations), I doubt seriously there will be much of any performance in handling differences between the two cars. After all, this is a 4-door sedan Ford were talking about here, not a high priced sports car. It will have what I and the auto companies (used to refer to) as a "touring" suspension. Better tires will make all the difference in the world though. Watch out for those "smokey burnouts" or you'll risk cracking the frame, LOL. The small extra weight from the 3.5 up front will likely help in front wheel traction and winter driving for those without AWD.

[rfruth]

On fordvehicles.com it says the Sport is for the driving enthusiast who demands more power, and more handling agility. Modified sport-tuned suspension components bring the Fusion handling experience to an even higher dimension of driving enjoyment, to match the power of the 263-hp 3.5L 24-valve V6. - I agree its a 4 door sedan not a sports car - a tricked out SEL might do the job (guess it depends on what the job is)

[djcarlosp]

its unlikely the 3.5 in the sport will get the same MPG as the 3.0 in the SEL, yea they have the same MPG estimates but the Sport will probably be driven more aggressively and it won't ride as smooth as the SEL so the big question in my mind are smoky burnouts more important or is a quiet smooth ride ? (p.s. I'm more of the sport type ((my insurance co. isn't))

 

 

no burn out just's real quick take off from the line.my sport avg 25mpg around town and 33mpg on the highway.that's my real avg

the sport insurance is not like a mustang gt.

[airthatibr]

Get the Sport with the 3.5 motor. After all, it gets the same gas mileage (as the 3.0) and will be much more fun to drive. (And you hubby will like it more too) but even the 3.0 motor should have more then enough pep (for the avg. driver anyway). Definitely get the 18s though, better tires will handle better (lower profile and higher speed rating makes them more tacky but may wear quicker too.) Too bad they limit the color choices for the Sport though. You can get the sport suspension which incudes the 18" wheels on the SEL you know. It's an option. So the real choice comes down to what motor do you want. With equal gas mileage, I would go with the 3.5 and that means the Sport. That leaves color, if you don't like the Black, Red, Silver or Blue, then you may have to buy the SEL and package the sport tuned suspension.

 

Rodeo, I noticed something new regarding the Fusion mileage stickers. I went to the Ford site and "built" a Fusion SEL V6. Previous window stickers said " 18/27 all around mileage 21". Newest Fusion window stickers are showing "19/27 all around mileage 22". The newer Fusions qualify for the Clunker program.

One question I have. When "building" my Fusion I didn't have the choice to build an SEL with Sport suspension and 18" wheels. How do I do this?

[bbf2530]

Rodeo, I noticed something new regarding the Fusion mileage stickers. I went to the Ford site and "built" a Fusion SEL V6. Previous window stickers said " 18/27 all around mileage 21". Newest Fusion window stickers are showing "19/27 all around mileage 22". The newer Fusions qualify for the Clunker program.

One question I have. When "building" my Fusion I didn't have the choice to build an SEL with Sport suspension and 18" wheels. How do I do this?

 

 

Hi airthatibr. :D Concerning the 18" wheels with Sport Suspension: The Sport Suspension is part of the 18" wheel package. So you simply need to choose the !8" Machined Aluminum Wheel option in the Exterior section.

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

[pcsgrp35se]

I have 6k miles on my sport. I get good mpg on the highway but in urban NY Metro area driving, I am getting 18-19 driving very lightly. I think one of the problems with not only the fusion but with the sport is that they are so darn quiet and there isn't really a good sense of speed when you take off from a light. You get up to speed very quickly without any need to hit the gas so perhaps I am driving more agressively then I think. I used to get 19 mpg with my 3.5 altima SE which was better then the sticker on the window said so I should be getting something about the same. On the other hand, burning regular vs. premium is very nice.

 

If I were to do it again, I might really seriously consider the 6speed manual I4. I never even considered that or the hybrid since I figured this is going to be the last time americans are going to be able to get a car with some guts without having to pay a extra tax or something.

[airthatibr]

I have 6k miles on my sport. I get good mpg on the highway but in urban NY Metro area driving, I am getting 18-19 driving very lightly. I think one of the problems with not only the fusion but with the sport is that they are so darn quiet and there isn't really a good sense of speed when you take off from a light. You get up to speed very quickly without any need to hit the gas so perhaps I am driving more agressively then I think. I used to get 19 mpg with my 3.5 altima SE which was better then the sticker on the window said so I should be getting something about the same. On the other hand, burning regular vs. premium is very nice.

 

If I were to do it again, I might really seriously consider the 6speed manual I4. I never even considered that or the hybrid since I figured this is going to be the last time americans are going to be able to get a car with some guts without having to pay a extra tax or something.

 

PCS, In my quest to find a new car, I test drove the Fusion 4 cylinder last week (among others). Maybe it's because my previous cars have all been 8 cylinder or muscle cars, but I was not at all impressed with the power or that "noise" the 4 cylinder engine makes when you need to accelerate on the highway. The Sport looks really nice, sorry to hear the gas mileage isn't that impressive. My problem is, I am trying to get a car with better gas mileage AND some power, and I guess that kind of combination doesn't exist at this point in time!

[pcsgrp35se]

If your coming out of a v8 go for the sport. While I am not thrilled about the mpgs I am getting locally, I usually drive abouta mile to the train station and back with the a/c on and also very local almost bumper to bumper traffic on the weekend. As soon as I start to do some steady driving on major roads, it goes up very quickly. Over the summer I drove out to Iowa and back and got almost 30mpg with a loaded car driving at 70 and the a/c going full blast. My last altima tipped the scales at 3010 lbs and I think the fusion is about 400lbs more then that so I would expect the energy needed to move that mass is more and so the mpgs go down. Of course just sitting in traffic doesn't help much either. Yes, I would like to be getting 40 mpg but then I would be driving something else. The fusion sport is a blast to drive and the quality of the build is on par with anything I have seen including the MB and Lexis. The car is ultra quiet when on the highway it is a dream in terms of handling. I would say go for it. For what it is worth, it looks like the sport has better access to the headlights then the sel so if you going to put in HIDs that might be a consideration. IF you do winter driving, the 18" wheels are not the best thing in the world so consider getting another set of rims and winter tires. I picked up a set of take off rims from a late 08 or 09 without the tpms sensors. I would have to say, had I known better, I would have just waited and picked up a set of rims from tire rack with them installed with winter tires. I was trying to save some money by using my new altima snow tires which might be a tad to big for the fusion so they will go on thewife's altima.

 

Good luck with the decision

[audiomidiman]

So, what did you end up getting?

[AWD Phoenix]

I might trade in my 07 AWD SE for a 10 AWD SPORT,I didnt realy look into fusions when I got mine and its missing some features I kinda want (SYNC,SUN,Leather,Selet shift ect.) I wish the eco-boost was in the sport though

[acdii]

I might trade in my 07 AWD SE for a 10 AWD SPORT,I didnt realy look into fusions when I got mine and its missing some features I kinda want (SYNC,SUN,Leather,Selet shift ect.) I wish the eco-boost was in the sport though

 

Ecoboost in the Sport would be deadly. I have an Ecoboost Flex, which weighs about 1000# more than the Sport, and it moves like a bat outa hell. It would smoke the tires off the Sport. It is too much power for a 4 door family sedan, so I can see why Ford didn't do it. To portect their ass from some shmuck who bought an over powered sedan and wrecked it, maiming or killing someone in the process. Putting gobs of HP in a car like a Mustang is one thing, but putting it into a family sedan where the average driver wouldn't know how to handle it is completely another. The Flex and SHO are well balance power to weight, so it isn't overkill for those, but when you consider the HP to weight ratio of 355 HP in the Flex to that of the Fusion, you can see the reason behind them not doing it.

 

With a little tuning to eek out 20 more HP in the 3.5, then the power to weight in the Sport would be pretty damned good, and can easily be a sub 7 second 0-60 car. Then when you consider that the Ecoboost 6 puts out more HP than the Mustang GT, you can see another reason why Ford didn't do it. Would look pretty stupid having a family sedan with more power than their best muscle car.

[AWD Phoenix]

Ecoboost in the Sport would be deadly. I have an Ecoboost Flex, which weighs about 1000# more than the Sport, and it moves like a bat outa hell. It would smoke the tires off the Sport. It is too much power for a 4 door family sedan, so I can see why Ford didn't do it. To portect their ass from some shmuck who bought an over powered sedan and wrecked it, maiming or killing someone in the process. Putting gobs of HP in a car like a Mustang is one thing, but putting it into a family sedan where the average driver wouldn't know how to handle it is completely another. The Flex and SHO are well balance power to weight, so it isn't overkill for those, but when you consider the HP to weight ratio of 355 HP in the Flex to that of the Fusion, you can see the reason behind them not doing it.

 

With a little tuning to eek out 20 more HP in the 3.5, then the power to weight in the Sport would be pretty damned good, and can easily be a sub 7 second 0-60 car. Then when you consider that the Ecoboost 6 puts out more HP than the Mustang GT, you can see another reason why Ford didn't do it. Would look pretty stupid having a family sedan with more power than their best muscle car.

 

All that stuff sounds like goods to me(burnt rubber, crazy pwr) and yes maybe it Would look pretty stupid having a family sedan with more power than their best muscle car.thats like a 100HP hybrid Ferrari Oh wait thats real, WTF My Favorite car company( Ferrari) might as well make my least favorite car( Prius) I dont know why Toyota put out a 3rd gen. as if people are realy going to pick that F'n ugly excuse for a car over a Ford Fusion Hybrid but stupid do every day so again why not make an eco-boost Fusion sport?

[acdii]

THIS

To protect their ass from some shmuck who bought an over powered sedan and wrecked it, maiming or killing someone in the process.

 

When someone buys a Mustang, it is apparent that it is a sports car, when someone buys a sedan, they don't assume it is a sports car, so when you put real sports car power into a sedan, you run the risk of some yoho killing themselves in an overpowered car. In today's sue happy world, you have to weigh the risks against business, and it makes perfect business sense to NOT put 365 HP into a family sedan that can become a danger to others with the wrong person behind the wheel.

 

When you have a Performance built sedan like a Mercedes S600 with 400+ HP, the car is designed around the motor, the chassis is built to handle that power, the ESC is designed to compensate for the power, the suspension is built to withstand the abuse from the power and keep the car balanced and on the road. The Fusion has none of that, so why would Ford put that kind of power into a chassis designed for 263 HP? The Taurus SHO is built to handle the power, and also weighs 600+ pounds more, has a wider stance, and longer wheelbase. The engine bay is also larger to accommodate the twin turbo engine, the Fusion 3.5 barely fits, the EcoBoost would not.

 

Read the review on the Sport model they tested on one of the road race america tracks, it has the power, but not the handling, the rear end gets squirrelly, and too much oversteer. Add another 100 HP to that and what you have is a car that can go quickly out of control. The Sport also does not have the brake capacity needed to handle the power that engine can put out, the Flex brakes are mediocre, and burn up trying to stop it from 110-0, the Sport can go a couple times 110-0 but then they fade out rather quickly.

 

Lets say Ford built a Fusion SHO/SVT with the Ecoboost, heavy duty suspension, and brembo brakes to handle the power, they would have to sell it for at least $40,000 to make up for the added costs to shoehorn the engine in, modify the brakes and suspension. Would anyone pay that much for one? The Ecoboost Option in the Flex is a $3500 premium, and AWD only. A fully loaded Sport is $34698, with the SHO option it would be over $38,100. There are plenty of other cars that are better suited for performance for that price, IE, no one would want it.

[omelet1978]

The engine bay is also larger to accommodate the twin turbo engine, the Fusion 3.5 barely fits, the EcoBoost would not.

 

So is that why the hood is a little bulgier than the 09 Fusion?

 

You actually make a lot of good points that I never thought of. Why would anyone buy a Fusion SHO when then can get a Taurus SHO for the same price basically.

 

I bought mine for a reason. I needed something comfortable and reliable that I can drive into the ground...I put a lot of miles on my cars...If I didn't have to do so much driving I would have bought a certified pre-owned BMW or something like that which would have been the same price and with a warranty that goes to 100,000 miles.

[acdii]

So is that why the hood is a little bulgier than the 09 Fusion?

 

You actually make a lot of good points that I never thought of. Why would anyone buy a Fusion SHO when then can get a Taurus SHO for the same price basically.

 

I bought mine for a reason. I needed something comfortable and reliable that I can drive into the ground...I put a lot of miles on my cars...If I didn't have to do so much driving I would have bought a certified pre-owned BMW or something like that which would have been the same price and with a warranty that goes to 100,000 miles.

 

I'll take some pictures when I get a chance, so we can compare the two. The Flex Ecoboost shouldn't be any different than that in the SHO. Both are pretty much shoehorned in.