Ford Fusion

The current-generation Ford Fusion has been around for the better part of a decade, making its debut back in 2013. And this year's model, the 2020 Fusion, might be the last one. Ford has announced that it is only going to make trucks and SUVs in the future, so passenger cars such as the Fusion are on the road to extinction. Thankfully, though, that doesn't mean the 2020 Fusion is a lame-duck sedan without value.

On the contrary, despite its age and looming demise, the Fusion is an appealing four-door that offers plenty of modern safety and technology features. For 2020, the Fusion loses one of its engine options, the turbocharged V6 Sport model, but the remaining turbocharged 1.5-liter engine and a turbocharged 2.0-liter picks are worthwhile. The Fusion is also still available with all-wheel drive, and it comes standard with safety features such as blind-spot monitoring, lane keeping assist and forward collision mitigation.

On the road, the Fusion earns points for its quiet and roomy interior, pleasing balance of handling and ride comfort, and big trunk. Still, it'll be worth your time to check out a few rival sedans. The Honda Accord and the Mazda 6 are more refined and enjoyable to drive, for instance, while the Hyundai Sonata and the Kia Optima deliver a little more value. Overall, the 2020 Ford Fusion, long in the tooth as it may be, is a solid pick for a midsize sedan.

Right in the middle of the lineup, we recommend the Fusion in its SE trim level. The SE comes standard with the upgraded 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an upgraded six-speaker stereo. (The base S model only gets four speakers.) What's more, the SE can be had with several option packages that add safety features such as forward collision mitigation and blind-spot monitoring as well as functional options such as all-wheel drive.

The 2020 Ford Fusion is a five-passenger midsize sedan available in four trim levels: S, SE, SEL and Titanium. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid (known as the Fusion Energi) are reviewed separately.

The base Fusion S comes standard with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (173 horsepower, 174 lb-ft of torque), front-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission. Other features include 60/40-split folding rear seats, audio and phone voice commands (Sync), Bluetooth, a four-speaker sound system with a 4.2-inch center screen, and a USB port. Also standard is a suite of driver safety aids called Co-Pilot360 that includes blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision mitigation and lane keeping assist.

The only option available on the S model is Ford's Co-Pilot360 Assist system. It adds dual-zone automatic climate control, an upgraded 8-inch center touchscreen with navigation, Ford's Sync 3 voice controls, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, adaptive cruise control, and an additional USB port.

The Fusion SE gets all of the standard equipment on the S plus a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine (181 hp, 185 lb-ft), power-adjustable front seats, a rear center fold-down armrest, and a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio. It also has the previously mentioned 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the two USB ports and navigation as standard.

The Co-Pilot360 Assist option is also available on the SE. The SE All-Wheel-Drive package adds all-wheel drive, which automatically adds a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine (240 hp, 270 lb-ft), heated front seats and heated side mirrors.

The Fusion SEL builds on the standard SE by adding features such as LED headlights, keyless ignition and entry, driver-seat memory functions, heated front seats, and an 11-speaker premium sound system. The SEL can also be equipped with the Co-Pilot360 Assist package.

The Fusion Titanium gets all of the SEL's standard features, plus the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, a sunroof, ambient interior lighting, heated and ventilated sport front seats, Co-Pilot360 Assist, and a premium 12-speaker Sony sound system.