2008 Ford Fusion

1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe

Consumer Reports tests just about the whole field of family sedans, including the Ford Fusion. Consumer Reports is the only reviewer that analyzes past-model-year reader-survey data and extrapolates future reliability. This review also covers ride quality, handling and safety.

Review: 2008 Ford Fusion Review, Editors of Consumer Reports

2. Car and DriverDetails/Subscribe

This comparative review pits the Ford Fusion against six other notable family cars, including the market-leading Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Editors performed road tests to assess performance, design and comfort. The Fusion places second-to-last in this contest, in spite of its pleasing interior and exterior design; judges reported a great deal of difficulty with the Fusion's lethargic engine and oddly calibrated 5-speed automatic.

Review: The Buzzard-and-Baloney Brigade: Comparison Test, John Phillips, Mar. 2008

3. The Car Family

The 2008 Ford Fusion offers a "quiet ride with some gusto" according to The Car Family -- a four-member team that together tests vehicles for their blog. The family goes on to say that there's not much to dislike about the Fusion, which has a "European" feel: "Driving the Fusion is a pleasure. It is hard to believe you are driving a Ford." Overall, the Fusion merits a top rating compared with its peers.

Review: The Compleat Guide to Family Sedans, The Haskvitz Family, Mar. 21, 2008

4. ConsumerGuide.com

Consumer Guide performs road-testing and assigns ratings to car and trucks. While Consumer Guide's test results are reported primarily in a potentially difficult-to-interpret numerical format, analysis and detail is good. Items like tested fuel economy are especially helpful. The 2008 Ford Fusion's overall score is about average for the midsize-sedan segment, but the Fusion's low sticker price in comparison to its generally solid testing performance lead Consumer Guide's editors to award this model a "Recommended" label.

Review: 2008 Ford Fusion Review, Editors at ConsumerGuide.com, Mar. 11, 2008

5. Edmunds.com

This comparative evaluation ranks the Ford Fusion against V6-equipped versions of the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata. Although it dates from early 2006, this is one of the more recent head-to-head road tests involving the Ford Fusion, and most of the sedans included haven't changed significantly in the interim. Overall impressions of the Fusion were favorable, but it finishes last because it simply doesn't excel in any of the ways its competitors do.

Review: V6 Family Sedan Comparison Test, Chris Walton, Mar. 27, 2006

6. KBB.com

Though not a formal comparison, this resource provides price-based lists of editors' top picks for family sedans. Vehicle-specific reviews, which offer comprehensive, easy-to-read overviews of each model's performance and value, are accessible from here. The 2008 Ford Fusion is one of five cars on the list of recommended mid-size sedans starting under $20,000.

Review: Recommended Shopping Lists: Mid-Size Sedans, Editors at KBB.com

7. TheCarConnection.Com

Evaluators here choose a 4-cylinder 2008 Ford Fusion for their updated road tests in this value-oriented review. They conclude that, while the Fusion isn't going to blow its competitors out of the water, it's a stylish, economical, fully competent family sedan that should prove an excellent value for most buyers.

Review: 2008 Ford Fusion Road Test, Editors at The Car Connection, Feb. 20, 2008

8. AOL Autos

This article provides helpful analysis for bargain hunters seeking more amenities at a lower cost. Though most of the sedans profiled are 2007 models, including the Ford Fusion, interested shoppers will still find useful information regarding comparative price and trim levels.

Review: Great Sedans for $25K, Kevin Ransom