The current Ford Fusion is already capable of taking on the Camry and Accord, but the fact is that the Honda and Toyota mid-size offerings sell better at the dealership. Ford was quick to point out at its press conference that Camry and Accord sales were down 31 percent and 28 percent, respectively, since 2007, with increased competition being a major culprit for the decline. The Fusion has taken a different route, with 2011 serving as the sedan's best year of sales ever. Ford is hoping to add a whole lot more pressure to the Japanese stalwarts with the addition of the 2013 Fusion.

The Fusion looks like a mix of a Euro Ford Mondeo (back) and a Aston Martin (front), but the overall design is a fresh take on the mid-size sedan. Ford will offer the Fusion in three flavors: the standard model, the 47-mpg Fusion and the plug-in hybrid Fusion Energi. The standard model itself comes in several trims and boasts three engine choices. The base Fusion is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder mill, with 170 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. The fuel efficient offering boasts a 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine with 179 horsepower and 172 lb-ft, plus fuel economy numbers of 26 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway. The highest performance Fusion will pack a 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder with 237 hp and 250 lb-ft.

Ford will continue to offer optional all-wheel drive, and MyFord Touch version 2.0 will show up on the option sheet as well. Hit the jump to read over Ford's press release, and peruse our live high resolution images from the Detroit Auto Show in the gallery above.Continue reading 2013 Ford Fusion eager to take on Camry, Accord

2013 Ford Fusion eager to take on Camry, Accord originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.


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