2013 Ford Fusion

[Kal-El]

Your eyes do not deceive you – the sleek, pretty, low-slung sedan you see above is indeed the 2013 Ford Fusion. But don't think that the 2013 Fusion is all beauty and no brains. Ford is preparing the new Fusion, as well as its Hybrid and Energi fuel-mizing siblings, to be the most fuel-efficient, best-driving, tech-packed range of sedans in the mid-size segment.

Thanks to vehicles like the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima, we've seen that mid-size sedans don't necessarily have to be conservatively styled three-box appliances, and this new Fusion is certainly a looker. Combining elements of the Ford Evos concept, not to mention a front fascia that's decidedly Aston Martin-esque in approach, the Fusion has a wide, flat stance with strong character lines down the side that wrap around to a sleek rear end. Clearly the design builds upon the Kinetic language of the European Mondeo rather than the Fusion we've lived with in North America since 2010.

The standard Fusion – available in S, SE and Titanium trims – will be available with three engines. The base mill is a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated inline-four with 170 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque, mated solely to a six-speed automatic transmission. We're sure it's a fine powerplant, but our interest is more settled on the next two: a 1.6-liter EcoBoost four with 179 hp and 172 lb-ft, and the range-topping 2.0-liter EcoBoost four with 237 hp and 250 lb-ft. Both engines can be had with the same six-speed automatic, though the smaller 1.6-liter engine can be mated to a six-speed manual box. Front-wheel drive is standard across the board, but top-of-the-line Fusions with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine can be had with all-wheel drive.

Like many other automakers, Ford is ditching a V6 for an all-four-cylinder lineup. That's par for the course these days, and with the Fusion weighing in at just over 3,300 pounds (loaded, AWD Fusions will likely weigh as much as 3,600 pounds), fuel economy is expected to be best-in-class. Ford hasn't released complete – or official – economy numbers, but Fusions equipped with the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine (complete with start/stop technology) are expected to achieve 26/37 miles per gallon city/highway, while front-wheel-drive, 2.0-liter-equipped cars should net around 23/33 mpg.

But if fuel economy is your thing, Ford has two even more efficient examples of the 2013 Fusion. Their names? Hybrid and Energi.

The good news is, aside from some different wheel options and badging and trim changes, the Hybrid and Energi models are just as sleek and sophisticated as the rest of the 2013 Fusion lineup. The Hybrid will launch with the rest of the Fusion range in the fall of 2012, while the Energi will arrive a little later.

In the Hybrid, power comes from a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-four – downsized from the 2.5-liter unit in the current Fusion Hybrid. Total output is estimated at 185 hp and 130 lb-ft, running to the front wheels via an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. The Hybrid runs on 17-inch wheels wrapped in low-rolling-resistance tires, and Ford expects the car to achieve up to 47 mpg in the city and 44 mpg on the highway. That not only bests the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid, but also gets dangerously close to Prius territory. Ford says that the Fusion Hybrid will be able to operate at speeds up to 62 mph without spinning the engine (think: highway coasting).

The Fusion Energi (above) uses that same powerplant at its core, but with a plug-in hybrid system that allows for short amounts of pure electric driving. As of this writing, there's still a lot of unknown factors about the Fusion Energi – pure electric range, charging time, etc. – but Ford expects the Energi to achieve up to 100 mpge (miles per gallon equivalent), which is 8 MPGe better than the Chevrolet Volt. The Fusion Energi should have a cruising range of about 500 miles.

No matter what powertrain, the 2013 Fusion's interior is sure to impress. While not as stylish as say the Sonata or Optima, the Ford's cabin is still comfortable and elegant, combining high amounts of soft-touch materials with plenty of sound-deadening and nicely grained plastics. We had the opportunity to sit in an early pre-production Fusion, and even then, things felt spacious and comfortable, though that swooping roofline leaves a bit to be desired in the way of rear headroom.

As for technology, Ford will be packing the 2013 Fusion full of the latest gadgets. Naturally, the second-generation MyFord Touch infotainment system will be available, as will driver aids like adaptive cruise control, a lane-keeping system with drowsy driving detection, blind-spot monitoring, hill start assist and active park assist.

Pricing information for the 2013 Fusion will be revealed closer to the car's on-sale date this fall. Look for the new Fusion to show up elsewhere in the world as the Mondeo, which will be introduced later in 2012. For now, scroll down to read the full details about the 2013 Fusion in Ford's press release, and stay tuned to our Detroit Auto Show coverage for live impressions direct from Cobo Hall.

Fusion Hybrid features an all-new 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder gasoline engine, significantly downsized from the previous 2.5-liter unit while maintaining performance standards. This innovative powertrain is anticipated to deliver best-in-class fuel economy of 47 mpg in city driving and 44 mpg on the highway.

Fusion Hybrid fuel economy stands to outperform the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid by 4 mpg city and 5 mpg highway and the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid by 12 mpg and 4 mpg, respectively.

The 1.6-liter EcoBoost is expected to deliver best-in-class four-cylinder non-hybrid fuel efficiency of 26 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway. The 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine – paired with a paddle-shifted six-speed SelectShift Automatic™ transmission, available 19-inch wheels and tires and all-wheel drive with the ability to send additional torque to the rear – is the Fusion performance option.

Topping the fuel-efficiency ladder is the Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid, aiming to be the most fuel-efficient midsize car in the world. Arriving this fall, Fusion Energi is anticipated to deliver more than 100 MPGe, a mile per gallon equivalency metric for electrified vehicles. This is 8 MPGe more than the Chevrolet Volt and 13 MPGe more than the projected efficiency of the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid model.

The next-generation Fusion 1.6-liter is the first automatic-transmission Ford product offered with an automatic start-stop system. It shuts off engine power smoothly when the car is stopped and seamlessly restarts as the driver releases the brake pedal, helping Fusion to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by approximately 3.5 percent.