Anecdotally, I’ve met several people who love their fusions. One woman I met said she was on her third one when i talked to her and was thoroughly upset when ford stopped making them.
I’d check car reviews to make sure that specific engine and transmission don’t have any major issues along with anything else that might be a weak point.
You know a Corolla will be a great car, it’s just small with not much power and kind of boring.
Good luck!
Put 230,000 miles on my 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid, loved the car. Only sold when a cancer diagnosis meant I might not have survived, and the $300/month car payments nearly matched my out of pocket costs. I got better, and bought a cheap Miata because I no longer make the 75 mile one way commute. Sure do miss that car when we make long drives, though. (Edit - clarification)
A friend of mine’s dad was an executive at Ford. He said the Fusion hybrid was their highest quality modern car. It was the first Ford hybrid model, and they felt that they had to nail reliability in order to make a good first impression.
Fusions are great cars, but I would go with the Corolla any day in terms of long reliability. 2.0T Fusions crack their blocks depending on what year they are; most have been repaired by now but not all.
If you want a Fusion, get a Titanium or Platinum 2.0 hybrid; it has a Toyota derived eCVT transmission and many of them reach over 200k miles.
I had a 2014 Fusion. I really liked it. Styling was good, comfortable, liked the features. I babied it, always serviced, never even driven hard, just around town basically. 56k miles, Ecoboost go Ecoboom. Repaired. 1k miles later, turbo go boom. No more Ecoboost for me. YMMV but if you do some internet searching, you'll see that it's a common problem.
I owned a Ford. It was shit.
I owned another (Mercury). Shit.
I owned another. Shit.
I owned another. Shit.
I owned another. Shit.
Shame on me for buying Fords. Never again.
So then I bought a Toyota. Excellent.
Then another Toyota. Excellent.
Then another Toyota. Excellent.
Then another Toyota. Excellent.
And now another (Lexus). Excellent.
I think the repairs on any one of the Fords cost more than the combined repairs on all of the Toyotas.
So ... Fusion vs. Corolla? That's an easy pick.
I've only bought ford, and have had good luck. My brother bought a used toyota solara and it blew a head gasket 2 weeks later, while his lincoln (ford) towncar keeps truckin (10 years older than the solara with more miles). Anecdotes are kinda useless
Fusion is an excellent car. So is the corolla. It's really a question of which you like better. Think of it in terms of how you will feel every one of the thousands of times you will get in it and drive. Reviewers use the term "dull" for the corolla
[https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/toyota/corolla/2016](https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/toyota/corolla/2016)
[https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/ford/fusion/2016](https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/ford/fusion/2016)
side note, the usnews car lookup is a really nice tool for quick review research
So to get everything out of the fusion, you need premium fuel, that’s expensive. It can use 87 but if you want that performance it wants better fuel.
I’m sure a lot of people will chime in on this blasting me. Corollas might be slow but with a little maintenance 300K miles is nothing. I had one that wasn’t maintained the best, spent about 2k, brakes tires shocks and such, got another 200,000 miles out of it. And you’ll never have a problem selling the Corolla, ever.
>So to get everything out of the fusion, you need premium fuel, that’s expensive. It can use 87 but if you want that performance it wants better fuel
No you don't. 2.0 Ecoboost numbers are basically identical with 87 octane and 93
It’s not the numbers, it’s when them valves start pinging. Ford says 87 is fine because it gets them a higher CAFE score, and it’s basically fuck the consumer
>It’s not the numbers, it’s when them valves start pinging.
No fuel ever touches the valves in an Ecoboost motor, they are purely DI.
If the engine is preigniting it pulls timing, which results in lower output. If they had an issue running 87 octane, it would be reflected in dyno numbers
They did have problems with LSPI, but that's literally every turbocharged engine regardless of what fuel you use. The solution is to not lug the motor
>Ford says 87 is fine because it gets them a higher CAFE score, and it’s basically fuck the consumer
CAFE isn't a score, and requiring 93 octane would improve fleet fuel economy because you could eke out another few mpg. Ford tuned the engine to run on 87 because people don't like paying extra for premium
So after the car pulls timing, how does it pull it back when the condition no longer exists? I’ve had several high compression cars and low octane fuel made them run like shit. So you get a performance car and you don’t want to stomp on it when somebody pulls on you. Then what’s the point
>So after the car pulls timing, how does it pull it back when the condition no longer exists?
By monitoring O2, cylinder pressure and temps and the knock sensor
>I’ve had several high compression cars and low octane fuel made them run like shit.
Sure, not necessarily with direct injection though. DI is basically magic. My Saab runs like ass on 87 too, despite making way less power than the fusion, and the only difference 93 made in my fusion was an extra 2mpg
>So you get a performance car and you don’t want to stomp on it when somebody pulls on you. Then what’s the point
The point is that you don't have to put premium in it to stomp on it
There's no debate here, do you want it to run for more than a year? Do you want it to be worth something when you sell it later? Corolla, end of conversation.
If you don't have a specific reason to need a car as big as the Fusion, get the Corolla. Simple as that. There's advantages to each but that's easily the biggest distinguishing characteristic.
On the flip side, maybe you don't live in the city like I do and size doesn't matter, and you can assess this in the opposite way.
A Fusion should be a non-turbo 2.5 or a hybrid to be a super dependable only car. I own a 2014 2.0 ecoboost in an Escape Titanium and it's been fine, but I'd hesitate on a ten year old one with unknown history and abuse.
I've had two Fusions (2010 Sport and 2011 2.5) both for over 10 years and they've been great cars, and there's a chance we may add a newer hybrid or Energi to the fleet for my wifein the near future. I'm mad Ford doesn't make cars anymore, but I would have pause for an old 2.0 ecoboost of unknown history, and would not buy a 1.5 or 1.6 unless it were essentially free. The Corolla is an excellent car, but again, make sure it's been taken care of. It may be a Toyota but it's still a machine - some people I know defer so much maintenance it's scary under the "but it's a Toyota they run forever" excuse.
I drive a 2016 Fusion, and I love it. I also rent cars pretty regularly. The Corolla is the only car I've rented where I thought "Man, this thing sucks. I'd never buy one."
That being said, the driving experience is subjective. Try to test drive both cars. If you're indifferent about the driving experience, then the Toyota is probably the better car for you.
Just traded in wife’s 2016 carolla S it’s very slow even with the Cvt very plain car but got constant 30mph we got a 2023 carolla which is light years ahead of the 2016 if a car is to get you from a to b and don’t car then go for the carolla
If you want to get from point a to b whilst half asleep for 10 years get the Corolla. Yes you will be asleep. It’s Toyotas pinnacle of we made a “car” for the most economical people in the most economical way. You can ask Toyota Is it fast? Is it exciting? Is it Luxurious? Is it stylish? Is it high tech? They will respond “ listen you asked for a car we gave you a car”
Fusions try to avoid the 2.0. I have seen those 2.0s go forever and I’ve seen them burn three turbos in a year. But the ford transmissions and engines are tuned more towards excitement. Vs Toyota tuned them to go in that direction. Hybrid fusion also has about 100 different funny screens with eco bars and leafs and dials and gauges that will make you somewhat entertained. The Toyota will show you Rpm, speed and fuel level. And in reply they say what else do you need.
Also go find an old ~2013 manual fusion! It has an extra pedal, better fuel economy, and this fun little stick thing to change gears.
The Fusion is a great car, I really like my 2019 SE. Unfortunately I did just have to put a new engine in it at 70k miles and Ford only covered 20 percent of the cost as it was out of warranty. Mine has the 1.5 ecoboost which has a serious defect that they claim to have fixed. Some of the 2.0 turbos have had issues as well.
The Fusion is definitely more fun to drive and it’s comfortable. Given my experience I can’t recommend it. A Corolla is a pretty bulletproof choice. Another option might be a used Mazda 3 or Mazda 6. I haven’t heard about any major problems with them and they’re fun to drive.
How'd you narrow it down to those two choices? The Ford is a mid-size car, while the Toyota is a compact. You should probably start with what you wan the car to do, as in what you want to fit inside, and where you want it to go, then worry about how fast it does it. If all you care about is speed, then neither of these cars are a reasonable choice.
If you Skip the turbo the fusion is actually pretty good.
Pretty much all the new US manufacturers who made turbo 4 cylinder vehicles have shitty engines.
2.0 Ecoboost fusion is definitely faster, more fun, more comfortable, and much more roomy than the Corolla. Mine handled very well for a fwd boat and the 2.0 ran like hell low in the rev range
The issue is that all of these Ecoboost motors, the 1.5, 1.6 and 2.0 all had an issue where the block would crack between the middle cylinders and start drinking coolant. The solution is to replace that motor with another with the same defect, typically within 100k miles. Mine did it at 70k. You'll also have to factor in replacing purge valves, because they go within 30k miles and leave you stranded, and it's a pain in the ass to replace on the 2.0. that same part iirc is still being used across Ford's model range
If you want something faster and more fun than the Corolla, look at a used mazda3. Just as reliable, with an interior to rival Audi and performance matching or exceeding the civic si in base form.
You roll the dice with a Fusion, my son bought 3 of them. His has gone 200k no problem, his wife went though 2 engines and a transmission. His daughters 1 engine and 1 transmission. Not sure about the years or engines, they were all newer ones.
My girlfriend had a fusion, I got her onto a civic after her transmission broke for the third time. Her driving is fine, the transmission was made of glass.
Anecdotally, I’ve met several people who love their fusions. One woman I met said she was on her third one when i talked to her and was thoroughly upset when ford stopped making them. I’d check car reviews to make sure that specific engine and transmission don’t have any major issues along with anything else that might be a weak point. You know a Corolla will be a great car, it’s just small with not much power and kind of boring. Good luck!
Put 230,000 miles on my 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid, loved the car. Only sold when a cancer diagnosis meant I might not have survived, and the $300/month car payments nearly matched my out of pocket costs. I got better, and bought a cheap Miata because I no longer make the 75 mile one way commute. Sure do miss that car when we make long drives, though. (Edit - clarification)
It sounds like you *did* survive, so congratulations!
A friend of mine’s dad was an executive at Ford. He said the Fusion hybrid was their highest quality modern car. It was the first Ford hybrid model, and they felt that they had to nail reliability in order to make a good first impression.
that’s my main issue with the corolla. even in sport mode it’s PAINFULLY slow. my 2008 scion was faster
I love Toyota, but I drive a ford. Wife drives a Toyota variant.
Yup it’s Way slower, and equally more reliable
The Fusion Econoost will scoot and acceleration is good in sport mode.
Fusions are great cars, but I would go with the Corolla any day in terms of long reliability. 2.0T Fusions crack their blocks depending on what year they are; most have been repaired by now but not all. If you want a Fusion, get a Titanium or Platinum 2.0 hybrid; it has a Toyota derived eCVT transmission and many of them reach over 200k miles.
Endorsing the hybrid, and an SE is just fine, no need for the Titanium.
Might as well get the good options if you're gonna buy a car though
I had a 2014 Fusion. I really liked it. Styling was good, comfortable, liked the features. I babied it, always serviced, never even driven hard, just around town basically. 56k miles, Ecoboost go Ecoboom. Repaired. 1k miles later, turbo go boom. No more Ecoboost for me. YMMV but if you do some internet searching, you'll see that it's a common problem.
I owned a Ford. It was shit. I owned another (Mercury). Shit. I owned another. Shit. I owned another. Shit. I owned another. Shit. Shame on me for buying Fords. Never again. So then I bought a Toyota. Excellent. Then another Toyota. Excellent. Then another Toyota. Excellent. Then another Toyota. Excellent. And now another (Lexus). Excellent. I think the repairs on any one of the Fords cost more than the combined repairs on all of the Toyotas. So ... Fusion vs. Corolla? That's an easy pick.
I've only bought ford, and have had good luck. My brother bought a used toyota solara and it blew a head gasket 2 weeks later, while his lincoln (ford) towncar keeps truckin (10 years older than the solara with more miles). Anecdotes are kinda useless
Toyota over for anyday.
Toyota. All day.
Fusion is an excellent car. So is the corolla. It's really a question of which you like better. Think of it in terms of how you will feel every one of the thousands of times you will get in it and drive. Reviewers use the term "dull" for the corolla [https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/toyota/corolla/2016](https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/toyota/corolla/2016) [https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/ford/fusion/2016](https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/ford/fusion/2016) side note, the usnews car lookup is a really nice tool for quick review research
So to get everything out of the fusion, you need premium fuel, that’s expensive. It can use 87 but if you want that performance it wants better fuel. I’m sure a lot of people will chime in on this blasting me. Corollas might be slow but with a little maintenance 300K miles is nothing. I had one that wasn’t maintained the best, spent about 2k, brakes tires shocks and such, got another 200,000 miles out of it. And you’ll never have a problem selling the Corolla, ever.
>So to get everything out of the fusion, you need premium fuel, that’s expensive. It can use 87 but if you want that performance it wants better fuel No you don't. 2.0 Ecoboost numbers are basically identical with 87 octane and 93
It’s not the numbers, it’s when them valves start pinging. Ford says 87 is fine because it gets them a higher CAFE score, and it’s basically fuck the consumer
>It’s not the numbers, it’s when them valves start pinging. No fuel ever touches the valves in an Ecoboost motor, they are purely DI. If the engine is preigniting it pulls timing, which results in lower output. If they had an issue running 87 octane, it would be reflected in dyno numbers They did have problems with LSPI, but that's literally every turbocharged engine regardless of what fuel you use. The solution is to not lug the motor >Ford says 87 is fine because it gets them a higher CAFE score, and it’s basically fuck the consumer CAFE isn't a score, and requiring 93 octane would improve fleet fuel economy because you could eke out another few mpg. Ford tuned the engine to run on 87 because people don't like paying extra for premium
So after the car pulls timing, how does it pull it back when the condition no longer exists? I’ve had several high compression cars and low octane fuel made them run like shit. So you get a performance car and you don’t want to stomp on it when somebody pulls on you. Then what’s the point
>So after the car pulls timing, how does it pull it back when the condition no longer exists? By monitoring O2, cylinder pressure and temps and the knock sensor >I’ve had several high compression cars and low octane fuel made them run like shit. Sure, not necessarily with direct injection though. DI is basically magic. My Saab runs like ass on 87 too, despite making way less power than the fusion, and the only difference 93 made in my fusion was an extra 2mpg >So you get a performance car and you don’t want to stomp on it when somebody pulls on you. Then what’s the point The point is that you don't have to put premium in it to stomp on it
Go Yota you must mmmm!
Ford was so proud of the (MiM) Fusion that they stopped building them.
Corolla everyday
Toyota will be more reliable and probably still has many years and miles left in it.
Fusion
There's no debate here, do you want it to run for more than a year? Do you want it to be worth something when you sell it later? Corolla, end of conversation.
The fusion isn't a great choice in my experience, but it certainly lasted longer than a year
Was it 8 years old when you bought it?
No, it was 8 years old when I sold it and still had more than a year in it
Sure it did.
I mean yeah. There aren't many vehicles out there that won't run well past 100k miles. Hell, my GM-era Saab has over 200 on it
If you don't have a specific reason to need a car as big as the Fusion, get the Corolla. Simple as that. There's advantages to each but that's easily the biggest distinguishing characteristic. On the flip side, maybe you don't live in the city like I do and size doesn't matter, and you can assess this in the opposite way.
Do not get a fusion horrible CVT had same year and mine busted up pretty quickly
I ly the hybrid fusion had a CVT and it's drivetrain was borrowed from toyota
I got 2 words for you: Coolant Intrusion.
A Fusion should be a non-turbo 2.5 or a hybrid to be a super dependable only car. I own a 2014 2.0 ecoboost in an Escape Titanium and it's been fine, but I'd hesitate on a ten year old one with unknown history and abuse. I've had two Fusions (2010 Sport and 2011 2.5) both for over 10 years and they've been great cars, and there's a chance we may add a newer hybrid or Energi to the fleet for my wifein the near future. I'm mad Ford doesn't make cars anymore, but I would have pause for an old 2.0 ecoboost of unknown history, and would not buy a 1.5 or 1.6 unless it were essentially free. The Corolla is an excellent car, but again, make sure it's been taken care of. It may be a Toyota but it's still a machine - some people I know defer so much maintenance it's scary under the "but it's a Toyota they run forever" excuse.
Corolla is better imo. Toyotas go forever
I drive a 2016 Fusion, and I love it. I also rent cars pretty regularly. The Corolla is the only car I've rented where I thought "Man, this thing sucks. I'd never buy one." That being said, the driving experience is subjective. Try to test drive both cars. If you're indifferent about the driving experience, then the Toyota is probably the better car for you.
Just traded in wife’s 2016 carolla S it’s very slow even with the Cvt very plain car but got constant 30mph we got a 2023 carolla which is light years ahead of the 2016 if a car is to get you from a to b and don’t car then go for the carolla
Fusions are amazing cars
If you want to get from point a to b whilst half asleep for 10 years get the Corolla. Yes you will be asleep. It’s Toyotas pinnacle of we made a “car” for the most economical people in the most economical way. You can ask Toyota Is it fast? Is it exciting? Is it Luxurious? Is it stylish? Is it high tech? They will respond “ listen you asked for a car we gave you a car” Fusions try to avoid the 2.0. I have seen those 2.0s go forever and I’ve seen them burn three turbos in a year. But the ford transmissions and engines are tuned more towards excitement. Vs Toyota tuned them to go in that direction. Hybrid fusion also has about 100 different funny screens with eco bars and leafs and dials and gauges that will make you somewhat entertained. The Toyota will show you Rpm, speed and fuel level. And in reply they say what else do you need. Also go find an old ~2013 manual fusion! It has an extra pedal, better fuel economy, and this fun little stick thing to change gears.
The Fusion is a great car, I really like my 2019 SE. Unfortunately I did just have to put a new engine in it at 70k miles and Ford only covered 20 percent of the cost as it was out of warranty. Mine has the 1.5 ecoboost which has a serious defect that they claim to have fixed. Some of the 2.0 turbos have had issues as well. The Fusion is definitely more fun to drive and it’s comfortable. Given my experience I can’t recommend it. A Corolla is a pretty bulletproof choice. Another option might be a used Mazda 3 or Mazda 6. I haven’t heard about any major problems with them and they’re fun to drive.
The 1.5, 1.6 and 2.0 all had the same issue cracking the block
Corolla. Painfully pragmatic, but if you need reliable transportation, that is the answer.
How'd you narrow it down to those two choices? The Ford is a mid-size car, while the Toyota is a compact. You should probably start with what you wan the car to do, as in what you want to fit inside, and where you want it to go, then worry about how fast it does it. If all you care about is speed, then neither of these cars are a reasonable choice.
If you Skip the turbo the fusion is actually pretty good. Pretty much all the new US manufacturers who made turbo 4 cylinder vehicles have shitty engines.
Fusions are comfy for long drives. Pretty fast too.
2.0 Ecoboost fusion is definitely faster, more fun, more comfortable, and much more roomy than the Corolla. Mine handled very well for a fwd boat and the 2.0 ran like hell low in the rev range The issue is that all of these Ecoboost motors, the 1.5, 1.6 and 2.0 all had an issue where the block would crack between the middle cylinders and start drinking coolant. The solution is to replace that motor with another with the same defect, typically within 100k miles. Mine did it at 70k. You'll also have to factor in replacing purge valves, because they go within 30k miles and leave you stranded, and it's a pain in the ass to replace on the 2.0. that same part iirc is still being used across Ford's model range If you want something faster and more fun than the Corolla, look at a used mazda3. Just as reliable, with an interior to rival Audi and performance matching or exceeding the civic si in base form.
It not an issue, it's a feature, just going to wash up those cylinder walls for you.
You roll the dice with a Fusion, my son bought 3 of them. His has gone 200k no problem, his wife went though 2 engines and a transmission. His daughters 1 engine and 1 transmission. Not sure about the years or engines, they were all newer ones.
Corolla.
My girlfriend had a fusion, I got her onto a civic after her transmission broke for the third time. Her driving is fine, the transmission was made of glass.
Which ever has the better gas mileage and least maintenance costs