The radically new 2013 Ford Fusion mid-size sedan will go four-cylinder only when it hits the market later this year, and will add a plug-in hybrid version on top of offering a new-generation gas-electric regular hybrid and EcoBoost versions.
Each of these offerings is expected to come in as the fuel economy leaders in their respective classes, with the plug-in Fusion Energi taking on the Chevrolet Volt and upcoming Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid in the market by the end of this year. Ford says the Fusion Energi will hit more than 100 mpg equivalent (2.6 litres/100 km), besting the Volt and the Prius plug-in by significant amounts.
Ford is keeping the size of the lithium-ion battery and its all-electric range under wraps, although various reports online suggest that it won’t go as far or as fast as the Volt just on electricity. The no-plug-needed gas-electric Fusion Hybrid is expected to achieve 47 mpg (5.0 litres/100 km) city and 44 mpg (5.3 litres/100 km) highway, when rated on the more realistic U.S. five-cycle efficiency rating system.
The base Fusion will remain a 2.5-litre four, to help entice buyers in with a low starting price, which will make 170 in both horsepower and torque. Two new EcoBoost engines will be available, with a 1.6-litre four with Start/Stop technology the most fuel-efficient of the gas-only engines, achieving about 9.0 litres/100 km in the city and about 6.4 litres/100 km on the highway.
A 2.0-litre EcoBoost four will be the performance upgrade engine, replacing the V-6 in the Sport model, which will be available with a six-speed automatic and paddle shifters. Manual transmissions and all-wheel drive will also be available, which will make the Fusion easily the most highly diversified car on the market when it comes to powertrain options.
All Fusions will receive svelte, four-door coupe-like styling, with a nose that should have Aston Martin designers feeling flattered. This influence was actually first seen on the Focus EV that debuted at last year’s Detroit show, which Ford recently announced will be priced at $41,999 when it hits Canada this spring to compete with the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i-MiEV.
The Fusion will become the next-generation Mondeo in Europe and Asia early next year, while in North America, most Fusion variants will be on sale in the fall (December for the Fusion Energi plug-in).
Dodge CEO Reid Bigland introduces the Dodge Dart.
Dart brings American style, high-tech goodies to compact class
Dodge CEO Reid Bigland officially resuscitated the Dodge Dart at the Detroit show, unveiling a Charger-like compact car to compete with the Honda Civic and its many rivals that make up the majority of the top 10-selling cars in Canada.
The revived Dart is based on the architecture of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, but has been stretched significantly and slightly widened for North America. Three four-cylinder engines will be available, a base 2.0-litre, a performance-focused 2.4-litre, and a fuel-efficiency-geared 1.4-litre turbo, all making within 160 and 184 hp. Six-speed manuals will be offered on all three engines, while the 1.4-litre MultiAir engine features a dual-clutch automated manual as the automatic option.
Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has reportedly said a nine-speed automatic will be coming in 2013, which will help further boost fuel efficiency.
But there will still be plenty of technology on offer when this car goes on sale in the spring, including a heated steering wheel, active grille shutter system, 10 airbags, available GPS, blind-spot monitoring, rear back-up camera, rear cross path detection and HID headlights.
There’s also a downloadable smartphone app that uses GoogleMaps to help you find your car, lock the doors and start it remotely, said Bigland, who is also president of Chrysler Canada.
No Canadian pricing is available yet, but in the United States, it will start at $15,995, while also promising mid-size interior room, such as that in the Cruze and Hyundai Elantra.
