Ace of Base: 2019 Ford Fusion S

When the current-generation Fusion appeared for 2013, its Aston Martin styling was a cold glass of water in the face of milquetoast midsized family sedans. Part of Alan Mulally’s “One Ford” plan, the stylish car added zest to a bland segment.

Now, with recently minted CEO Jim Hackett having decreed the Mustang to be Ford’s only car worth keeping, the Fusion has been left to weather crushing competition from competitors that have undergone significant renewals – twice, in some cases.

In creating the Fusion, the Head of Advanced Design for Ford of Europe was commissioned as lead designer. Based in Detroit, under the guise of Exterior Chief Designer for Ford/Lincoln, his team received support from Ford of Europe studios in Germany and the UK. It is highly unlikely this would fly in today’s climate under the ministrations of Hackett.

Nowhere is the shift in thinking more evident than on the 11th floor of Ford HQ. According to a story in the Wall Street Journal, a plaque dedicated to Mr. Mulally’s One Ford plan was removed from the executive’s main conference room several months after the new CEO’s arrival. This was done to clear the wall for use as a workspace to map out a new strategy. Hackett apparently said he didn’t feel the language “fit what we were trying to get across.” The plaque has been re-appointed in a common area on the same floor, a Ford spox explained. Hmm.

For now, the Fusion lives on. How much longer is up for debate. The base model for 2019 is, as in past years, simply called the S. Powered by the company’s 2.5-liter Duratec inline-four that’s been around in some form or another seemingly since the last millennium, drivers will find 175 horsepower and an equal amount of torque. A six-speed automatic is the only transmission option.

Ford includes its Co-Pilot360 suite of safety features on the $22,840 base model Fusion. This packages lane keeping, pre-collision assist, blind-spot monitoring, and a rear-view camera. Adding to the safety net is the MyKey tech which allows parents to annoy teenage drivers by putting restrictions on speed and even radio volume. My parents simply had to rely on reports from nosy neighbors.

Outside, el cheapo 16-inch steel wheels with silver-painted plastic covers wear 215/60R16 tires. Natty LED taillamps adorn the rear. Color-keyed door handles and side-view mirrors won’t bely your thrifty ways. Fog lights don’t appear until the Titanium trim, four rungs up the ladder. The hue shown here is tasty Velocity Blue, a $0 option. I still believe this is a good looking car.

Buttons for the manual climate control reside on the dashboard, along with a couple of power points for accessories. The steering wheel tilts and telescopes while housing switches for the cruise and redundant audio controls. It’s pretty standard fare but a solid feature list. Sync3 is optional. My main gripe? The interior is only available in beige Medium Light Stone, a shade good for deflecting heat in hot climates but offensive to this author’s jaundiced eye.

Like so many other Blue Oval sedans before it, Lincoln LS and fourth-gen Taurus to name just two, it appears the company is content to let a once-great car wither on the vine until it is put out to pasture. Sure, all hands are hot for SUVs, but surely there remains a place at the table for the American sedan – even base models.

Right?

[Images: Ford Motor Company]

Not every base model has aced it. The ones which have? They help make the automotive landscape a lot better. Any others you can think of, B&B? Let us know in the comments. Naturally, feel free to eviscerate our selection.

The model above is shown in American dollars with American options and trim, absent of destination charges and available rebates. As always, your dealer may sell for less.