Automotive Fleet, December 2017

AUTOMOTIVE FLEET I DECEMBER 2017 12 T he Ford Fusion has been selected as the 2017 Fleet Car of the Year This is the sixth time the Fusion has earned the Fleet Car of the Year Award which is more than any other vehicle since the award was founded over 10 years ago the last time the vehicle was honored was in 2015 The model was selected as No 1 out of a ballot of 22 cars for the annual Automotive Fleet and Business Fleet award While the Fusion has been in its second generation since 2013 the model received a significant refresh for the 2017 modelyear which has carried over into 2018 model Indeed the facelifted version for 2017 boasted many new technological features such as adaptive cruise control as well as the introduction of two new trim levels The Fusion has all the driver assist technologies fleet customers are looking for along with a wide variety of powertrain choices and a beautiful design said Michele Bartlett general manager commercial and government fleet for Ford All of these features and more make this the perfect vehicle for our fleet customers Looking Under the Hood Fleets have myriad options to choose from when considering the Fusion for their operations Indeed this mid size sedan has six available engines and 11 different trim levels which includes hybrid options Several Ecoboost turbocharged fourcylinder engines spotlight the Fusions engine lineup which includes the 15L turbocharged engine offering 181 hp and 185 lb ft of torque and a 20L turbocharged engine which delivers 245 hp and 275 lb ft of torque New for the Sport trim in 2017 MY is a 27 Ecoboost turbocharged V6 which boasts 325 hp and 380 lb ft of torque Other available engines for the Fusion include a 25L four cylinder engine which produces 173 hp and 174 lb ft of torque All are coupled to an automatic six speed transmission Intelligent all wheel drive is optional on SE Titanium and Platinum trims and standard on the Sport model Also for its Hybrid and Energi plug in hybrid trims is 20L I 4 engine and electric motor with a 14 kWh lithium ion battery for the Fusion Hybrid and 76 kWh lithium ion battery for the Energi The Energi boasts an EPA estimated 104 91 city hwy MPGe rating and the Hybrid with 43 31 It is available in seven trims S SE Titanium Hybrid Sport Platinum and Energi The S SE and Titanium trims for the Fusion offer an EPA estimated 21 32 city hwy mpg while the updated Fusion Sport offers an EPA estimated 17 26 city hwy rating A Fusion of Tech and Safety Safety which is often top of mind for fleets has remained a key component to the Fusion in 2018 MY which is evident by the standard features focusing on safety across its nameplate Beginning for 2017 MY the Ford Fusion boasted the addition of 20 driver assist features spotlighted by adaptive cruise con The Ford Fusion was named Fleet Car of the Year Its features include Fords latest SYNC 3 infotainment system Several available Ecoboost turbocharged engines Twenty driver assist features including adaptive cruise control Connectivity with FordPass an app drivers can use to keep them connected to the Fusion at all times AT A GLANCE Michele Bartlett GM of commercial and government fleet for Ford helped make the Fusion a top selling fleet Vehicle FORD FUSION For the 2017 Model Year the Ford Fusion added 20 driverassist features including adaptive cruise control with stop and go technology and the Ford SYNC3 Infotainment system BY ANDY LUNDIN 2017 FLEET CAR OF THE YEAR