7 Cars Like The Ford Fusion: Similar Rides Worth Checking Out
Ford by Kevauto — CC-BY-SA-4.0
Mid-size sedans and the Ford Fusion are so related it’s hard to think of one without the other. The Fusion is a ubiquitous car. It’s everywhere, but it’s also a nice enough and fun enough car that people don’t forget about it.
A wide variety of trim levels and engine design give consumers a lot of power to customize what they’re getting when they buy a Fusion. But these cars are all consistently good daily drivers, family vehicles, and good as a utilitarian vehicle for all kinds of consumers.
But mid-size sedans are popular, and there is a lot of competition in this market, some better, some worse. Here are the other vehicles you should be considering if you’re looking at a Ford Fusion and want something a little different or just to see what’s out there.
1. 2019 Volkswagen Passat
- MSRP: $26,190
- MPG: 36⁄25 HWY/City
- Horsepower: 174
The Volkswagen Passat is very similar to the Ford Fusion in a lot of respects. It’s another 5 seat 4-door mid-side sedan designed to be a standard commuter for a family vehicle. It’s a reasonable price and affordable for most consumers. It’s got decent horsepower but, like the Fusion, isn’t terribly flashy when it comes to power or speed.
Where the Passat really shines is the huge seeming interior, its impressive fuel efficiency for this design, and great handling and performance.
However, the Passat is a little more bare-bones when it comes to interior features, storage spaces, and other comfort innovations.
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2. 2018 Hyundai Sonata
- MSRP: $22,935
- MPG: 37⁄28 HWY/City
- Horsepower: 178 to 245
The Hyundai Sonata might be one of the better-known vehicles on this list, and it’s almost as well known as the Ford Fusion. That’s for good reason since this is one of the most comfortable and well-designed mid-size sedans out there right now.
The Sonata’s real charms are the incredible comfort of its interior. Spacious and with plenty of features to help make it more fun to drive, the Sonata is great for long drives and short. A variety of optional features can help make your Sonata stand out from the crowd, while its impressive fuel performance helps keep your pocketbook happy.
3. 2022 Subaru Legacy
- MSRP: $22,995
- MPG: 34⁄25 HWY/City
- Horsepower: 175 to 256
The Subaru Legacy is one of the better comparisons for the Ford Fusion. In fact, a lot of Subaru’s mid-size sedans are great competitors for the Fusion, especially if you’re looking for slightly more all-purpose all-terrain models, thanks to their tendency to have better clearance.
The most recent model of the Legacy line is loaded with a ton of new tech features and builds off the already successful release from 2019. The focus this time is on comfort as well as performance. Plus, as an early entry into 2022’s mid-size sedan market, it’s a shoo-in for a lot of attention.
The Legacy is also reasonably stylish and comes with a variety of trim options to help it appeal to a wider range of consumers. Overall, a great competitor for the Fusion and a little more advanced when it comes to driver and passenger comfort.
4. 2019 Kia Optima
- MSRP: $22,990
- MPG: 37-27 HWY/City
- Horsepower: 178 to 245
The Kia Optima is another competitor with the Fusion that’s pretty well known, though its slightly smaller and more fuel-efficient design means it’s also a competitor for another Ford model, the Focus. However, its higher-than-average reliability rating and a few other design improvements make the Optima an excellent mid-size sedan option.
Where the Optima really shines is in its safety score. The interior feels spacious but not quite as spacious as the Fusion or the Legacy.
However, if you’re looking for a car that feels intuitive and easy to drive, the Optima may be your car. A lot of intuitive design choices make this car a joy to drive and very easy.
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5. 2019 Chevrolet Malibu
- MSRP: $24,000
- MPG: 36⁄29 HWY/City
- Horsepower: 160 to 250
If you’re looking for a mid-size sedan that’s really designed for families and commuters, the Malibu is a good choice. A highly efficient design keeps more of your money in your pocketbook at the gas station, while an internal multimedia system helps keep your family entertained on the road.
The Malibu also offers pretty good horsepower and acceleration performance, though it has a lot of safety features and control adaptations to make it simpler to drive. Those adaptations are perfect if you have a long commute or like to road trip.
However, the Malibu does have slightly higher road noise than the Fusion, so it’s not great for drivers who want a whisper-quiet drive.
6. 2018 Toyota Camry
- MSRP: $24,380
- MPG: 41⁄29 HWY/City
- Horsepower: 203 to 301
If you’re looking for a fun ride that’s still practical as a commuter and a family vehicle, the Camry might be the right choice for you. What the Camry lacks in flash, it makes up for in practicality and efficiency. A relatively straightforward design, Camrys are comfortable, spacious, and offer great fuel performance for their price range.
As an affordable commuter, you might not expect the power Camrys bring to bear, but they’ve got fantastic performance in most aspects. Not quite a sports car, the Camry is still a lot more fun to drive than your average commuter.
Several different trim levels also give consumers their choice of features when it comes to the Camry.
7. 2017 Honda CR-V
- MSRP: $25,000
- MPG: 34⁄28
- Horsepower: 184 to 190
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The 2017 CR-V might not be what you first think of as a direct competitor for the Ford Fusion, but it’s similar in a lot more ways than you might respect. It offers good fuel efficiency, similar road performance and is designed with families in mind.
Of course, as a compact SUV, the 2017 CR-V is a little roomier and can handle a bit more cargo than the Fusion, but that’s not a downside.
Where this vehicle really shines is if you’re looking for a daily driver that also works for camping, all-terrain driving, and heading up into the mountains or other challenging roads.
The CR-V might not be a mid-size sedan, but it offers a lot of the same advantages. Plus, as one of the consistently highest-ranking SUVs out there, the CR-V is known for its consistency and quality.
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