2017 Ford Fusion Sport
The 2017 Ford Fusion has gone through a significant fine-tuning of late; and getting right to it, the interior control area has really been cleaned up, with a new rotary shifter, freeing up lots of space in the console.
Fusion also gains a new high end Platinum trim, boasting more luxury touches than ever before. But even better news, if you’re a fan of actually driving like we are, is the new Fusion Sport.
It adopts the Edge Sport’s twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 EcoBoost; putting out 325-horsepower and a very beefy 380 lb-ft. of torque. A new 6-speed automatic transmission with paddle shift is included, and all-wheel-drive is standard.
Basic suspension hardware is thoroughly addressed with stiffer springs, bigger anti-roll bars, and wider 235/40 Good Year Eagle F1 tires on 19-inch dark-finished alloys. Summer-only tires are also available.
But, it is the solenoid valve controlled continuous damping system we applaud most, a first for this segment, with pothole detection that instantly adjusts fluid flow to minimize impact. It provided a notably smoother ride than typical for an affordable four-door.
When Sport mode is dialed up reaction becomes more aggressive. It also tweaks steering feel, transmission shifts, throttle response, and even exhaust note. We liked it so much we recommend leaving it in Sport mode all the time.
As for how this Fusion improves your driveway’s style; the Sport does away with the typical Fusion Aston Martin-inspired grille; and in its place is a glossy black mesh number. Just part of a whole new front fascia that has a much snarlier look.
In back there are quad exhaust outlets and of course a spoiler across the deck lid.
For you to enjoy inside, are upgraded sport seats with sueded inserts; and carbon fiber-like trim.
Our street driving impressions are quite favorable, as there is certainly less roll here than we’ve encountered in any Fusion prior to this.
And at our track test, those good vibes were confirmed; as the Fusion Sport is easily a top handler in its segment. With the exception of the Dodge Charger Hellcat, this is the American sport sedan that we’d prefer to park our butts in right now.
But, it’s not yet a threat to German dominance. While Fusion Sport’s all-wheel-drive system is highly effective at rotating you around corners, you can really feel it working a little too much; it’s not a seamless Porsche-like system. Still, it does close the capability gap more than a little.
And, the Sport is quick off the line for sure, getting us to 60 in 5.3-seconds. There’s an exhilarating amount of low end torque at launch, and it just keeps getting poured on from there.
Shifts were Jaguar-like in their speed and smoothness, and we cleared the ¼-mile in 13.9-seconds at 99 miles-per-hour.
Possibly our biggest complaint is the sound of the car. There’s plenty of it in the cabin, which is not a bad thing; it’s just a very obviously synthesized sound being pumped into the cabin.
Brakes, with an only-reasonable average stopping distance of 120-feet, are another reminder that this is still a 2-ton family car at heart.
One final update for ’17 Fusions, upgraded safety systems including autonomous braking. The system provided plenty of early warnings, but actual brake application was a little inconsistent; sometimes bringing us to a full-stop against our barrier, and sometimes not.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings come in at 17-City, 26-Highway, and 20-Combined; so our average of 24.1 miles-per-gallon of Regular was quite good. With a fairly average Energy Impact Score of 16.5-barrels of oil use, along with 7.3-tons of CO2 emissions, annually.
Base pricing, at $34,350, is about 10-grand over a base Fusion; but it’s hardly worth comparing the two as they are really totally different cars.
We’ve recently praised a fair number of new mid-size family sedans for their improved driving competency. But the 2017 Ford Fusion Sport goes the furthest yet, without leaving affordability and practicality on the table.
Indeed, the Fusion Sport raises the performance bar for mainstream four-doors to almost European Luxury-Sport levels. That’s high praise, and why we recommend anyone still “car” shopping, to give it a very close look.
Specifications
- Engine: 2.7 liter
- Horsepower: 325
- Torque: 380 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 5.3 seconds
- 1/4 mile: 13.9 seconds @ 99 mph
- EPA: 17 mpg city / 26 mpg highway
- Energy Impact: 16.5 barrels of oil/yr
- CO2 Emissions: 7.3 tons/yr
2025 Subaru WRX tS
Subaru’s “World Rally eXperimental” Gets Tecnica-Tuned Tech
Building on its global rally heritage, WRX has been a standalone Subaru nameplate, marketed separately from garden variety Impreza, for two generations now. And while the current WRX still lacks the full STI treatment, this WRX tS serves up some of that high-performance spice we’ve been longing for.
Before we go flat out into our Track Test of this 2025 Subaru WRX tS, lets open the Subaru dictionary so we’re all on the same page. “tS” stands for “tuned by STI;” and “STI” is an acronym for “Subaru Tecnica International,” the brand’s high-performance sub-group best known for upgrading the WRX— oh, that stands for “World Rally eXperimental,” in case you didn’t know.
All that said, STI has been largely dormant for this WRX generation, but this tS sprinkles more of their engineering magic into the mix. No, that doesn’t mean extra power, but does mean significant chassis-related improvements.
First, electronically controlled dampers, adjustable through the 11.6-inch tablet-style infotainment screen. That meant a softer “comfort” mode on the 10+ hour commute to and from Savannah’s Roebling Road Raceway. But once we were there, it was the firmer “Sport+” setting all the way, heightening response from the WRX’s throttle and already quick dual-pinion power steering system. There’s still some body roll for rally-esque weight transfer, but it’s well sorted and provides the “toss-ability” you want in a WRX.
Though if you do autocross your tS, which we implore you to do, you might feel the six-piston front, two-piston rear Brembo brakes first. The bite is strong, giving good rotation in the corners and plenty of “halt” for this 3,400 lb. compact with minimal fade, keeping us on track all week…until some unfortunate winter weather passed overhead. No worries here, as Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive system got us to the track for some powdered deserts: Frosted donuts served up Michelin style, a set of winter tires different from the grippy Bridgestone Potenza S007 rubber the tS typically rides on. Some prior hot laps of California’s Sonoma Raceway gave credence to those Bridgestones, and showed us what this hot-compact can do in ideal conditions.
It’s well sorted and provides the “toss-ability” you want in a WRX.
Other tS enhancements are cabin-based, namely these beautiful blue Recaros. Most of our staff appreciated their moderately-aggressive bolstering on both street and track. And they’re even heated, too. Another tS-only appointment is this 12.3-inch digital gauge display. It mimics the standard analog gauges with some additional info, but can switch to a navigation mode for more convenient route guidance.
We do wish our tS came in the new Galaxy Purple or the trademark World Rally Blue, but this Crystal White paint wasn’t too shabby, contrasting its Cherry Blossom Red badging and blacked-out lip spoiler. Otherwise, the tS is like any other WRX, down to the hood scoop funneling air to the top-mounted intercooler.
Underneath is the same turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four in all other trims, boxing at 271 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The freak winter weather stopped straight-line testing, but a 0-60 time estimate of 5.5 seconds is about as spry as you realistically need, pulling strong through most of the tach; though the 6,000 RPM redline required attentive shifting of the six-speed box, which the tS comes exclusively with. The throws are precise, if a little long, and the clutch is wonderfully weighted.
With discontinuation of the Base trim, pricing for the WRX now starts with Premium at $36,920. The tS is at the top of the lineup with the automatic-only GT, both starting at $46,875. All WRXs continue to be made in Gunma, Japan.
If you’re an enthusiast itching to do the tuning yourself, perhaps the 2025 Subaru WRX tS is not for you. But if you want a plug-and-play experience, this is it. While it won’t exactly bestow the loose-cannon, top-level driving skills exhibited by famous WRC drivers upon you, the tS moves this WRX’s game in a direction we’ve so desperately wanted Subaru to take.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 2.4-liter flat-four
- Tranmission: 6-speed manual
- Horsepower: 271
- Torque: 258 lb-ft