Ford Fusion Safety Rating: Is It Worth Your Time?

Sandy B
Dec 22, 2020

The Ford Fusion is a fully packed vehicle with ample size, a nice engine, and some key tech upgrades that are hard to pass up. But, is it safe? Before you buy a used Ford Fusion, consider the safety rating on this car to see if it’s right for you.

How safe is the Ford Fusion?

The 2020 Ford Fusion received a 5-star Overall Safety Rating from NHTSA and the highest possible score of “Good” from IIHS. Combined with a 4.54-star Owner Rating and a 4.1/10 Expert Review from Vehicle History, you can count on this vehicle in most cases.

Black 2020 Ford Fusion In Motion

Before you make the decision to buy, you’ll need more insight and details about the test results. You also want to take a closer look at the onboard safety features and the driver technology on the Ford Fusion. We’ll break all of that information down for you here.

2020 Ford Fusion Crash Test Ratings

Crash test results can provide a great deal of information about the overall safety of any vehicle. These third-party organizations work to determine what will happen if the vehicle collides with others in a variety of ways. Here’s how the 2020 Ford Fusion performed in these tests.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Test Results

The IIHS provides several tests to determine the safety of vehicles, including crashworthiness. In this area, the 2020 Ford Fusion received a “Good” rating, the highest possible rating. That includes in things like the risks associated with side impact and roof strength.

In Crash Avoidance and Mitigation testing, the IIHS gave the vehicle a “Poor” rating for the headlights. This applies to the standard and other headlights. It gave it a “Superior” rating in front crash prevention for both pedestrian and other vehicles.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Test Results

The NHTSA is one of the leaders in this testing. It gave the 2020 Ford Fusion a 5-star Overall Safety Rating, the highest possible. While that sounds good, it’s also important to note the Overall Frontal star rating is only a 4, due to concerns with the front passenger side test results.

The vehicle did well on side tests, earning a full 5 stars on pole and barrier testing. In Rollover ratings, NHTSA gave it a 4-star rating due to having a rollover risk of 10.9%, which is just slightly over the ideal risk level for this vehicle’s class and size.

2020 Ford Fusion Available Safety Tech

Ford, like many other manufacturers, has worked to increase the amount of technology in their vehicles. In doing so, they’ve helped to make vehicles safer to drive, with sensors and computers capable of minimizing the risk of collisions.

Ford Co-Pilot360 is the company’s flagship driver assist suite. It offers a number of key features designed to provide drivers with confidence behind the wheel. These features help drivers navigate and stay safe. Some of the key features of this service include the following:

Blind Spot Information System With Cross-Traffic Alert

Car Blind Spot Monitoring System Warning Light

BLIS is one of the key components of this system. It alerts drivers to vehicles in their blind spot, both behind and to the side. It alerts by flashing blinkers on each of the mirrors if there’s someone in this space, letting you know when it’s safe to switch lanes.

Cross traffic alert also warns when there’s a vehicle traveling behind the car, such as when you’re backing out of a parking space. You’ll hear a warning beep to indicate it’s not safe to back up.

Lane Keeping System

This system helps ensure you can stay in your lane at all times, no matter how distracted you get behind the wheel. If you’re too close to the marked lines on the road, this system will alert you to it on the display.

Even more interesting, if you drift out of your lane too many times, the system will display a cup of coffee icon – alerting you that it’s time to take a break from driving until it’s safer to drive.

Rearview Camera

Car Rear View Camera Closeup

The vehicle features a rearview camera on it that provides solid backup support. You can see where you’re backing up into, and, depending on the model vehicle you have, it also offers a reverse navigation feature. That can help align a trailer, too.

Auto High-Beam Headlamps

The Ford Fusion may feature these headlamps, depending on the model selected. These lamps keep your brights on while you’re driving to improve visibility. If it detects a vehicle coming toward you, it turns off those lights to prevent blinding the person in front of you.

Here’s What Other People Also Ask about the Ford Fusion

Making the right decision about a vehicle is always important, and you want to make the right decision. That’s why you may have questions like these.

Does Co-Pilot come standard on all Ford Fusion vehicles?

Ford made Standard Ford Co-Pilot available for all new cars (starting with the 2019 model lineup). That means most of the time, you’ll find it onboard. However, some features are upgrades and may cost a bit more. Be sure to check the model trim to find out.

How long will a Ford Fusion last?

Ford Fusion vehicles are built with reliable and long-lasting technology and materials. These vehicles typically last for at least 150,000 miles, but some owners report well over 200,000 miles. The key is to ensure they have proper maintenance and service.

What are common problems with the Ford Fusion?

Ford Fusion has had a few issues over previous models. Some had issues with lights, electrical systems, or the fuel system. Most problems have improved over the model development. Noises are also a common problem with these vehicles – as odd as that is!

avatar Sandy B
Sandy B. has written for The New York Times, Cleveland Magazine, and many online publications. She long-ago ditched the minivan life for the off-roading Ford Explorer (and hoping to restore a Shelby Mustang!)
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