New Ford Fusion Rakes In Car of the Year Awards

A year ago, the redesigned 2013 Ford Fusion was named Best in Show by Autoweek magazine following its debut at the Detroit Auto Show, raising expectations for the dealership arrival of the midsize sedan. Fast-forward to the present day, and the new Fusion is now on sale and continuing to attract critical acclaim. Both Autobytel and AOL Autos recently named the aggressively styled model their Car of the Year.

The Autobytel 2013 Car of the Year award was decided by the votes of the vehicle-research site's editorial team, and the Fusion ended up the near-unanimous choice. Editors called the new Ford model "the right amount of car for the right price at the right time," adding that it may be "the best of a really good bunch" of midsize sedans. AOL Autos used a different voting system for its 2012 Car of the Year Award, as each editor ranked their top three cars. Three points were awarded for a first-place vote, two points for a second-place vote and one point for a third-place vote, with the Fusion receiving the highest overall score.

"Both Autobytel and AOL Autos agree that the Fusion's redesign has elevated the car right to the top of the midsize segment with its excellent mix of performance, value and quality," said Alan Melkonian, owner and general manager of Stoneham Ford, a Greater Boston Ford dealer. "The new Fusion is thoroughly modern, whether you're looking at its crisp design lines, its innovative in-car technology or its fuel efficiency that comes without diluting responsiveness."

This month, the 2013 Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid will go on sale as the most fuel-efficient sedan on the U.S. market, returning up to 108 MPGe in the city. That impressive gas mileage, along with the car's intuitive infotainment and driver-assist technologies, recently earned the Fusion Energi the title of 2013 Connected Car of the Year by Connected World magazine in its Green category.

The Ford Fusion Energi comes standard with SYNC with MyFord Touch, which connects with drivers' smartphones to initiate hands-free phone calls and media playback using voice commands. Meanwhile, compatibility with the MyFord Mobile app allows Fusion Energi owners to remotely check the state of the car's charge and retrieve range estimates. Buyers can also opt for a variety of active safety technologies, including a Driver Alert System, a Lane-Keeping System and a Blind Spot Information System.

"The Fusion Energi appeals equally to the head and the heart because it is packed with cost-saving and life-saving technologies, yet it looks and feels like a sportier midsize sedan," added Melkonian. "While other plug-in hybrids are marked by their subdued styles, the Fusion Energi is just as striking as it is sustainable."