North Georgia Ford Compares 2017 Ford Fusion VS 2016 Honda Accord Near Calhoun, GA

The rear seatbelts optional on the Fusion inflate when a collision is detected, helping to spread crash forces over a much larger area of the body and limiting head and neck movement. This can help prevent spinal and internal injuries. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

The Fusion offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

To help make backing safer, the Fusion’s optional cross-path warning system uses wide-angle radar in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Fusion (except S)’s optional driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Fusion has standard SYNC ®, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Fusion and the Accord Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems and front and rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Fusion is safer than the Honda Accord Sedan:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Ford Fusion is safer than the Honda Accord Sedan:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

There are almost 4 times as many Ford dealers as there are Honda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Fusion’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2015 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford 12th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 14th.

The Fusion has more powerful engines than the Accord Sedan:

As tested in Motor Trend the Ford Fusion 2.0 EcoBoost is faster than the Accord Sedan Sport 2.4 4 cyl. (automatics tested):

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Fusion 1.5 ECOBoost’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Fusion has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the Fusion’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Accord Sedan:

The Fusion stops much shorter than the Accord Sedan:

For better traction, the Fusion has larger standard tires than the Accord Sedan (215/60R16 vs. 205/65R16).

The Fusion S’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Accord Sedan LX’s standard 65 series tires.

The Fusion offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Accord Sedan’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Fusion’s wheelbase is 2.9 inches longer than on the Accord Sedan (112.2 inches vs. 109.3 inches).

The Fusion SE handles at .85 G’s, while the Accord Sedan EX-L pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Fusion Titanium executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the Accord Sedan EX-L (27.2 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .54 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Fusion’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Accord Sedan LX/EX’s (37.5 feet vs. 38.1 feet). The Fusion’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Accord Sedan Sport/Touring’s (37.5 feet vs. 39.6 feet).

The front grille of the Fusion uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Fusion has .1 inches more front headroom, 1.8 inches more front legroom, .3 inches more rear headroom and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Accord Sedan.

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Fusion easier. The Fusion’s trunk lift-over height is 25 inches, while the Accord Sedan’s liftover is 27.8 inches.

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the Fusion’s trunk lid uses concealed beam hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. The Accord Sedan’s useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

The Fusion’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Accord Sedan’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

The Fusion (except S)’s optional easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the Fusion and the Accord Sedan have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Fusion is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Accord Sedan prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Fusion’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Accord Sedan’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the Accord Sedan EX/EX-L/Touring’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Fusion SE/Titanium/Sport/Platinum’s exterior keypad. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer an exterior keypad entry system.

The Fusion offers optional automatic dimming rear and side view mirrors which automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Accord Sedan offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Optional air conditioned seats in the Fusion (except S/SE) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer air conditioned seats.

On extremely cold Winter days, the Fusion’s optional (except S) heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Fusion (except S) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Fusion (except S)’s optional Active Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Insurance will cost less for the Fusion owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Fusion with a number “3” insurance rate while the Accord Sedan is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Fusion is less expensive to operate than the Accord Sedan because typical repairs cost much less on the Fusion than the Accord Sedan, including $21 less for a water pump, $55 less for an alternator, $314 less for a starter, $341 less for fuel injection, $175 less for a fuel pump, $139 less for front struts and $59 less for a power steering pump.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Ford Fusion and the Honda Accord Sedan, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend selected the Fusion as their 2010 Car of the Year. The Accord was Import Car of the Year in 1994.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Fusion Hybrid as the 2010 North American Car of the Year. The Accord Sedan has never been chosen.