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Focus ST or Fusion SE 1.6 Ecoboost 6-spd M/T? Which would you pick?

17K views 78 replies 25 participants last post by  suss6052 
#1 ·
The last time I went up to Portsmouth Ford for maintenance,they had 4 Focus STs in their inventory and about 45 Fusions. The one "special" Fusion they had in their inventory was equipped with the 1.6 liter EcoBoost and 6-spd manual tranny combo. All the vehicles were comparably priced(originally around $28K but there are discounts)and I'm tempted to trade in the Focus coupe for one or the other. Which you pick if you had the money?
 
#3 ·
Focus ST, it will be faster. The Fusion would be nice, but either someone backed out of the order for some reason or the dealer created a fake sales order to get one.

The Focus is built in Michigan, and the Fusion for the most part is still built in Mexico. I'm not aware of them building even a nominal amount of cars at Flat Rock yet.
 
#4 ·
The Fusion would be nice, but either someone backed out of the order for some reason or the dealer created a fake sales order to get one.

The Focus is built in Michigan, and the Fusion for the most part is still built in Mexico. I'm not aware of them building even a nominal amount of cars at Flat Rock yet.
The Fusion I mentioned was regular dealer inventory. No one backed out of it.
Portsmouth Ford is known for keeping a decent amount of M/T vehicles in its inventory
 
#5 ·
A manual Fusion would be fun and I would certainly like one, but to have to choose between the two I would probably find myself going towards a Focus ST - especially if a Tangerine Scream unit is available.
 
#8 ·
Focus ST w/o question.... Fusion isn't much of a midsize sedan anymore. i was checking out the weight of its counterpart (MKZ) w/ AWD and the 3.7L V6... well over 4200+lbs. now if you said the 2010-2012 2.5L w/ a turbo and 6 speed manual or Sport w/ the 3.5L (regardless of FWD/AWD for me) then THAT could be a difficult decision...
 
#11 ·
Fusion isn't much of a midsize sedan anymore. i was checking out the weight of its counterpart (MKZ) w/ AWD and the 3.7L V6... well over 4200+lbs.
the way i see it is like this. New Taurus=size of old Crown Vic. New Fusion=size of old Taurus. New Focus= size of old Fusion. and new fiesta=size of old focus lol
 
#16 ·
I would get the ST for sure. I have (wifes car) a 2010 Fusion. Its a great car. V6 Loaded auto/manual, but its a heavy car. The engine makes around 240-260 hp (I cant remember) and has great power, but its for cruising, not having fun with. That ST has Got to have a better power to weight ratio and be a blast to drive.... my $.02
 
#17 ·
While the 1.6t is tempting the ST will give you more bang for your buck. The Fusion is 3,333 lbs with the 1.6t (178 bhp & 184 lb-ft torque) while the ST is 3238 lbs with 252 bhp (27o lb-ft. torque). Power to weight ratio is defitinally better with the ST.
 
#19 ·
If you need more space then the Focus, the 1.6l EB Fusion 6 spd manual is a damn nice combo. To be able to have the choice of such a good driving mid-size sedan is a good thing IMO.
You cannot go wrong with either choice.For me it would come down to a space priority.
The 1.6L EB is in no way inadequate or detracting the Fusions's driving dynamics. With the 6 speed automatic, then the 1.6l EB loses its benefits, but with the 6spd manual it is a beauty combination.

As the one poster mentioned regarding a dealership having a stock model Fusion 1.6EB manual is unheard of in USA.
You are lucky to have a chance to test drive this combo , because this combo is customer order only.
 
#20 ·
Focus st with out a doubt. The 6-spd man for the fusion would have been nicer mated with the 2.0l T.
 
#21 ·
I'll take a further at both of them the next time I go up to Portsmouth Ford. i'll also have to contact my insurance company to see which car will have a better(lower priced)premium(I wouldn't be surprised if it's the Fusion though). For all the Focus ST drivers out there: Does it require/recommend premium fuel or is it fine on regular dogwater gasoline?
 
#22 ·
#24 ·
Both cars have nearly identical front interior space, nearly identical trunk storage space.

Fusion pros: Cushier ride, better seats for highway driving, way more backseat room for frequent larger passengers (tall teenage kids, clients for work, etc).

ST pros: Better engine, better handling, better stereo (arguable, but I like MFT), and more cargo versatility because of the hatch.

Because I don't need the back-seat leg space, and I think that the ST cruises fine as is, I'd go for the ST.
 
#27 ·
ask a focus forum... get a focus response... lol.

Personally, I would go with the fusion. I love my focus, but I would prefer the larger interior. Of course, the ST is larger than my 03 sedan.... but I can barely fit my golf clubs in the car, let alone a person in the back seat.
 
#28 ·
The new Fusions are quite nice (as is the outgoing model), but personally if I was going to go with one I'd rather have one with the 2.5L. As for the question regarding what grade fuel the ST uses; 87 is the min, 91 is recommended.
 
#40 ·
Okay ladies and gents-the answer you've been waiting for. I've test driven both the M/T Fusion SE and the Focus ST and based on what I felt and experienced,it's official:

I'M GOING FOR THE FUSION!!!

I'll explain why.

Driving report on the Fusion SE:Wow,this car is QUIET!!! Hardly any road noise,even at 65 m.p.h.the Fusion has a lot of insulation canceling out the road noise.The seats are very comfortable(I'm 6'2" and 300 lbs so I need a big seat). The 1.6 liter EcoBoost won't win any stoplight races but it's no slouch either,plenty of pulling power to get the car moving. The ability to move the power seat and the steering wheel into the perfect driving position is top notch. This car was made for long and short road trips. There's a LOT of technology put into this particular Fusion(MFT,SYNC,etc) that will keep you entertained,driver and passenger alike. The 6 spd manual is one of best(if not I dare say,THE BEST)manual transmissions I've ever driven. It definitely makes good use of the EcoBoost engine's powerband with each gearshift going in with Honda-like quality. The woodgrain is a nice touch,something you wouldn't expect in a midsize mainstream family car. There's plenty of trunk space for suitcases and golf clubs. It looks smaller than my Focus but it still has plenty of capacity.One unusual feature of the Fusion is that it has an electronic parking brake, Flick the switch on the center console to activate it and do the same to deactivate.With that being said,this car becomes you,and it certainly evokes good emotions.

Driving report on the Focus ST:This car is a HOOLIGAN and a half!! Excellent acceleration,lots of torque to get you moving in a jiffy. Instrument panel is nicely laid out,but there's lots of hard plastic on the dash and the doors,surprisingly. The seats really are buttpinchers(this particular ST had the cloth seats instead of the full leather mind you) and takes away from a fun driving experience. Also,the pedals are spaced a little to close together-a couple of times I almost hit the brake while trying to depress the clutch-not good. The 6-spd has good closely spaced ratios,while an upshift indicator light in the info center tells what gear to upshift to. Again,a lot of tech in the vehicle,with MFT,SYNC and a Sony subwoofer in the cargo area. The ride is a little bumpy,not helped by the fact that STs come from the factory with summer only tires so there was some noticeable "vibration" from the car sitting a while on the lot.The center exhaust with the chrome tip is a nice touch.

Although both cars stickered around $29K,the Fusion actually is CHEAPER than the Focus ST with the sale price Portsmouth Ford is having($25,495 versus $26,065).

So there you have it folks,my evaluation of both vehicles. Monday I'm taking my Focus up to get appraised and to see what numbers I get and if I like it,the Fusion may come home the same day. Any questions,feel free to ask me.
 
#42 ·
^^ Believe or not the salesman whose doing my deal(and who also sold me my Focus 3 years ago)is the one who ORDERED IT!!lol Apparently he was planning to buy it for himself as he was going to give his current car(a Fiesta) to his 16 year old daughter,who just got her license. He said if I buy this one,he'll just order another one,so no worries there.
 
#43 ·
So basically what you're saying was that it was actually specifically ordered for a particular person (or else Ford wasn't going to build it at least per the order guide), but that said person is a dealership employee and is willing to sell the car now and then order another one instead afterwards? So basically the truth still stands that Ford didn't build the car just for the hell of it, lol.

That makes much more sense than it just having randomly shown up at the dealer. There was one manual listed at a dealer near me, but that was the dealer mistyping what they actually had, it turns out it was a 2.0 L EcoBoost Fusion that they had tagged as a manual instead.
 
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