So it beats the Impala. Big whoop.

Just more evidence of the success of Ford’s styling direction. Nice article Mark.

04focus? True? personal best in sales, the Fusion can now lay claim to being the best-selling car (not including trucks) in America…so this means it beat the Camry? It deserves it, it is indeed one of the best cars for the money. Since I used to work at a Honda dealer I recieved a discount on the Accord so bought that insted. Great job Ford!

151,137 YTD isn’t a Camry-beating number. That what was I was alluding to when I said “so it beat the Impala” being the best-selling *Domestic* car.

I’d love for Ford to do well (see my name and my ride) but this is not patting-self-on-back time yet.

I said yesterday in the Altima piece that the Fusion is probably the best car in its segment right now… damn shame they can’t see fit to give the Sport 3 pedals but the bean counters love to trot out those take rate numbers.

Thats great!!! Fusion deserves it…..

My sister has a new ‘10 Fusion SE….. i know why its selling like hot cakes. It is THAT good!

04focus, actually according to sales reports regarding January to September, it appers Camry sales will just lightly touch 250,000 this year.

Congrats to the Fusion! Hopefully it will claim best selling car in America.

-iluvamcars

Finally a bit of credit to an good car. Now if only Ford can continue to pump out good cars. A domestic I would drive with pride. das Auto für immer.

I dunno. I drove both cars Accord and Fusion (among others), Mrs. drove both cars and she definitely was much more impressed with Accord. Not to mention, that Accord had one price for all options on EX and for our sense of luxury there wasn’t much to add. We could add larger wheels and tires and flame paint with funky mud flaps, but we contained ourselves. So mrs. drives Accord and loves it (me not so much since it is pedals deficient). However, my recollection from test drive, Accord felt (to me at least) more solid and lighter on its feet, not to mention handling and ride was much more refined and sportier (almost like an Audi A6, but for half the price). All said, it does not make Fusion a bad car, but after comparative drive, Accord won for us.

Well thats great for you borat, but leave it to you to bring up the Accord and leave it to others to bring up the Camry in a Ford article. We are supposed to be talking about this best selling title, not comparing it to competition. And when you say, i dunno, do you mean you dunno if the Fusion is the best selling domestic car? Because that is what we should be talking about. Have a nice night.

-iluvamcars

wonder what toyota thinks of the fusion’s hybrid sales since they helped ford with the hybrid technology.

Happy for Ford, but Domestic?
55% Domestic content and assembled in Mexico does not seem domestic to me.
It must be the raising of domestic content from 40% in 2008 to 55% in 2009. I understand now

@ iluvamcars, Accord is 77% domestic and build in Ohio (sticker says so). I was talking about domestic car (or more so domestic then Mexican Fusion). How do we count the best selling domestic? Now who sells more Honda Accords or Ford Fusions? Wait is unfair question in US, in Mexico it is.

I think the Malibu is a much better car than the Fusion
The Fusion Hybrid is the best Hybrid sedan, until the Camry Hybrid is redesigned
DrFill

superman, can you point me to where Toyota had anything to do with the Fusion Hybrid tech?

Please any data would be nice. any at all. Or perhaps you just made it up? Come on, something must be out there?

Good job Ford!

Great achievements are achieved one step at a time!

What I find most surprising about all this is…

…there’s a Mrs. Borat???!!!

Best selling “Domestic”, but part for part it is the most “foreign” of the bunch. Lets start with the underpinnings coming from the old Mazda platform and claimed under the Ford CD3 code.

Or, how about the Fusion Hybrid knock down units coming direct from Japan. This isn’t even good work for the U.S. customs since they are sent directly to Mexico……. motor and all. Toshiba supplying the electric, Sanyo (carefully watched by Toyota…. they now own them) supplying the batteries and Mazda supplying the motor.

Finaly, where is it built? Mexico of all places. This is not the best selling “Domestic Auto”….. it is the best selling combination of pieces from everywhere, but the United States.

The word “domestic” needs to be reworked. It needs to be based on parts that are made and then assembled “IN THE UNITED STATES”, dump NAFTA……….

Domestic content is skewed by Canada and Mexico. I can take Canada since their pay is on par with the U.S., but exporting 90% of your product out of a low wage country is clearly exploiting the labor force. Hell, the Mexican auto worker will never, in their lifetime, be able to purchase the product they build.

Form of…. BEST SELLING DOMESTIC CAR!!

I guess they’ll need that lower domestic content in order to make money considering their unionized workers are refusing to approve work rule changes. I can’t imagine being pissed about doing more than one task while at work.

bailout,
yeah, they can’t afford it because they already bought an f150!

Congratulations Ford! You’ve earned it! The American taxpayer would like to also thank you for doing so without a taxpayer bailout.

I like how NMOFGM hast said crap. Silence my friend is golden.

The Fusion is made in Mexico where Ford isnot paying those mexicans barely anything to build their crappy cars, The only reason this car is half decent because its made off the previous gen Mazda 6 platform with Mazda sourced eng/body where as the Malibu is based off a whole new platform and made in America I would trust my money on the Malibu, it seems the Fusion is not as new as Ford claims mostly carry over from The original 05′ model year with that ancient interior with green lighting, and low profile I would swear it was a redesigned 95′ Contour, and since Ford owns their own financing they could be approving everybody that walks in the door for sales..its typical Ford

Hey idrin….. at $2.37/ hour there ain’t no F-150’s in the future of any of these workers. The only f-150’s that I see at these plants are the ones driven over the boarder by Ford people living in the states.

has anybody seen a used Ford Contour on the road lately?? this says a lot about where these new Mexi-Fusions will be in about 5 years

in my opinion:

1. Ford Fusion
2. Honda Accord
3. Volkswagen Passat
4. Hyundai Sonata
5. Mazda 6
6. Buick LaCrosse
7. Dodge Charger
8. Toyota Camry
9. Chevrolet Malibu
10. Chrysler Sebring
11. Saturn Aura
12. Chevrolet Impala

j-dubb….. you hit it. The Fusion is a carryover prior to ‘05. Ford is searching for a platform because they no longer have access to the latest Mazda platform (sold off too much ownership). Europe is a bust, last platform “Contour” was a joke. Flimsey as a rubber band. Ford is hovering at the top of their curve. Let’em start making their own vehicles from the ground up and we’ll see the same old crap. Give e’m four years and they’ll tumble…… unless they hitch up with someone and steal their platforms…… again.

go ahead bash me for my opinion

that wasn’t directed at you bailout

Ashes to Ashes (correction:)
Ford DID take out a 13 Billion loan to stay afloat back in 2007 before anybody cared about this huge government takeover. do your research

I agree with most everyone here that the Fusion is one of the best domestic-branded vehicles available, and would definitely be my choice if I were in the market for a midsize sedan.. but I can’t help but think that part of the Fusion’s sales resurgence has to do with the financial instability of the other domestic automakers. How many potential Chevy, Pontiac, Saturn, Chrysler and Dodge buyers were deterred by the bankruptcy talk and concern about the availability of service and warranty for those vehicles, and instead went to Ford?

Bail out you are correct sir!! If Ford did build a new car from the ground up it would have all the looks, feel, and handling of about an 86′ Escort..Ford what a Joke company GM rocks!!

Most uninformed people who read this don’t know that most of the dealers DO NOT have any in stock to sell and the only way they can get a Hybrid Fusion is to submit RETAIL paperwork proving they have a sold unit. The Toyota dealers that face them have NO problem getting product let alone Hybrids and still the Ford Fusion beats Camry. Good job Ford, can’t wait to get my SHO….2 weeks.

Jdasch1: the SHO is the same platform as the 09′ Tauraus with new sheetmetal which was the Volvo S90 platform they stole from Volvo, I would be skeptical on any new Ford technology since Ford has a terrible reputation of testing their products remember all the engine fires of the previous SHO is why they stopped production http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/ford_fires_taurus.html

On another note, Ford did get on the order of 4 – 6 Billion (From the DOE —- re-badged bailout) recently to re-tool plants to build smaller more fuel efficient vehicles. This will help Ford retool the Lousiville plant to build the CUV that will not even be available to us, will be sent back to Europe. Ford will also utilize this cash to retool the Mexican plant to build the Fiesta that will be imported to the U.S.. The Mexican workers were negotiated down $.25 per hour to land the deal….. that is pathetic…… and funded by the U.S. govenrment through the DOE (Department Of Energy). This is simply Fords way of getting underhanded bail out cash. That’s why they walked after one week in DC. They had multiple groups in DC and the DOE framwork was set up while the three automakers were under the gun for all of us to watch. The DOE deal won out because Ford figured the cash obtained in ‘07 plus the selling off of partnerships would hold them over. So far so good, bottom line they DID receive bail out cash…. it just came from us (THE TAXPAYER) throught the DOE.

j-dubb you must be sleeping with NMOFGM. Or you are at least your his offpsring.

I drive a 96 Mystique with 140K miles on it and running strong. Only reason I do not have a Fusion right now is I want a V-6 with a MTX, so until that happens I am happy with me SVT’d Mystique.

We know you are a Ford hater and that’s just fine.

But just to add some stuff, so exactly what will the New Focus and Fiesta drive like when they arrive? Yup that’s right; they will be the best handling cars in their class. Just wait 1-2 more years and Ford just may be back @ #1.

j-dubb…. rear end of the SHO came from the Lincoln LS. Other parts did come from the Volvo platform, unfortunately the front end is still overlapped sheet metal strut towers with exposed edges and a way underdesigned lower control arm. I give the turbo 35K miles and time for new….. I give the front suspension 25K miles of real driving and it will need new bushings. Take a look under the front end of this car….. the stampings are pathetic….. body panels mismatched…… take a look at the A pilar front fender and windshiled intersection…… every unit I have looked at has already….. from the factory…. come loose. Attention to detail is terrible…… the units at my Ford dealer should have never left the factory. My dealer says that most people don’t pay attention to that….. I say for 35 – 40k the car should have a double wish bone front end not Mcpherson’s with overlapped stamped sheet metal supports.

Perl Jam Fan….. Fiesta should drive OK…. it’s EU based….. having trouble with wheel lift due to spring rates that Americans like….. It will not be damped the same as the EU spec…. this is unfortunate. At any rate the bugs should be worked out. The Mexico assy. plant will be the last of the introductions for the vehicle. It started being introduced in EU 1.4 years ago…. this helps the lead country “Ford of EU” train and get all the other facilities up to speed. Plus you don’t want any issues in the most critical car market. The new Focus is going to struggle with identity issues. The Fiesta should be a good contendor, the Focus needs to be a step up. It will need to get away from the spongy nose dipping slow vehicle of current. A Mystique with 140K is nothing…. this vehicle shoud go for at least 2X’s that amount.

People, the car may be made in Mexico, but when they are talking about domestic, they me name and not where it is may idiots!

-iluvamcars

Good stuff Ford. Congrats!! BTW. The Fusion is an awesome car. A buddy of mine has the AWD version.

Hey NMOFGM!! Lets see one of your beloved GM pieces of sh*ts make this title for once in their lifetime. Oh no wait. They can’t. BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

GM. An American FAILURE!!

bailout and j-dubb, Ford makes the F-150 all on their own with no Volvo or Mazda platforms and it is the best selling VEHICLE in the United States.

-iluvamcars

BAILOUT, what are you basing your claim on for changed spring rates in the US Fiesta? I think I can safely say I know what I am talking about when it comes to that car, and the net spring rates will remain UNCHANGED. There was only insanely minor tweaking to accommodate slight weight and weight distribution changes due to the federalization of the car – but the net ride qualities will be retained.

I think I can also safely say that the EU Fiesta and U.S. spec. will be much like the EU GTI and the U.S. GTI.. When you make what you term as ever so slight adjustments it becomes suited for the tastes of the majority of Americans….. If you bring a direct EU spec. vehicle to the United States it does not appeal to the masses which will allow for sales targets to be achieved. Also, when you accommodate vehicles for federalization the auto manufactures never make up for weight gains and weight distribution issues. That’s why we end up with Merkur XR4Ti’s…… remember that one? It “will not” be the same as what is available in the region for which the car was designed. Start out with a clean slate for a car destined “from the start” to be sold in this country and do it right….. don’t tweak the EU version and make up for the gamble by building it in a country that employs workers at $2.35 / hour. If you don’t get the numbers….. so what….. your only out $2.35 an hour for that poor sole that will never be able to purchase the entry level vehicle that they are producing.

Not bad looking. I’d actually consider this, when I’m looking for a four door car. Good job Ford.

Personally, I like the Malibu more and think it is a slightly more refined and upscale car but I truly believe the Fusion is a fine car and in my opinion, especially after the facelift, looks more youthful than the Malibu. Meaning, I think it appeals to a slightly younger market. I could be wrong. Those would be some interesting statistics to see. zoomzoomer brings up a good point that some of Ford’s increased sales could arguably be attributed to Ford having gone through a less extreme financial saga than its domestic rivals (so far), let alone Ford having avoided partial government ownership (again, so far). But, I think all that is fair gain for Ford. Congrats to Ford.

One omission I noticed in the story is no reference to which vehicle was unseated from the title. Or even a brief history of the title’s holders would have offered great perspective.

I guess you’re right bailout, never mind the fact that I had engineers directly explain the math behind the changes and the fact that the net results were an equal ride to what the car has now. I’m sure your yet-to-be-named sources and relying on past examples better explains future decisions.

By the way, quality testing puts the vehicles coming out of the Mexico plant above their US counterpart plants…hmm, so much for that theory too.

really!??! tell me when its the best selling car period? because being a best domestic selling car doesn’t say much

DrFill spins it again! “Fusion Hybridss best until Camry is redesigned”
You know everything! You’re such an insider! ****ING RETARD

J-dubb

You’ve posted quite a bit and most of it is just crap. A good deal of it is true as well but I’m not going to argue that. However you have a clear lean toward trying to start a flame war over FORD and their recent successes. Trying to qualify them as if they are not their own.

FYI a DOMESTIC car is a Car that is made for and sold under a US Automaker’s brand. It does not have to built in the US. That has been the case for at least 30 years.

FORD did not take government money as much as you think they did. They raised the money through liquidations, stock sales, and even mortgaging properties including their own corporate Logo. They did it the hard way which is why they still have some pretty debt laden books while GM has a clear ledger.

Also FORD has been developing cars from scratch, just as GM has, CHRYSLER largely has not. I say CARS not trucks which all three have been working maybe too much on.

I can still find FORD CONTOURS and MERCURY MYSTIQUES running about and looking fine, most of them. 10-20 year old ESCORTS and ten year old FOCUSes, too. Gotta look for them though. If you can’t find them that the way it is in your part of wherever you are.

But hey your just trying to make fun and maybe be an @$$ at it. It’s not like we are looking for objective conversation here. Then again, maybe you are and just don’t know how.

Blakkar what are you talking about? My neighbor’s Mystique blew up 3 months ago, and I RARELY if ever see any Contours/Mystiques. I also owned a 97 Escort, and it was the biggest turd I ever owned, hands down. Obviously I am not a Ford guy, but I say congratulations to them anyways. I agree with Borat I’de definitely rather have an Accord, and I pretty much agree with Aggie’s list, but the Fusion would be my number one pick if I bought a “domestic” car, followed by the Malibu. But what is domestic? The Accord seems more domestic when compared to the Fusion, based on parts and country built. The Accord also has a stellar reputation for quality, and reliability. Plus, the depreciation value is one of the best in its class, and I don’t have to look that up, that’s how positive I am about that, it’s just common knowledge, a no brainer. You just can’t argue with facts.

Go Ford go! I’ll take a fusion hybrid

Fusion Hybrid, Fusion AWD, Fusion V6 are all very good selection. There’s few to go wrong with any trim of the Fusion. Ford should make a Sport version of the Fusion. The car would be much more nimble and cost less than the Tarus SHO.

I’m not surprised as any of Ford’s recent refreshes have increased sales. Good job Ford! I love seeing my stock go up!

Congrats to Ford. I’ve said that I would be interested in one of these if the deal was right based purely on the looks. I like the “Mach 3″ grill and the aggressive looking headlamps. Good looking ride.

However, I agree with many that say they need to truly revise what is considered domestic in the auto market. I, for one, would consider domestic being made up of 60%+ American Made parts and 60% of the build taking place here when it is an American brand. If it is a foreign brand, it needs to be 70%+ in both of those categories to make up for losses of money going back to company HQ wherever it may be.

Alas, it won’t happen, and the debate will roll on and on. I do know that the Mexican workers that come over here seem much more detailed and dedicated in much of what they do, especially true labor based work. Maybe that is another reason we use them… they care a lot about what they do and they have some pride attached to it.

Glad NMOFGM isn’t in here… the Lutz dumb***

Congratulations Ford!

GO Ford!

i am pissed in finding out about the low-paid mexican autoworkers that build this car….

can the same not be said for VW jetta / beetle, and many other Chrysler, GM, Nissan, and Toyota products?

does not justify it or make it right in anyway, but i am just saying…

The misinformation on this page is staggering. Rear end of Taurus same as LS? Genius…

There is a lot more to a car being “domestic” than where it is built or what suppliers supplied it. Just FYI but car companies don’t just magically make every part that goes into a car. Each car has domestic and foreign content because domestic and foreign suppliers SUPPLY the components. Lowest bidder usually wins. Saying that Ford’s hybrid system is supplied by companies in Japan does not change the fact the FORD designed it and paid money to SUPPLIERS to build it. Toyota didn’t. They may even use the same suppliers but that does NOT mean that they have the same design or that Ford used Toyota’s tech. Initially they shared a patent on the first systems because they were trying to patent the same stuff at the same time so they did a co-op deal. They have since migrated apart which is why Ford’s Fusion Hybrid BEATS Camry by 8mpg city.

Hondas and Toyotas are still, by and large, designed and engineered in Japan, by the Japanese. If you actually looked at how much work by AMERICAN workers actually goes into the entire production of a car, the domestics would still be the most “domestic”.

Get your facts straight haters.

Where the car was developed and where profits go equals what is the most domestic car. Not the place of final assembly, nor the places where the parts come from.

Ford has already announced that the Mondeo will be the next platform for the current Mazda 6’s platform. Have there been any complaints of that chassis?

…from the last Contour owner in Canada (and maybe the U.S. too)

Selling well because its reliable, looks good. Not all that American though. So what is better for our economy purchasing a Mexican Made Fusion, or an American Made Honda?

Pay your taxes GM needs the money.

Da fusion is da best mud showed car shot german-branded

Da mystiqu was not bad

Da mazda6 is da beat “Japanese car in da segmennt
It’s hard 2 tell rtbehse days what is domestic.
I say if of ismafe by an American company, it is domestic.

But. It’s still good 4 4n companies 2 hire peeps here

ktulu, thank you for explanation. It helped.

Pearl Jam is gr8!

Congrats Ford on getting the Fusion to the top of the list for domestic.

Wow – Ford’s PR Dept use of some marketing spin really got people in a tizzy on here

I’d like to see the Fusion’s sales numbers broken down for retail vs fleet. Sure are a lot of Fusions parked in those Hertz and other rental lots these days which always inflate these numbers

You mean to tell me it outsells the Sebring?

People increasingly see this as a “safe bet,” like the Accord and Camry, just domestic.

This is what happens when a car posts strong reliability stats four years running:

http://www.truedelta.com/car-reliability.php?stage=pt&bd=Ford&mc=98

bailout is way to negative about this. Dude just stop predicting when you’re going to have problems with a car and just WAIT! In case you haven’t noticed, Ford has improved their reliability by over 50% since 2004(I believe) So why not take a positive and say that domestics aren’t as bad as they use to be.

No comments from NMOFGM??? ok ok ok, I’ll pretend I’m him just to set people at ease….

“The Ford Fusion is GREA… CRAP!!! The Malibu is a way better car! no one in their right minds would buy a dumb car like a ford… GM is ahead of the curve in everyway possible! GM GM GM GM GM GM GM GM GM GM GM GM GM GM GM GM GM GM GM GM GM
An American Revolution! Buy For……. GM

hope there are some people that got a kick outta that

Good job darkwing although you forgot to add some sort of Fusion on a flatbed comment…

wow, for being a bunch of automobile fans, the misinformation on this page is spreading like wildfire.
The Fusion did NOT debut in 2004, it debuted in 2005 as a 2006 model- you’d think leftlanenews.com would know this. I should know, I’ve owned two of them- and ‘06 and ‘07 both with the silky smooth Porsche developed, 6-speed equipped and hard hitting duratec V6. Both of which have been the most solid and meticulously assembled cars I’ve ever owned. Also, for 2010 Ford has produced a SPORT version of the Fusion- and get this- drum roll please- it’s called the Fusion Sport! Ford also produced the Fusion with a sport appearance pkg. starting in 2007 which got you special interior/exterior treatment and a stiffer suspension along with specially painted 17″ alloys. For 2008 and 2009, they upped the wheel size to 18″ (perhaps the best looking wheel to come out of a Ford factory- ever) and added some other doodads such as sync and a rear lip spoiler, lower susp. and stiffer springs/shocks. This Fusion is the best looking one of all years including the new ‘10 Sport imo. The ‘10 is a bit busy with all its boy racer ground effects and “look at me” spoiler. The lip spoiler was a subtle detail along with the 18’s that just made the whole thing work w/o being over the top. Again, jmo.
Also, you Ford haters are mistaken again- there are still several used Ford Contours and Mercury Mystiques on the road. I’ve owned both- a ‘97 Mystique (sold at 160K with original timing belt) with the “will go for-friggin’ ever” Zetec and I currently own a 2000 Contour with the variable cam timing Zetec with 125K on it. Both cars ran/run like sewing machines and sans replacing the swaybar bushings ($20), these cars are solid commuter cars and when equipped with the SVT pkg which opens up the Duratec to a 5-speed, are still a hard combo to beat 9 years later.
As far as personal preference, I have never been able to fathom buying a car/truck from a company who hates America and killed so many Americans with a cowardly attack back in 1941. Would you buy a car if suddenly al-qaeda started making cars 60 years from now? Sadly, I believe some of you fanboys would. The Accord is a BMW lookalike wannabe and the Camry is what, going on its 5th year of nothing other than redesigning the SE’s wheels? Other than the killer light blue color offered on the crapry, it’s got nothing on the Fusion line. And yes I know light ice blue is available on Fusion, but only on the hybrid- dumb move btw Ford.

>aggie531
in my opinion:

1. Ford Fusion
2. Honda Accord
3. Volkswagen Passat
4. Hyundai Sonata
5. Mazda 6
6. Buick LaCrosse
7. Dodge Charger
8. Toyota Camry
9. Chevrolet Malibu
10. Chrysler Sebring
11. Saturn Aura
12. Chevrolet Impala

I say:
1. Buick LaCrosse
2.Ford Fusion
3. Chevy Mailbu
4. Ford Taurus
5. Mazda 6
6. VW Passat
7.Dodge Charger
8. Honda Accord
9. Hyundai Sonata
10.Camry
11. Impala
12. Sebring

This is Great for Ford and I’m a MOPAR guy. I’m glad they are on the right track. I think teir Hybrid is the best on the road today.

-Sarge

amen brother

Hey everybody, in my opinion the Fusion comes in last because……… Ford SUCKS!

thats what your boyfriend says about you. STFU. Fusion and Malibu are the 2 best cars in their class.

thats right……in YOUR OPINION

Hey everybody, my name is fordman and no one gives a **** what I think!