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Honda Accord vs Ford Fusion
I am trying ot make a final decision between the FORD FUSION and HONDA ACCORD.
My requirements are:
Manual transmission
Leather
MPG
Total cost of ownership.
Any insight welcome, current drivers of either are especially welcome!
My requirements are:
Manual transmission
Leather
MPG
Total cost of ownership.
Any insight welcome, current drivers of either are especially welcome!
0
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Big discounts on FUSION after FORD down payment match and $500 rebate or low apr financing. currently 0/.9/2.9 for 36/48/60
Sticker on your desired car in 4 cylinder is under $22000 and an be purchase for around 17500 if you work at a deal.
Honda Accord EX with similar features is at minimum $3000 moe expensive.
Although the Ford wont resale as high down the road it will compare favorable if you get compare resale values based on purchase price paid.
Example
Honda Accord EX - MSRP $25000 - OTD purcahse price - ~25000 - Monthly Payment at 6% assuming $2500 down - $435/month - ~value after 36 months and 45000 miles - $13000 - Cost per mile without maintenance - .26 cents per mile
FORD FUSION - MSRP - $21350 - OTD purchase price with rebates - no financing incentive - ~19500(assumes discount of $2000 - it can be had cheaper)Mothly Pamentwith $2500 down ~338 - ~value after 36 months and 45000 miles - ~9000 - Cost per mile without maintenance .23 cents per mile
For me I turn my cars every 3-4 years and I thing the fusion is more stylish then the accord and has a lower cost of ownership short term than the accord. However, if you are the type of person to keep a car long term - 6+ years you will recoup the additional money you spent on the accord in maintenance savings and resale value assuming the FUSION has a similar maintenace record as past fords.
I just bought a fusion and love it. The engine is supposed to go 150000 without a tune up. I think they are building all cars better today. If the prices were the same I would choose Honda. However, I always buy based on value and the FUSION in my opinion is a much better value at this point.
It sounds like you have done the same research I am doing.
The two models I am looking at are Ford Fusion SEL I4 5sp with moon roof, safety and security package and anti lock braking and Honda Accord EX V6 6 sp w/leather. Already the 2 are not really a straight comparison since the Honda dealer does not have the I4 with stick to test.
I am test driving both in a couple of days. A lot will ride on trade-in offered for my current vehicle in terms of who I go with.
If the Ford does not have a 'deal-breaker' it will be very hard to argue with the $$ savings.
I also need to consider, if it is the Ford I will probably trade in 2-3 years. If it is the Honda, I would expect to keep it for 5+ years.
I was looking at an Accord EX V6, MSRP of $27800, it would have cost me 24500. No rebate, but dealers are selling at invoice and in some cases giving you holdback.
I'm not arguing either way, I would just encourage the OP to not just assume the Accord costs quite a bit more, you may be quite surprised. Having never bought anything but GM, I was shocked to find out that an Impala loaded up the same way as the Accord I was looking it, even with rebates for the Impala, cost more than the Accord. I was shocked, actually.
I get X-plan pricing for the Ford through work and the Honda dealer is a 'one simple price' type place. Of course, my trade-in does not have 'one simple price' so we'll have something to negotiate.
I am 50/50 right now between the 2. Honda is a nicer package but I'll pay for it. Ford looks great and I won't see as many of them out on the road.
For the sake of comparison I should also mention that I do around 30k miles per year, reliability and cost to repair/ maintain is important.
Obviously, a car with a 4 cyl, no leather, is going to cost a lot less...
With that kind of mileage I would definitely buy the Accord over the Fusion. Accord has a legacy of taking the miles with minimal maintenance. Fusion is a new model with a zero track record. You're gonna take a chance buying the Fusion and hoping it takes the miles well, when you KNOW the Accord will.
It is hard to argue with the Honda reputation for reliability.
I have just finished reading the Edmunds comparison between '07 Camry, Accord, Sonata and Fusion. I can't see a Sonata (snobbish maybe but that's the way it is) but it looks like the Camry is worth a second look. I had dismissed it as boring.
See the following quote from March '06 test results.
"New Fusion isn't up to par with midsize competitors: The Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan is among only two current midsize car designs (the other is the Dodge Stratus/Chrysler Sebring) that don't earn the highest rating of good in the Institute's frontal offset crash test. The Fusion without optional side airbags is rated poor for side crash protection, and it earned a marginal rating for rear crash protection.
"The Fusion is a disappointment because it's a brand new design," Lund says. "Ford has done a good job with some other recent models, but the Fusion is at the back of the pack among midsize cars for overall safety performance." In Fusions manufactured after January, Ford added a structure below the accelerator pedal designed to reduce injury risk to the right leg and foot in frontal offset crashes.
"This fix didn't work in our test," Lund says. "Forces recorded on the dummy's right leg were high, and a metal pin broke in the dummy's ankle. Ford is doing more research to find a solution and has indicated it will ask the Institute to retest the Fusion for frontal crash performance later this year."
The Fusion earned the lowest rating of poor in the side impact test. Without side airbags, injury measures recorded on the driver dummy indicated that serious head injuries would be possible in a real-world crash of similar severity. Measures from other parts of the dummy indicated that rib fractures or internal organ injuries and a fractured pelvis also would be likely.
"The side structure of the Fusion held up reasonably well in the crash test, and this car's structural rating of acceptable is better than some other midsize models we've tested," Lund points out. Protection in the rear seat was reasonably good. The head of the dummy in the rear seat struck the pillar behind the rear door. This area is required by federal standard to provide some protection for an occupant's head, but the Fusion is rated poor overall because of high forces recorded on the driver dummy's head, pelvis, and torso.
The Fusion's side airbags aren't standard equipment, and the Institute's policy is to test vehicles without these airbags if they're optional. Manufacturers who want a second test with side airbags have to reimburse the Institute for the cost of the vehicle. Initially, Ford didn't request a second test of the Fusion with optional side airbags.
"Usually when an automaker doesn't ask for the optional test, we presume it means the side airbags wouldn't help much to improve the car's rating," explains Lund. "But now Ford has requested a second test, so the Fusion with side airbags may earn a better rating than poor. We'll conduct the test and report the result."
The Edmunds comparison referred to earlier that put Toyota #1 included the Fusion, Accord, Camry and Sonata. Ford came 4th. It's not looking good for the home team.
Car comparisons.. get what you feel comfortable with and confident with, not what everyone else is buying. This is a great country where we can decide for ourselves!.. Let us know what you get..
Honda dealers, apparently everywhere but the ones you tried, ARE dealing on Accords. $24,000 for a loaded EX-V6 (minus NAVI) isn't bad at all when you consider all that the car offers.
Um, scape, I'm surpsirsed you haven't done your homework on this one. All Accords come with Dual Front, Side, and Head Curtain Airbags standard. They even do this on their cheap-o models, the $13k Fit and $15k Civic. They aren't an option, you buy a Honda, you get side and curtain airbags and ABS by default.
FYI -- Ford is making the side impact airbags standard equipment instead of an option, and it has also asked the IIHS to re-test the car with these.
I find the right leg results disappointing -- although the car had earlier received good offset crash ratings from the NHTSA tests.
In fact, let's use the NHTSA results as an additional point of information for comparing the Fusion to the Accord.
Specifically, the NHTSA crash results for the Fusion were about on par with the competition (i.e., the Accord and Camry) and a touch behind the 2006 Hyundai Sonata. The impressive thing from the test photos was the integrity of the Fusion's passenger compartment. The Fusion did slightly better than the Accord in rear impacts (if I remember correctly).
From checking the Fusion out in person, the car seems to have substantial reinforcement in the doors. And the doors/sills themselves are very thick -- for side impact protection. There is also a lot of steel reinforcement around the "B" pillars, in sort of a belt running around the car (which I believe is something Volvo started). It seemed well done.
So -- the bottom line is that the Ford is NOT a deathtrap. It just needs the side-impact airbags to be competitive with the Accord -- which already has them standard.
I am currently on the fence between purchasing a Fusion or an Accord -- I go back and forth -- but I feel comfortable that the safety of the two cars is equivalent.
Cheers!
-- Bokonon
Test drove the EX-L v6 6m (please, more acronyms) and enjoyed the experience so much that I never made it to the Ford dealership. Now the proud owner of a graphite, 6-sp, leather, XM-radio, dual-climate $24,100 (not inc tt&l) 2006 Accord. I feel like I'm undercover- the exterior is plain and conservative, but with the stick-shift and 244 horses this baby MOVES!
Deal was sealed by:
Honda reputation for reliability and build quality(as mentioned previously I do around 30k miles)
V6 engine with manual vs I4 from Ford.
Tried and tested mechanics- Ford is a brand new iteration, give them a couple of years.
XFm satelitte, again doing 30k miles you need some variety, I am driving out in the country where it is hard to pick up strong FM stations.
Resale stronger.
I have worked with the dealership group on my previous car, no unpleasant dealership surprises (are any dealership surprises pleasant??)
Dual climate is a nice standard touch.
Did not have to add a single upgrade (I know some would argue that the -L part of the EX-L is an upgrade).
Anyway, I still think the Fusion is a great looking car and hope that Ford (homegrown) will give it the touches that will cause me to make a different decision in a couple of years. :shades:
I really shouldn't buy right now, but its got me interested...
Agree with the comments about the undercover car. Nothing to see here, folks, just another boring family sedan...but hey, since you're looking, check out the LED taillights!
Have to agree with your logic about the Fusion. My last car was a Focus, also crafted in Hermosillo, that was made early in the model's second year, and I was dissatisfied with the long-term experience. Two recalls, warped rotors at 30K, oil and transmission leaks, and a resale value of around 30% of purchase price after five years of ownership. I hope the Fusion has better quality than that, but with $20K plus on the line, I wasn't going to bank on it.
Fully loaded, Honda reliability, room for four adults, smooth V6 power, and a six-speed manual you can't get on Fusion, Camry, or Mazda 6...I thought this was the best $25K car on the market when I got it in February, it's an even better buy at $24K now.
Overall though, there is no wrong decision with ANY of these choices...and I think you got the most stylish out of all of them (including my own). Congrats on the purchase!
Congratulations. I will be interested to hear how the driving experience is. Doesn't surprise me that the hype about fit & finish was not wholly accurate. Some reviews said it was the tightest Ford ever, some complained about the roughness.
I will say that the stick in the v6 Accord is FUN to drive! It is a whole new experience to enjoy my commute again.
You can't always believe what you read on the internet. I've never seen a side-by side test where the Fusion beat the Accord in acceleration.
None of the V-6 sedans in the midsize field are underpowered, so I don't think anyone would be disappointed by lack of acceleration in either of the cars.
You claim, "handily outacclerated the Fusion (as it should given the 23 horsepower difference)." Yet MotorTrend, the difference was .6 seconds. Not handily in my book. If it were 2 seconds I would say sure, handily..
Road conditions, climate, altitude do make a difference in testing. Don't forget, the sites I mention, the Fusion only beats the Accord by .3 seconds. That is 3 tenths of a second.. not enough for the human mind to even comprehend.. Besides, like you said, Most V6's in the class will do 0-60 in under 8 seconds. Plenty fast for what is supposed to be a "family sedan".. cheers...
The Fusion is rough and buzzy and really needs to be revved to get going. The fit and finish of the Fusion is OK albeit for some cheap plastics in the interior, but is not on par with the Accord. The Fusion felt a bit sportier than my Accord with somewhat more responsive cornering. However its wide turning circle is noticable especially when parking.
Overall the Accord feels like a more solid, better screwed together machine.
I would image the Fusion would be a much nicer car with V-6 to smooth things out. Cosidering what the dealers are discounting the Fusion for now, it can undercut the Accord by a sizable price margin. I suppose if one is buying on price alone the Fusion is worth considering, but it really is not in the same league as the Accord.
Fact is the Fusion has won multiple awards for its fit/finish of the interior by the way.. Once again pure perception. I guess when the media beats it into some folks heads enough they believe....
Yep, it sure is. I perceive the tactile quality of the interior or my Accord to be better than that of the Fusion I sat in, and I perceive the exterior styling of the Fusion to be pretty radical in a good way.
Ya see, perception IS reality for a car owner. If 350,000 people claim the Aztek to be a beautiful car, that's their perception, but it's not necessarily mine. It doesn't make them wrong.
This tin can car is a P-O-S!
A Bentley gets 10 mpg. A Honda Accord averages 30 mpg.
What is the lemon law on returning cars with BELOW avg mpg??
All cars when sitting idling in traffic will get exactly zero mpg.
Have you tried any purely highway driving to see if you get into the high 20's?
Also, have you ever checked your mileage the old fashioned way, filling up your tank and dividing miles driven by gallons used?
I'm also comparing this gas hog to the 1996, 1999 and 2003 Sables I've had, all driven the same way. None did this poorly.
Yes, I figure mpg old way and just got 10 mpg on last fillup.
I guess the Milan gas guzzler doesn't do well in summer with A/C on.
The Milan Premier V POS is supposed to be the replacement car for the Sable. How many Sables have you owned or leased? I've had three and the Milan POS is a VERY poor replacement on MPG, on quality, to be seen on reliability, yet more expensive. And all the Sables I've had were also fully loaded.
Someone like yourself, who lives in the Pacific NW, really doesn't have a clue about pot holes and poor street conditions, yet alone city or crowded suburbs. A bump on the road for you might be driving over a cigarette butt someone threw out their car window.
What other Mercury cars have you owned that you find the Wal-Mart material quality of the Milan POS so impressive?
what awards? this car is not a standout (positive or negative) when it comes to fit and finish by the way.
Who did the Fusion win these awards from?
Ok, I have now found two places on the internet posting the Fusion V6 as actually quicker than an Accord V6 automatic. I had to humilate a guy in his new Accord EX the other day in my Fusion SEL V6...
Since you like to brag about how you out accelerate I4 Accords, I wish you would pull that Fusion up next to me, at a stoplight one day.
You really need to get those Honda blinders off someday..
Stratigic Visions gave the Fusion the best interior award..
JD Powers has given the Fusion the most appealing sedan in this segment..
Want more??
If you don't want to be embarrassed, don't try to race a V6 Fusion with a 4cyl automatic Accord.. You will be sorry, very sorry... a 5spd, you may do a bit better.. Time to come to grips bud... Granted a V6 Accord manual will beat a V6 automatic Fusion, no doubt. By about a full second.. wow! one second!! Yes there are other reviews/car sites that show the Fusion to actually be .2 seconds quicker than an Accord v6 Automatic. Please, we are talking tenths of a second difference here, can you count to tenths of a second?
Come to grips, Ford has built a sedan than CAN and does match the Accord.. it was only a matter of time. Heck, even the Sonata or Altima do the same thing. Its just that the writers and media take the easy road and write what the masses want to hear..
Like you said, it's all perception. You perceive the Fusion to be better, and I have no doubt that for you, it's the better car. For me, it doesn't come close to matching the Accord. Perception is reality for the car buyer. It's time that buyers from both camps realize that. The interior of the Fusion was it's biggest turnoff to me, mainly it's ergonomics and 90s dashboard (green instruments that are almost identical to my 1996 LX Accord). One man's trash is another's treasure, though. I know many people think I'm a nut for paying $21k for an EX Accord with no V6, when I could've had a V6 Sonata for $18-19k. I shopped for months however, and it was the best car for ME!
scape isnt really wrong, and neither are the Accord folks, that's my point.
The writers and media say the Accord is the best. Why? Because it is true. The Accord engine is smoother, more powerful, and on top of that gets better gas mileage.
Most of the media picks the Accord as the top sedan each year. And year after year, they are proven right.
The Accord name has been around for a long time, because it is associated with quality and reliability. Why do Ford and Chevy keep changing the names of their cars? It's because their previous models were nothing to be proud of. How long will the "Fusion" name be used? (Probably less than 10 years). Ford had a reputation with the Taurus, and what did they do with it? they made very few improvements over the years, and Toyota and Honda technology flew past it, while it stood still. Now they have to play catch-up. This will not happen overnight, if at all.
Pure Perception. Think out of your Honda box once in a while..
Get out open your eyes. There are plenty of peeved of Honda owners out her on the internet in other chat rooms and car sites.
I never said the Fusion was "better" than the Accord. I am however confident it is on par and equal to the Accord. Plus.. with the over $1500 I saved in NOT buying a like optioned Accord.. The wife and I are now booking a cruise to the carribean.. :shades:
There is no reason to expect that your perception should dictate joe blow's perception - and vice versa.
Generally, my idea of "smoothness" comes from the lack of multiple different sound frequencies at idle (think of an electric motor's hum as being the ultimate "smooth", while an old diesel truck would be the opposite end of the spectrum with it's clicking and clacking clatter).
Also relating to smoothness are things like exhaust quality at higher RPMs too, thrashiness coming from the transmission/engine combo (as seen in some GM I-4 engines), or vibration coming through into the cabin.
That's how I perceive and measure smoothness.