2008 Ford Fusion MPG Review

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Ford Fusion MPG-o-Matic 2008 Ford Fusion Review Summary: The Ford Fusion is a four door sedan that competes most closely with the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and Chevy Malibu. The Fusion slots between the Focus and Taurus in Ford’s line up.

While the 2008 Fusion comes standard with a 2.3 liter four cylinder engine, our test car was fitted with the optional 3.0 liter V6 producing 221 horsepower and 205 foot pounds of torque.

We found the V6 to provide a compelling combination of performance and fuel economy, when driven conscientiously.




The official gas mileage estimates for the 2008 V6 Ford Fusion are 18 city / 26 highway miles per gallon (MPG) with the six-speed automatic transmission. (While a manual transmission is not available with the V6, it can be ordered with the inline four cylinder engine, for folks looking for the best possible gas mileage from the Fusion.)

We easily exceeded the highway estimate for the powerful V6, achieving a respectable 31.2 MPG on the highway.

In combined testing, the Fusion delivered 20.4 MPG. But that was our fault …

Truth-be-told, we would have done much better around town, if we could have only resisted the temptation of the Fusion’s sweet V6.

While the Fusion provides an average fuel economy display, it oddly lacks a real-time digital MPG readout.

Since MPGomatic always rolls with the numbers, we plugged our trusty ScanGaugeII into the Fusion’s OBDII port to keep an eye on mileage in real time.

Our test Fusion was loaded up with a handful of options, including ambient lighting, heated leather seats, and the sport appearance package. The optional 18-inch aluminum rims show off the Fusion’s standard equipment four-wheel disc brakes and look great.

When it comes to standard equipment, the Fusion really shines, with integrated fog lamps, dual exhaust, automatic rear-seat releases, and a host of thoughtful touches. With the 60/40 fold down rear seat folded down, there’s plenty of cargo room.

The Fusion’s iPod integration puts the car at the top of the short list for music lovers, with a concealed center console USB port and the Microsoft Sync audio system’s voice and steering wheel controls. With Sync, you can access individual tracks and all your playlists without ever moving your hands from the wheel or your eyes from the road.

After a week of testing the Fusion, we walked away impressed.

While the combination of comfort, convenience, and performance puts Ford’s family sedan in the thicket of competition, the Microsoft Sync system puts it over the top.

Ford Fusion Gas Mileage 2006-2008

Year Manufacturer Model Engine Displacement Fuel Transmission City Highway
2008 Ford Fusion AWD 6 cylinder 3.0 liter R (L6) Auto 17 25
2008 Ford Fusion FWD 6 cylinder 3.0 liter R (L6) Auto 18 26
2008 Ford Fusion FWD 4 cylinder 2.3 liter R (M5) Manual 20 29
2008 Ford Fusion FWD 4 cylinder 2.3 liter R (L5) Auto 20 28
2007 Ford Fusion 4 cylinder 2.3 liter R (L5) Auto 23 31
2007 Ford Fusion 6 cylinder 3.0 liter R (L6) Auto 20 28
2007 Ford Fusion 4 cylinder 2.3 liter R (M5) Manual 23 31
2007 Ford Fusion AWD 6 cylinder 3.0 liter R (L6) Auto 19 26
2006 Ford Fusion 6 cylinder 3.0 liter R (L6) Auto 21 29
2006 Ford Fusion 4 cylinder 2.3 liter R (L5) Auto 24 32
2006 Ford Fusion 4 cylinder 2.3 liter R (M5) Manual 23 31

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5 thoughts on “2008 Ford Fusion MPG Review”

  1. I rent the Ford Fusion in Europe all the time for long trips. Driving hard and fast as is typical in Europe I consistently get 55+mpg (US) sometimes over 60mpg. This is with the 1.4l TDI engine which of course you cannot buy in the USA. Think about it. This car is more fuel efficient than the best hybrid. Funny thing is with gas prices about double the US price and mileage in Europe about double the US mileage you end up paying the same amount per mile. If you want clearer evidence of oil industry price fixing you’ll not find it.

  2. I have to agree with the test results. Not only does the 2008 2.3 liter automatic perform great, I’ve also shattered the estimated 20 city and 29 highway MPG. My last tank of gas produced a remarkable 32.8 MPG. Granted it can vary from tank to tank, but the average over the 1st 10,000 miles is 30.8. That is city and freeway combinded.

  3. Hey Russ, I think you are meaning a different Fusion as in Europe, they have a small hatchback vehicle named as the Fusion. Here in the USA, it’s a mid-sized sedan. It’s also available here with a hybrid, which I cannot believe mpgomatic hasn’t reviewed. The new one is very nice and has the highest mpg of a midsize sedan or EPA classified large sedan (I believe)

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