Harjot Singh investigates car, provides insight on performance

Giving the keys of a car to a teenager can be frightening for parents. Even if the parents trust their children, the fact that they are on the road without any guardian can be stressful. That is the reason why buying the right car can be crucial to assure the safety of a new driver. The 2016 Ford Fusion aims to provide both safety and comfort.

The 2016 Ford Fusion is considered to be one of the safest cars for teenagers. According to carmax.com, the 2016 Ford Fusion is one of the best selling vehicles for under $20,000 from Jan. 1 to Sept. 20, 2017. As a hybrid vehicle, it consumes gas but also runs off of electricity, allowing it to have a 620-mile max range. Teenagers will enjoy the look of the Ford Fusion and the parents, on the other hand, the size and performance the car offers. 

Driver of a 2016 Fusion, Austin Duffy, ’19, enjoys the vehicle’s air conditioning system, but is unsatisfied with the car’s engine. 

“I think it is a good car for its price. I enjoy the Fusion’s air conditioning as it is a very important feature in Fresno’s warm climate,” Duffy said. “I don’t like its weak engine because I enjoy driving fast.”

According to kbb.com the Ford Fusion offers the driver four different cylinder engines to choose from, starting at 175 horsepower to 240 horsepower. For a new driver these engines perform well and give the car enough power to make it sporty. However, the engines don’t give the car enough horsepower to make the car accelerate extremely fast or get up to dangerously high speeds. 

Owner of a 2016 Ford Fusion and new driver Muskan Kaur Chhina, talks about his vehicle and how it performs.

“The 2016 Ford Fusion is the best car for a teenager,” Chhina said. “It’s hard to find flaws in it sometimes. The car is safe and when I drive it I feel secure and trust it if anything was to happen. It looks great and when I’m behind the wheel it feels satisfying. My Ford Fusion has one of the 4 cylinder engines and I think it’s a phenomenal engine.

“It gives me enough power for when I want to drive a bit faster I can do so but not so fast that my life gets on the line,” Chhina continued. “I think that new drivers like myself shouldn’t be given high horsepower cars cause they are normally the ones that go fast and end up dying because they couldn’t handle the power. So I personally would highly recommend the Ford Fusion to any new or old driver cause it’s an amazing car overall.”

Overall the car has a reputation to be a good car for new drivers but there are some things the car does lack in. According to carcomplaints.com there are 1708 problems people have given Ford Fusions. 

Mechanic and owner of Mirelez Car Care in Fresno Alberto Mirelez explains why he doesn’t recommend the Ford Fusion for people who are looking for a low maintenance car and shares some tips and tricks that new drivers could use.

“I would not recommend a Ford Fusion as a low cost maintenance car for teen drivers,” Mirelez said. “I would recommend a Toyota or a Honda because their parts are cheap and are good reliable cars. The Ford Fusion’s parts are on the expensive side and they recommend synthetic oil blend. When purchasing a car always have a certified mechanic look at it to make sure it’s in good shape. I like to offer all my customers the safety of knowing the car is in good shape.”

Overall the Ford Fusion has a good reputation, but it can be a costly car for new teen drivers when it comes to maintenance and other aspects.

For more articles on driving, read The dangers of distracted driving and Underclassmen express fears, thrills of driving. 

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