The Fusion was manufactured at Ford's Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly plant in Sonora, Mexico, alongside the Lincoln MKZ, and formerly the Mercury Milan,[3] both of which share its CD3 platform.

Sales in Europe and Asia as Ford Mondeo began in 2015, along with South Africa, where the Fusion name was used.

The entire 2013 Fusion line-up was awarded with the 2013 Green Car of the Year at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show.

The base engine was the 160 hp (119 kW) Mazda-designed 2.3 L Duratec 23 I4, paired with either a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission, both also designed by Mazda.

SE and SEL models were also available with a 221 hp (165 kW) 3.0 L Duratec 30 V6 and a 6-speed automatic, made by Aisin Japan.

Ford's early advertising campaign for the Fusion in the United States was entitled "Life in Drive", while in Canada it was "Create a Reaction".

The American Ford Fusion emerged the winner over the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord based on the attributes of styling, reliability from Consumer Reports, handling, and "fun to drive" in head-to-head comparison tests with the Japanese sedans performed by subscribers of Car and Driver and Road & Track magazines in the Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles regions.

In July 2007, Motor Trend reported that Ford's Special Vehicle Team tuner group planned to release a Fusion GT in late 2009 or early 2010.

An auxiliary input jack for transmission from a portable audio player was added, along with some equipment modifications.

New optional features included rear parking assist, Ford's SYNC multimedia and communication system, and ambient interior lighting.

[19] For the 2010 model year, Ford facelifted the Fusion,[25] along with its badge engineered variants, the Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ,[26] with revised front and rear end fascias,[27][28] interior and powertrain.

[34] In June 2010, it was reported that National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was investigating into floormat-related unintended acceleration in 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan.

The investigation was opened in response to over 500 complaints where motorists reported the sudden loss of power steering while driving.

[41] In April 2009 editors of Kelley Blue Book named the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid to its 2009 list of "Top 10 Green Cars".

[51] The new model marks the reconvergence of Ford's mid-size platform for both Europe and the Americas – the CDW27 program which spawned the Ford Contour/Mercury Mystique and the original European Mondeo had been the company's previous attempt at a mid-size car for the world, which was met with mixed success.

[52] Test and development of localized versions was undertaken in both North America and Europe, resulting in different engine choices, automatic gearboxes, suspension settings and tires.

In international markets, a three-cylinder 1.0L 123 bhp EcoBoost, claimed to produce just 125g/km of CO2 emissions; and the Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid is expected to be released between 2014 and 2015.

The second generation Fusion introduced several driver assistance technologies based on sensors, cameras and radar.

Safety features include Lane Keeping System; adjust vehicle speed to changing traffic conditions through adaptive cruise control with Forward Collision Warning; active park assist paired with a backup camera; and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with cross-traffic alert, which consists of sensors in both rear quarter-panels that are able to detect traffic in a driver's blind spot, providing both audible and visual warnings if traffic unseen by the driver is detected.

BLIS technology enables rear cross-traffic alert, aiding drivers backing out of parking space where visibility is obstructed.

The 2017–2020 Fusion introduced a revised 2.0 engine with a twin scroll turbocharger producing 245 hp and 275 lb-ft with a 1 mpg overall increase in fuel economy.

[64] The Duratec 2.5, and EcoBoost 1.5, 1.6 and 2.0 are sourced from Chihuahua, Mexico; Craiova, Romania; Bridgend, Wales; and Valencia, Spain respectively.

The SEL replaces the SE Luxury Package, and the Platinum is dropped, moving the Titanium up-level.

All trim levels offer Ford's SYNC 3 touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration and SiriusXM Satellite Radio and Travel Link service, GPS navigation, and the FordPass Connect 4G LTE mobile Wi-Fi hotspot as standard equipment, except for the base S, where it is available as part of the Ford CoPilot360+ Package.

[71] On June 9, 2022, a Customer Satisfaction Program 19B37 & 21N12 were initiated for "Certain 2017-2019 Model Year Fusion Vehicles Equipped with a 1.5L GTDI Engine--Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion."

A Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 22-2134 was dated on December 19, 2022, and released by Ford Motor Company.

In the TSB, the program terms indicate " a no-cost, one-time repair (if needed) to the 1.5L short block, due to coolant intrusion to the cylinder bores, for 7 years of service or 84,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle, whichever occurs first."

In 2018, Ford began plans to discontinue the Fusion along with its other sedans in North America over the following years, as the marque shifts towards pickups, CUVs, SUVs and the Mustang muscle car.

The Generation 6 body styles were also meant to closer resemble the production versions of their respective vehicles.

The car was driven by retired Ford engineer Rick Byrnes, a long time Bonneville racer.