Comparison: Greenlight 2015 Chrysler 200S and Ford Fusion

It seems like Greenlight is trying to follow the American mainstream cars.  First the compacts from Dodge, Chevy, and Ford, now the mid-size cars from Ford and Chrysler.  The new 200 is a step above the previous-generation sharing the same platform as the Dart but on a larger wheelbase with V6 power.  The one unique thing about these two is that they are the only cars offered with All-Wheel Drive.  The Fusion is also a step-above the previous-generation when it was introduced in 2013.  Now both are made by Greenlight and down to a comparison.  As for Chevy, well so far no word yet on a Malibu though it may be two years out for a new one; only the upcoming 2016 Volt would be the closest for this comparo.

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Exterior

Both cars are stylish alternatives to the me-too crowd in the midsize sedan segment.  The ford goes for an edgier look with Aston-Martin-like grille and detailed headlights on this greenlight version.  The round taillights accent the rear with LED's in the white section of the lamps.  The look, theoretically, is nice but in my opinion the hood seems a bit too tall and the front-end looks out-of-place with the rest of the car.  To make things worse this is a Titanium trim level with a light blue only reserved for the Hybrid model!  The 200 looks just as nice, but with a rounded appearance that features headlights with LED running lights, quad foglights, and a lower hood with smaller grille.  The rear has taillights with LED housing lights and in-bumper exhaust just like the Fusion.  The black on this Black Bandit may upset some of the fine curves, but the end result is the 200 looks better.  Truth is, both are so its a tie.

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Interior

Both are a step above their predecessors, but once again both take different approaches.  The Fusion uses more sharper surfaces with digital gauge cluster around an analog speedometer.  Center stack does feature a touch screen, but the whole dash setup is starting to look dated.  The rear seat and trunk space are much roomier than the 200.  Then again, the 200 goes upward with posh surfaces and rich touches like chrome rings around analog gauges, rotary transmission shifter, and a cubby area behind the shifter and controls.  The touchscreen is larger and more modern than the Ford.  The 200 would've won, but the smaller rear seat room ended up making it a tie with the Fusion, again!

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Engine and Acceleration

Both use different means of power: The Fusion uses the 2.0L EcoBoost I-4 that produces 240 hp. and 270 Ib-ft of torque through a 6-speed automatic.  The Chrysler, while also offering a 4-cylinder, is best with the 3.6L DOHC Pentastar V6 that produces 295 hp. and 262 Ib-ft of torque through a 9-speed automatic.  Looks good, and it feels like it too as the 200 is quicker in the acceleration runs.

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Braking and Handling

Both cars have four-wheel multilink suspensions, disc brakes, and ABS.  The Fusions uses multi-spoke wheels that seem to not offer the sporty handling that the 200 offers with its larger wheels and tires that seem to offer the best grip.  Both cars fared well on the braking front, with the 200 closing the gap by a pinch.

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Features and Price

The 200S is the winner here offering more proper details and styling that is nice and smooth.  The Fusion has a similar approach, but a few incorrect details cause it to lose the vote.  Both cars offer screws instead of rivets to secure the base, though the Fusion lacks any other details aside from the exhaust.  Finally is the price as both cars come in close, with the Fusion likely to be the more cost-effective choice; then again its all based on what trim level and options are specified.

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Verdict

Both cars come out really good, a turnaround from what both cars were like under different chassis and names ten years ago.  Both are stylish, well-equipped, fuel-efficient, and easy to drive, but only one stands out from the rest.  As the results was close, a few slip-ups in the Ford caused the Chrysler 200S to win this competition.

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Update 1/18/20: here's a more proper Ford Fusion in a dark blue color.  The light blue shown above was more found on the Hybrid models, but since this Greenlight casting is a Titanium trim gas model the color looks out-of-place.  This dark blue from the Ford 5-pack set is a much better fit and it looks great!