Five Ways the Ford Fusion is Better Than the Aston Martin Rapide S

It’s easily one of the hottest-looking cars in the midsize segment thanks to its strong character lines, tapering roof and of course its aggressive, scowling grille that was clearly inspired by Aston Martin. Hey, if you’re going to copy another car company you may as well imitate one that’s expensive.

Rightfully so, many people have compared the new Fusion to vehicles from the prestigious British brand and the design similarities between this blue-collar four-door and the Rapide S are striking. The two cars’ front ends are unmistakably alike, with gaping trapezoidal grille openings and fine horizontal bars filling the empty space.

The six-figure-‘spensive Aston is an amazing performance car on its own, with a thundering 12-cylinder engine and a chassis that’s light, tight and ready to fight, but believe it or not the Ford Fusion is no slouch, either. In fact it trumps the Rapide S in a number of important areas. Don’t believe us? Click ahead to the next page.

These are some of the most awkward rear seats in any vehicle on the market today. If you don’t have scoliosis before you wedge yourself in there you will after even a quick trip around the block in this Aston Martin.

The chairs are strangely shaped and quite uncomfortable. The lower cushion is lumpy and kind of misshapen. Headroom for even moderate-height riders is a scarce commodity as well.

The Fusion wins no awards for its back seat; in fact it’s probably one of the tightest in the midsize segment. Still, its aft-most accommodations are worlds ahead of steerage in the Rapide S.

Further enhancing visibility small convex reflectors mounted on the outer corners of the Fusion’s side-view mirrors help you keep an eye on surrounding vehicles without the need for yet another fancy electronic doo-dad, though blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are available.

SEE ALSO: 2013 Aston Martin Rapide S Review

By comparison, the Rapide S that we reviewed a couple months back cost nearly $218,000! Comparing the sticker prices of these two cars is simple, but beyond the initial purchase cost you’ve also got to pay for maintenance and upkeep. Needless to say tires, brake pads, oil changes and replacement struts are guaranteed to be vastly cheaper with the Fusion.

With a little practice MyFord Touch is straightforward and easy to use. For instance, connecting your smartphone via Bluetooth is a snap. Overall it’s far better and much easier to comprehend than the steaming pile of feculence that passes for “technology” in the Rapide S.

The Aston treats passengers to a cumbersome infotainment system with an obtuse interface and pixilated display screens that look like they were ripped off a dollar store cash register. This has absolutely no place in a $218,000 super-sedan, much less a midsize four-door like the Fusion.

The most inefficient Fusions are powered by the company’s range-topping 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine. It delivers up to 240 hp and a maximum of 270 lb-ft of torque. When saddled with optional all-wheel drive, which adds weight and drivetrain friction, the car is expected to deliver an average of 25 miles per gallon. For the record, it stickers at 22 MPG city and 31 on the highway.

The best the Rapide S can muster is a dreadful 15 MPG combined, which is derived from a score of 13 miles per gallon around town and 19 on the open road. Hopefully the car comes with a glove box stuffed with British Petroleum stock because your fuel costs are going to rival that of a small European nation.

Further embarrassing the Aston Martin is Ford’s ultra-thrifty Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid. This amped-up auto offers an electric-only range of 21 miles and can hit 85 mph without burning a drop of fuel. Its combined gasoline and electric economy score is 100 miles per gallon. So yeah, that’s MUCH better.

Click here for complete 2014 Ford Fusion specs.

Click here for complete Aston Martin Rapide S specs.