Ford Fusion’s absence is keenly felt by sedan lovers. The sedan was officially discontinued in July 2020 as Ford decided to focus its budget towards more popular SUVs, like the Explorer and Bronco. Yet, even though it has disappeared from car showrooms, the Fusion’s appeal still holds.
Part of the reason has to do with the Fusion’s lithe handling. Now as then, there aren’t many sedans that could rival the ease with which the Fusion overtakes its rivals on the road. Its plush ride and sharp styling are other reasons why those who have this car are not thinking of selling it.
However, just as it is with every vehicle on the road, the Fusion’s comfort and performance can be enhanced by the right set of tires. You just have to ensure that the tires you’re going to install on this mid-size sedan will enhance the qualities that made it so popular back in its heyday.
To help you out, we’ve come up with this article. This comprehensive guide rates and reviews the 9 best tires for Ford Fusion on the market. We’ll identify the highlights of the models we picked as well as areas where they struggle. So that you can decide whether they’ll fit the bill for you.
#1. Michelin Defender T+H – Best Overall
Why is the Michelin Defender T+H our top pick for Ford Fusion? Start with the fact that it performs reliably year-round. An all-season tread compound ensures that this model is as dependable during the summer months as when the temperature is plumbing new lows every day.
Similar to other Michelin tires released in the recent past, the Defender T+H comes equipped with Comfort Control Technology. This technology uses a computer-optimized design to reduce road vibrations and noise, a huge benefit given this tire’s infatuation with performance.
The Defender T+H also has what it takes to enhance your Fusion’s performance. An asymmetric tread pattern gives this model the kind of road grip that would make the onlookers feel as if it’s glued to the road. The result is enhanced steering responsiveness and feedback.
High-speed stability is another perk on offer. Michelin’s IntelliSipe Technology interlocks its otherwise disparate treads to keep this model from wobbling at higher speeds. Many drivers ‘complain’ how this feature sees them crossing the speed limit without even noticing.
An astronomical asking price is the only thing that could keep people from purchasing this tire. Other than that, we see no reason why anyone would reject this model out of hand.
Pros
- Excellent treadwear warranty (80,000 miles)
- Reliable in light wintry conditions
- Enhanced steering response and feedback
Cons
- Doesn’t come cheap
#2. Continental PureContact LS – Best Luxury Touring
The Continental PureContact LS shows that the upcoming generation always has something the previous one didn’t. This tire is the replacement of PureContact with EcoPlus Technology and offers better wet performance, wear characteristics and noise levels than its predecessor.
Data released by Continental confirms all this. Internal tests on this tire show that it has 10% improved wet traction and 23% better wear characteristics than its predecessor. What’s more, this model has been proven to be 50% quieter, even though its precursor wasn’t noisy.
As one might guess, multiple design elements are responsible for bringing these numbers to life. A tread compound featuring temperature-activated polymers and +Silane additives helps improve the tire’s bonding with dry roads while increasing its traction on wet surfaces.
Four circumferential grooves are the be-all and end-all of the tire’s water removal system. Their job description includes evacuating water from within the tread to reduce the risk of hydroplaning. The above numbers regarding wet traction show that the grooves do this pretty well.
The PureContact LS also comes with DSW indicators. This is done to let you gauge its Dry, Wet, and Snow performance. The less visible these indicators are, the poorer your tire’s performance will be in said conditions. A 70,000-mile treadwear warranty further sweetens the deal.
Pros
- Quieter than its predecessor
- Comes with DWS indicators
- Excellent wet traction
Cons
- Not usable on icy surfaces
#3. Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack – Best Grand-Touring Tires
The Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack is one of the best grand touring tires on the market. This tire also has what it takes to reinforce your Fusion’s strong points (comfortable ride, dynamic handling, etc.) and rectify the issues that plague this sedan’s performance.
Bridgestone’s Comfort Control Technology will enable this tire to make your Ford Fusion’s already comfortable ride even plusher. In addition, the QuietTrack Technology will reduce road noise by a few decibels, even at speeds where other GT tires roar.
Compared with the Turanza Serenity Plus, its predecessor and competitor, the QuietTrack offers 20% higher traction on wet and snowy roads. As anyone who has ever driven the Serenity Plus might tell you, these increases should make this tire a beast on the road.
Unlike most grand touring tires, which opt for circumferential or lateral grooves to evacuate water from the tread area, the Turanza QuietTrack features both design elements. The result? Better hydroplaning resistance and improved traction on wet and dicey roads.
An 80,000-mile treadwear warranty is as high as you get from our top pick, which is a pleasant surprise since GT tires don’t often rival A/S touring models on this front. Plus, its availability in multiple sizes from 15- to 20-inches makes this tire compatible with all Fusion trims.
Pros
- 80,000-mile treadlife warranty
- Excellent dry and wet performance
- Exceptional ride quality and minimal road noise
Cons
- Asking price might blow your budget
#4. Cooper CS5 Grand Touring – Best Budget Grand Touring Tires
The Cooper CS5 Grand Touring shows that you don’t always have to empty your wallet to land a set of high-quality tires. This model is priced way lower than its premium counterparts discussed above yet rivals them in performance, road manners, and treadlife.
A coupled silica tread compound helps the tire tick many boxes. On the one end, the tread compound increases its grip and traction on dry and wet roads, ensuring even wear. On the other end, it reduces the tire’s rolling resistance for an enhanced fuel economy.
A combination of tiny voids in the tread area and massive outboard tread blocks make it ultra-stable at higher speeds. As soon as they sense acceleration, the design elements come together, delivering added grip the situation demands to keep things from going haywire.
While the sipes on its inboard shoulder and ribs aren’t as aggressive as those on the CS5 Ultra Touring (which performs much better in light snow). Yet, the biting edges are more than enough to increase this tire’s traction on water-logged and dicey surfaces.
Wear Square Indicators are also on offer. These indicators will be a few inches above the tread when you’re installing this tire for the first time. After a few years (or earlier, depending on your driving habits), they’ll become flush with the tread, indicating the tire’s time is up.
Pros
- Comes with an outstanding treadlife warranty
- Offers excellent performance in dry and wet conditions
- Features wear square indicators
Cons
- Not usable in snowy conditions
#5. Goodyear Assurance MaxLife – Best Treadlife
The Goodyear Assurance MaxLife demonstrates why people love touring tires. This model comes with an extended treadwear warranty, offers reliable performance in dry and wet conditions and has a functional water evacuation system. Despite providing all that, it’s available on a budget.
Goodyear claims that this tire’s treadlife is 30% higher than rivals. The tire manufacturer doesn’t tell, but we suspect that TredLife Technology may have something to do with this. After all, this technology helps increase the tire’s road contact, a crucial indicator of any model’s treadlife.
A symmetric tread design should dampen the enthusiasm of those who were expecting this tire to be inclined towards performance. But it should raise the spirits of anyone looking for a tire that could deliver a comfortable and noise-free driving experience.
Still, while this model won’t help you win any races, it won’t wobble at high speeds. A center rib and internal nylon steel belts would keep it stable on the highway. Additionally, multiple circumferential grooves help keep it firmly planted on the road in wet conditions.
However, as it’s with most touring tires, this model’s steering feedback and responsiveness won’t send thrills up and down the driver’s body. Which might be a good thing (if you value driving comfort above anything else) or bad (if you drive aggressively).
Pros
- Class-leading 85,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Outstanding grip in dry and wet conditions
- Short braking distances in the rain and on slippery roads
Cons
- Lackluster steering feedback and responsiveness
#6. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ – Best for Responsiveness
The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ has the credentials that won’t make it look out of place on muscle cars, such as the Dodge Challenger and Ford Mustang. This makes it a no-brainer for those Ford Fusion drivers who want more responsiveness in their drive.
A performance-oriented tread design joins its forces with outboard shoulder blocks to enhance the tire’s lateral grip and dry cornering capabilities. Plus, a continuous center rib takes feedback from the road and delivers it straight to your steering, ensuring added responsiveness.
The tire’s advanced silica and sunflower oil tread compound make it a reliable performer year-round. Silica gives the rubber the firmness it needs to stay glued to the dry roads. The sunflower oil, meanwhile, injects flexibility into the rubber, helping it stay useful in mild wintry conditions.
Four circumferential grooves abet the sunflower oil in increasing the tire’s wet traction. From the inside, two lightweight yet sturdy steel cords do their bit for ride comfort. This means that the tire doesn’t increase responsiveness at the cost of road manners.
Lastly, while it’s true that the Sport A/S 3+ doesn’t come cheap, you’d be fortunate to find affordable models that can match its performance or treadlife. That is to say that this tire’s features have done an excellent job of justifying its otherwise astronomical asking price.
Pros
- Exceptional performance and steering responsiveness
- Brilliant 45,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Outstanding straight-line tracking and high-speed stability
Cons
- Among the most expensive tires on the market
#7. Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS – Best High-Performance Tires
The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS ticks several boxes for speed enthusiasts. An all-season tread compound rolled into an asymmetric tread pattern has reduced its rolling resistance, making this tire and, by extension, any car it’s installed on, an absolute beast on the highway.
High-speed stability is another area where this tire excels. Whether going over the speed limit in a straight line or attacking corners with a vengeance, this model won’t let its road contact break for a second, giving you the confidence to push your Ford Fusion to its limits.
Circumferential and lateral grooves make it a more reliable performer in wet conditions than your average high-performance tire. An all-season tread compound, a rare sight in performance tires, is also to credit for the excellent way this model handles slippery roads.
Unlike most UHP tires you see on the market, the RE980AS isn’t loud. This tire is relatively quiet at speeds its competitors are roaring and growling at. However, the same cannot be said about comfort, which takes a hit in specific scenarios, such as when you’re over-speeding.
Another thing you’d do well to know about this tire is that it takes its time to come to a complete halt in wet conditions. So, the next time you use it on wet roads, maintain a safe distance between your sedan and the vehicle right in front to avoid any unpleasant scenario.
Pros
- Offers plenty of steering feedback
- Delivers superb grip and traction on wet roads
- High aquaplaning resistance
Cons
- Comfort takes a hit in specific scenarios
#8. Michelin CrossClimate+ – Best All-Weather Tires
The Michelin CrossClimate series comprises four tires – CrossClimate, CrossClimate+, CrossClimate2, and CrossClimate SUV. All four offer reliable performance in dry and wet conditions. Yet only one – CrossClimate+ – deserves a place on your Fusion’s wheels.
A winter-specific tread compound won’t force you to guess where this tire’s focus lies. The compound enables this tire to offer dependable snow and ice traction. In doing so, it distinguishes the CrossClimate+ from its all-season counterparts, which behave erratically on snow.
For wet performance, Michelin has equipped it with circumferential and lateral grooves, something we didn’t expect given that most tires have one not both of these design elements. That they both are on offer here is why we rate this tire’s wet performance so highly.
The trio of 3D self-locking sipes, bevel-edged tread blocks and Emerging Grooves performs one function each. The sipes are the reason why this model behaves so predictably in inclement weather. They help the CrossClimate+ grip the road regardless of how wet it is.
Bevel-edged tread blocks increase road contact to enhance the tire’s high-speed stability. The Emerging Grooves, meanwhile, save this tire from experiencing a dangerous loss of traction in its last few days on the road (something that most tires have to deal with).
Pros
- Surefooted performance in winter
- Outstanding braking distances on wet and light snowy roads
- Exceptional dry and wet handling
Cons
- Relatively small treadwear warranty (50,000 miles)
#9. Michelin X-Ice Xi3 – Best Winter Tires
Dedicated winter tires get bad rep for poor treadlife, high fuel consumption and lackluster performance. While it’s true that some winter tires sacrifice road manners to stay stable on the snow, there are models that don’t use their reliable winter performance as an excuse to cut corners.
Need proof? Then you must check out Michelin’s X-Ice Xi3. This tire comes with a flexible tread compound that remains useful in sub-zero temperatures, safely carrying you from point A to point B on snow-laden roads. At the same time, it wears evenly for an extended treadlife.
Next comes fuel efficiency. Thanks to Michelin’s GreenX Technology, which helps this tire strike the perfect balance between snow traction and rolling resistance, this model isn’t a fuel guzzler, especially when you compare its fuel economy with fellow dedicated winter tires.
Then there is road performance, something most people don’t expect from a winter tire. Cross Z sipes on the tread area (these are different from the sipes that enhance this tire’s snow traction) give it all the traction it needs to stay controllable at the limit, enhancing its performance.
However, as is the case with most Michelin tires, the X-Ice Xi3 doesn’t come cheap. You might have to drain your pockets to take advantage of the above qualities.
Pros
- Offers exceptional snow and ice traction
- Incredibly short braking distances
- Low rolling resistance for better fuel efficiency
Cons
Doesn’t come cheap
Best Tires for Ford Fusion
Touring Tires – Best Tires for Ford Fusion
Touring tires are the best option for the average Ford Fusion driver, especially anyone who’s on a budget. These model cost nowhere near as much as performance or high-performance tires. Yet, they deliver everything anyone who uses the Fusion for everyday driving could ask for.
This includes long treadlife, extended treadwear warranty, and exceptional road manners. Almost all premium touring tires come with a symmetric tread pattern to stay quiet and comfortable on the highway. Their sturdy inner construction also makes them stable at high speeds.
Sure, touring tires don’t offer the kind of steering feedback and responsiveness you could get from performance tires. But they justify this ‘shortcoming’ with low rolling resistances and higher fuel economy. So, if you opt for a touring tire, you won’t be punished at the pump.
Grand-Touring Tires – Best Ford Fusion tires for Highway Driving
Grand touring tires are similar to touring tires in all but one aspect – these models come with higher speed ratings and are thus more suitable for highway driving. Their higher speed rating makes them a better option if you have one of the more powerful versions of the Fusion.
Another thing you may want to know about grand touring tires is that they usually come in larger sizes. This enables them to provide the drive with enhanced handling. Yet, on the matter of road manners and drive comfort, they aren’t much different from touring tires.
So, should you opt for touring or grand-touring tires for your Ford Fusion? The answer to this question depends on the money in your wallet. Another thing you may want to note is that it’s common for grand touring tires to have slightly lower treadwear warranties.
Performance Tires – Best Ford Fusion tires for Sporty Handling
Performance tires deserve your attention if you have a knack of pushing your Ford Fusion to its limits. Or if you own one of the more powerful versions of this SUV. In both cases, performance tires will give you the kind of thrills you won’t get from touring or grand touring tires.
Performance tires’ lightweight construction and low rolling resistance help you drive them more aggressively. Their slightly rigid sidewalls and sturdy internal construction make them more controllable at the limit while also giving maximum feedback to the driver.
That said, there are two major reasons why performance tires aren’t everybody’s cup of tea. These models have much shorter tread lives than touring or grand touring tires, so expect more frequent replacement. Aside from that, these tires produce more noise on the highway.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of tires does a Ford Fusion need?
Touring tires are the best choice for most Ford Fusion drivers. The best touring tires come with long treadwear warranties, have excellent road manners, and perform reliably in wet conditions. They are also available on the budget and offer quiet and comfortable ride.
How long should tires last on a Ford Fusion?
It depends on your driving habits, how much distance you cover yearly and the type of tires you have installed. For instance, if you drive conservatively and cover 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year on premium touring tires, you might get 5, 6 years out of a set.
Conclusion
Ford Fusion might have retired but this sedan’s loyal customer base has no plans of selling the mid-size sedan in their garage anytime soon. To help your Fusion perform at its best for the foreseeable future, make sure to equip it with high-quality premium tires.
