Ford Fusion Hybrid: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Ford Fusion Hybrid: 10 model years scored from 7,287 NHTSA owner complaints and 4 recall campaigns. Worst year 2011, best year 2013.
Ford Fusion Hybrid: which years to avoid
Across 5 scored model years the Ford Fusion Hybrid ranges from 80/100 in 2011 to 90/100 in 2014 — a 10-point spread, so which year you buy matters. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Steering (1,436 of them).
Safest years: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 — scored 70 or better.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Editor's note
The Fusion Hybrid's scores are all BUY, from 80 for the 2011 to 90 for the 2014, but the 2011 and 2012 cars carry 2,869 and 2,557 owner complaints, almost the same as the petrol Fusion of those years, and I would walk past them. The 2013, at 84 on 1,861 complaints, is the year to buy and the last with a full record; from 2014 the Hybrid has no complaints on file and the 2016 to 2020 cars are DATA PENDING. Steering leads every scored year, at 1,436 in 2011, 1,464 in 2012 and 398 in 2013, and the petrol Fusion's steering campaign, 15V340000, covers 2011 and 2012 Fusions without the 3.5-litre engine. Air Bags is second in 2011 and 2012 at 364 and 434. The Hybrid's own page carries two campaigns, 14V736000 for a transmission control module on 2015 cars and 18V592000 for the plug-in Energi charge cord. EPA combined economy runs from 38 miles per gallon for 2011 to 42 from 2017.
Read the guide
Used Ford Fusion (and Fusion Hybrid): the years to avoid and the years to buy — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2013 (score 84). Worst: 2011 (score 80, BUY).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | — | DATA PENDING | $2,680 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | — | DATA PENDING | $2,820 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | — | DATA PENDING | $2,960 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,100 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,290 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 89 | BUY | $3,430 | 0 | 2 |
| 2014 | 90 | BUY | $3,570 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 | 84 | BUY | $6,430 | 1,861 | 1 |
| 2012 | 81 | BUY | $7,420 | 2,557 | 0 |
| 2011 | 80 | BUY | $7,724 | 2,869 | 0 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the Fusion Hybrid, through the years →
Fusion Hybrid sub-models & family
What goes wrong on the Ford Fusion Hybrid
Across every Fusion Hybrid model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Steering3,298 complaints across all Fusion Hybrid years · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement$1,020–$2,500
- Air Bags798 complaints across all Fusion Hybrid years · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement$600–$1,700
- Power Train743 complaints across all Fusion Hybrid years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Engine666 complaints across all Fusion Hybrid years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System342 complaints across all Fusion Hybrid years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Service Brakes340 complaints across all Fusion Hybrid years · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles$580–$1,140
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Ford Fusion Hybrid years to buy?
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2014 at 90/100, on 0 complaints and 1 recall campaigns.
Which Ford Fusion Hybrid years should I avoid?
The 2011 is the weakest year we score, at 80/100 (BUY), on 2,869 complaints and 0 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Ford Fusion Hybrid problem?
3,298 of the complaints filed against the Fusion Hybrid across all its model years sit in the Steering group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04