Best Tires for Ford Fusion
Mid-size sedans do not get any better than Ford Fusion in drivability and comfort. Ford Fusion has both the gas and hybrid versions that perform better than the competition.
But the driving experience with your Fusion gets better when you get the right tires for the vehicle.
Of course, there is always that urge to go with the cheapest quality, but that is usually a mistake. Yes, the budget tires will save your purse, but the driving performance and safety usually get a good thrashing. We review some of the best tires for your Ford Fusion.
Best Tires for Ford Fusion Reviews
All-Terrain Tires: General G-MAX AS-05
The sure-footed handling of General G-MAX AS-05 is always a welcome addition to the Ford Fusion. The all-season tire has the quality to take you far and beyond the typical city roads in any weather.
Apart from saving you from the trouble of having to change the tires every time, the General G-MAX AS-05 is not your ordinary tire. It is high performance and enhances the ability of your Ford Fusion on a variety of terrains and different seasons.
G-MAX AS-05 has a robust emphasis on wet traction with a high angled tread pattern and high grooves. This improves water evacuation to keep the tread in contact with the surface despite the amount of standing water you come across. It also performs excellently for aggressive drivers during the wet season.
G-MAX AS-05 is also engineered for responsiveness and beats many original equipment tires in that aspect. They have better comfort, and their fuel efficiency is always a good thing for the Ford Fusion driver. It is what you can refer to as the jack of all trades tire.
In addition, the high-performance model has visual wear alerts to tell you when it's time for a tire change.
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Winter Tires: Bridgestone Blizzak LM-500
With independent and reinforced tread blocks, Bridgestone Blizzak LM-500 makes driving a Ford Fusion on snow and ice a lot more fun. The polymer technology used and directional design improves its performance in ice and wet weather. Blizzak LM-500 is designed to enhance the vehicle range through improvements in aerodynamics and resistance to tire rolling.
This means the winter tire is excellent in hydroplaning resistance for your Ford Fusion. You can ride on the slush-covered roads with confidence, knowing that you will get to your destination even in inclement snow conditions.
Rounded shoulders are quite a visible feature, and they characterize a design that promotes wet and dry handling.
In addition, the tire's independent tread blocks increase the number of tire biting edges to give your Ford Fusion better performance on the ice. It has a characteristic narrow tread pattern and wide diameter usually lost through friction from within. Unlike the smaller diameter tires, wide diameter tires have a lower percentage deflection which reduces rolling resistance and the deformation of the tire.
When talking about performance, most drivers tend to overlook the external appeal of the tire. Blizzak LM-500 does not look out of place with your Ford Fusion. In fact, it gives it a sporty appearance.
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Summer Tires: Dunlop Direzza ZIII
Dunlop Direzza ZIII is a summer tire for aggressive drivers who are after a near-sports car performance. This also applies to your Ford Fusion sedan. As you would expect, the handling of Dunlop Direzza ZIII is up there with other premium performance summer tires.
It uses the latest tech in racing for track and street use.
In addition, the tire has a wider contact patch and directional tread pattern to provide optimal grip. Other crucial features include wide shoulders and continuous center rib to give it a better dry traction handling and faster steering response. The tread grooves and rigid shoulders provide better stability at high speeds.
If you are the kind of driver that takes corners at high speeds, Direzza ZIII sticks like glue on the road for a perfect delivery.
Direzza ZIII's wet traction is better than the previous model, mostly due to its wider circumferential grooves that continuously get rid of more water under the tire as you ride in the rain. The hydroplaning resistance of Direzza ZIII is quite good for summer tires. The groove design of the tire is in such a way that it effectively and quickly moves water out of the way for good tire contact with the surface.
Within the tire are wider dual steel belts for strength, durability, and better handling.
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Touring Tires: Michelin Defender T+H
A touring tire like Defender T+H is the perfect fit for your family sedan, with the comfort, durability, and exceptional handling that you deserve. The tire features all-season traction for performance in wet, dry, and light snow.
An incorporated all-season tread compound is the culprit behind improved longevity and durability. Unlike most touring peers, the tire has a smooth and quiet operation that makes for a most enjoyable ride. You can enjoy a conversation with your mate from work as you speed down the highway, and it's all thanks to an asymmetric tread design.
The IntelliSipe technology's interlocking zigzag swipes improve the tire's contact with the ground for excellent traction and handling. According to some of the users, the improved tread block rigidity and high silica content work so well for wet traction that it almost feels like driving on a dry surface.
Other features that include circumferential grooves and lateral notches work hard to improve hydroplaning resistance. On the other hand, the zigzag sipes and a stand-alone tread block give Defender T+H a good set of biting edges for optimal grip on various surfaces, including ice and snow.
The tire is durable and strong. It has two internal wide steel belts, which combine with a mono-ply polyamide to strengthen the tread. This improves steering response and braking.
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Grand-Touring Tires: Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack
A good dry and wet traction and acceptable one in light snow is the stuff of Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack. The tire is the flagship of the brand based on its performance and luxurious performance. The primary focus of the tire is on comfort, safety, and traction, and that is exactly what your Ford Fusion requires for best performance.
Its traction on dry and wet surfaces is great, and you don't have to worry when it suddenly starts snowing. The special all-season tread compound is pretty much what makes this model one of the greatest on the market. Its asymmetric tread design grabs the road like its life depended on it, which benefits your driving experience.
With the current economic condition, all and sundry are looking for ways to save money and have extra to push through. Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack is gentle on your savings through its slow tread wear and tire durability.
But the tire is quiet and smooth as well on the road. The ingroove quiet tracks, optimized pitch sequencing, and the non-chamfered shoulder slots work together for low road noise and a comfortable ride home in the evening. It is not always that you come across grand touring tires with such exceptionally low road noise.
The circumferential footprint created through specialized software spreads the force from potholes and bumps across its length, and you don't feel it as much.
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High-Performance Tires: Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS
Predictable handling and high-speed capability in dry and wet conditions is something that your Ford Fusion could do with. Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS offers that and then much more to enhance your driving experience.
As a high-performance tire, you get all-year-round coverage, and you may not need to think about swapping with specialized tires unless it's in harsh winter. The chamfered lateral slots work to enhance the road to rubber contact for good dry braking performance. The interlocking 3D full-depth sipes provide optimal tread stability, and your Ford Fusion becomes easier to control.
The importance of the high sipe density is to have more biting edges to ride well in slippery conditions. You may notice the tire's grooves and tread pattern slots are well linked to provide for easier water evacuation. This takes water out of the way to improve the contact between rubber and ground. As a result, the risk of hydroplaning reduces several folds over.
The overall tire construction consists of three polyester sidewall plies, and the tread area has two plies for a more balanced handling response. It is no wonder your Ford Fusion ride feels more premium than usual after installing Potenza RE980AS.
Surprisingly, Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS is optimized for reduced road noise in wet and dry conditions - something that you don't get with other high-performance tires.
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Best Tires for Ford Fusion Buying Guide
The Ford Fusion Original Equipment (OE) Tires
Several factors come into play before Ford can choose a particular brand of tires over another. Perhaps there is some discussion between the accountant and the engineer as to the most appropriate set of tires, and some compromises are made.
In the end, the tires chosen typically meet the budget constraints and the performance criteria set forth. But this middle ground is not always the best for every Fusion driver. Each driver has their ideal, and the driving conditions are different.
When Do You Change the Tires?
Eventually, you are going to need a new pair of shoes for your Ford Fusion. But how do you tell it's time for new pairs?
Usually, the maximum age and the tread depth come into play, and they always arrive at the same time. But tread depth is more important. If it gets too low, the tire's ability to prevent hydroplaning deteriorates, and that is never a good thing as you can easily lose control.
The cut-off for tread depth is 2/32," or you can use a visual indicator normally incorporated in modern tires. It's time for a tire change when the wear bar is level with the top of the tire.
Usually, age is a contentious issue, and there is no consensus among the manufacturers on how long the tires should last. Some say it's five years, while others mention a higher figure. But how can you tell?
There are visual indications that your tire has become too old, and they include dry rot. Cracks on the rubber are a sure sign that your tires are beginning to lose them, and a change is ideal. But don't wait for visual signs to change the tires. Rather, let the driving dynamics dictate your tire-changing decisions, at least most of the time.
High-Performance Tires
High-performance tires are for those that want to push their Ford Fusion to the limit. Generally, the tires are for drivers with some aggressiveness on the wheel.
High-performance tires have a stiffer sidewall that improves the road's response and utilizes a stickier rubber compound for better holding. This means the tires have hard acceleration traction and cornering, and their stopping power is excellent.
Touring Tires
The tires you will find most on Ford Fusion are the touring tires. But does that mean they are the best for your Ford? Not exactly.
Touring tires are quite common based on the fact that they are cheap. Premium brands such as Michelin might cost a little more, but they are still cheaper than other categories. But that doesn’t mean they don't have the quality for your Ford Fusion.
Touring tires come with softer sidewalls, and this has its advantages. It makes for a very comfortable ride. When combined with a tread pattern that lowers noise, it translates to a very enjoyable ride on urban roads and on the highway.
Touring tires have a decent tread compound with a good lifespan if you drive within the speed limit, don't generate a lot of wheel spin, and take corners carefully. Most of them come with a 90,000-mile warranty, which isn't so bad for an average family driver. Their low rolling resistance makes them excellent for reduced fuel consumption.
Touring tire traction is excellent on wet surfaces, but their handling response is wanting. They are not very grippy, especially when driving on dry tarmac. If that’s what you are after, then you may need to look elsewhere.
Grand Touring Tires
Even though grand touring tires are similar to their touring counterparts, they are for faster vehicles. That means grand touring tires are for drivers that spend most of their driving on the highway.
Grand Touring tires are available in larger sizes than the touring tires and so have excellent handling. Their ride comfort is pretty similar to touring tires, combining this with pure performance.
The tires are more direct and responsive in corners and have better traction when accelerating. On top of that, their wet traction is great whether it rains heavily or not.
However, grand touring tires are a bit pricier than touring tires, and their tread warranty is not that great, and their stiffer walls make the tires less comfortable and noisier. The tires are also not that durable, but it's understandable considering all the dirty work they do.
Climate Tires
Climate-specialized tires have their place in the industry, and you cannot overlook them. For example, winter tires provide optimal performance during the coldest months, with good traction and grip. In winter, using summer tires will damage them, and you will not get the best performance for your Ford Fusion.
Alternatively, using winter tires in summer will make them too soft, reducing their highway stability and traction. Their responsiveness and traction are also not that great.
On the other side are all-season tires that promise a decent performance in all weather. In summer, the tires become hard enough for the heat, and the tires are sufficiently pliable in winter. Their average snow traction may, however, struggle in deep snow.
