 I got my 2012 Ford Fusion almost exactly three years ago (end of January 2012). The last time I purchased a car before the Ford was a 2005 Honda Civic. I bought the Civic for affordability but I was never really that into it. I love my Fusion. The best thing about it is the pickup. That's something that you notice when you're coming from a Civic. The Fusion has 175 hp minimum (depending on your model) and so it's easy to get up to speed when getting on the highway. My car is FWD but it handles okay in the snow. It's bigger and sturdier than my Civic so it doesn't slide around the road as much every time the wind blows.  The "L" gear has also come in handy for getting out of snow banks. 