Ford tries to tempt buyers away from the Prius by giving the Fusion Energi a mild facelift, increased range, and some fresh safety features.

The Fusion may be going away for good, but before it takes its final bow, Ford is doing its best to keep it relevant. This year, the plug-in hybrid version—the Energi—receives increased battery capacity (from 7.6 kWh to 9.0 kWh), thanks to more energy-dense chemistry. In turn, this increases the stated electric range from 21 to 25 miles, putting it right in line with the best-selling plug-in hybrid on the market, the Prius Prime. Additionally, a mild facelift has updated the front and rear, but the real winner for 2019 is Ford’s Co-Pilot360 suite of driver-assistance tech. This addition adds blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, automatic high-beams, and a reversing camera. The Fusion is the first vehicle to get this new package, and in one of the smartest moves Ford has made of late, it comes standard across the range.