2015 Chrysler 300 vs 2015 Ford Fusion
Two midsize cars, compared on what actually matters when you're buying used:
what breaks, when it breaks, and what it costs you.
2015 Chrysler
300
6/10
The last of the affordable rear-drive Detroit land yachts — great bones, mediocre execution on the small stuff.
VS
2015 Ford
Fusion
5/10
Looks like a baby Aston Martin, drives better than a Camry, but the 1.5L and 1.6L EcoBoost engines are literally cracking themselves in half — engine choice is everything.
Milo scores the 2015 Chrysler 300 higher — 6/10 against 5/10.
By the numbers
Green is the better number — higher on every score, lower on failures, complaints and recalls.
| Chrysler 300 |
Ford Fusion |
| Known failure points | 6 | 7 |
| NHTSA complaints | 97 | 1053 |
| Safety recalls | 5 | 13 |
| Service bulletins | 12 | 12 |
| Reliability | 58 | 48 |
| Cheap to own | 55 | 45 |
| Fun factor | 72 | 62 |
| Holds value | 38 | 38 |
| Enthusiast cred | 48 | 30 |
The most expensive thing that goes wrong
2015 Chrysler 300
ZF 8-speed transmission solenoid pack or TCM software glitches causing harsh/delayed shifts
$300–$1,20060k–100k mi
2015 Ford Fusion
1.5L/1.6L EcoBoost coolant intrusion — cracked cylinder head lets coolant into the cylinders, blows the engine (this is THE known killer)
$5,500–$9,00060k–100k mi
If you buy one, buy this one
✅ 2015 Chrysler 300
A 2015 300C or 300S with the 5.7L HEMI, ideally AWD, low miles, with a documented oil filter housing replacement and completed recalls — the HEMI's simpler and more durable than the finicky V6 electronics complaints suggest, and it's the version that actually delivers on the car's rear-drive American sedan promise.
✅ 2015 Ford Fusion
2015 Fusion SE or Titanium with the 2.5L Duratec (I4, naturally aspirated) — slow but truly reliable; OR a Titanium AWD 2.0L EcoBoost with full service records and documented coolant checks. Look for cloth or leather Titanium with the driver assist package, panoramic roof, and adaptive cruise.
Narrowed it down? Get the full report
This comparison is model-level.
Milo's report goes car-level — the one you're actually looking at:
- A line-by-line negotiation script
- The pre-purchase inspection checklist
- VIN-specific open recalls
- What it's really worth right now
- Your next 15,000 miles, forecast
- Hidden features & money-savers
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Scores and findings blend documented NHTSA recalls and complaints with
patterns synthesized from owner communities. Always inspect the specific vehicle and
verify open recalls by VIN before buying.