Chevrolet Cruze or Ford Fusion for first car?

I'm in the market for a new car. But i'm not sure weather i should go with a 2010-2012 ford fusion or a 2011-2013 chevrolet cruze? I know they arent in the same segment as the cruze is a compact and fusion is midsize. But just for reliability, safty, handling, and fuel economy as i'm a college student.

I don't actually know that much about cars but I drive a 2013 Cruze and my mom drives a 2014 Cruze and she used to drive a 2012 Cruze. My family is sticking with them ever since our first one because they're so nice. I'm a college student as well. Sure there are safer cars and cars better on gas mileage, but I think the Cruze is great for those things for the money. We pay like $150 a month for both of our Cruzes and that's a great deal, not sure what you could get for yours but I definitely recommend. It's a very smooth drive, turns great, seats are comfortable, rear view cam is great if you would be opting for that, the buttons are in all the right places, it's spacious enough for people with long legs, and while it is a smaller car, you can squeeze a lot in it if you need to.

Personally I just love the car; I'd recommend test driving both if you get a chance to. Get a feel for what you like about each one, what you don't like.

I always recommend bigger is better for a first car. I'm going to assume you don't have much driving experience, which statistically puts you at higher risk for accidents. Big cars are typically safer than small ones. My advice would be go for an Impala or Taurus, but if you are absolutely set on either the Cruze or Fusion, take the Fusion. Not only will you be getting a safer car, but the extra room will make it more comfortable and practical. You can get it with a normal 4 cylinder, a hybrid, or a turbocharged ecoboost 4 cylinder, so there are plenty of fuel efficient options. The normal 4-cylinder will be the simplest, most reliable, and cheapest to repair if something does go wrong.