The HQ16 had a 16" throat so you were able to quilt a 12" block. The Fusion has a 24" throat so you have 20" of quilting space. I was able to sell my machine to a friend, so I decided that was a good time to upgrade. I was looking to move up from a 10' table to the 12' studio frame I now have. I absolutely love both machines. You just have to know what your needs are going to be.