2006 Ford Fusion Review

Specifications

Welcoming a Midsize Ford to the 21st Century

When it was announced in early 2004, we expected big things from the Ford Five Hundred, the supposed successor to the Ford Taurus (which, by the way, is still in production). We got all excited and giddy about the idea of a Ford that was engineered in part by Volvo and would feature all-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic. And while its styling is as safe as NORAD, compared to the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and even the V8-powered Buick Lucerne, it hardly registers on the radar. Frankly, basing a car off the Volvo S80, a vehicle which wasnt particularly pulse-raising in the first place, and then dulling it down with a less powerful engine and CVT gearbox (that six-speed is also available) isnt the recipe most automakers would have chosen for success, unless better than average fuel economy is the prime objective. It probably sounded better coming from the engineers. And while the Five Hundred has been a moderate sales success, it hasnt done a lot for Fords overall image.

The midsize segment from which the Taurus was born has grown apart, into two distinctive buyers. There are those who liked the big, plush softness of the Taurus, and Ford has delivered with the even bigger, softer Five Hundred. They tend to be older, with more mature tastes, less concerned with horsepower and more concerned with lumbar support adjustments and, yes, fuel consumption. There were also those who appreciated the sportier European-derived Contour and long-defunct Taurus SHO, but the few that did have been left out in the cold in recent years, Ford having given up on them due to their small numbers. Targeting these disenfranchised buyers, and others looking for something with a little more edge, resulted in Fords latest curve ball, the Fusion. Targeting a younger more enthused audience - uou know, the ones that arent driving Tauruses - who look to an ownership experience that amounts to more than a beige rental vehicle, Ford is making inroads.

The Fusions eye-grabbing style comes from Fords head of global design, J. Mays. Mays, the man responsible for giving the previous generation VW Passat that aura of expensiveness and class (and gave the Five Hundred its rather Passat-esque profile), has worked wonders for the latest Ford midsize. Rater than graft Ford of Europes styling onto North American model products, which is what was done on the Five Hundred and warmed-over Focus, we get a completely different looking vehicle that abolishes memories of the old jellybean-shaped Taurus. Drive a Fusion, and people will look. People will stare. And if theyre not already gaping, they will when they see the Ford badge.

Rarely do midsize cars play styling as a strong card, but the Fusion does. It looks boss in black, and Im not the only one who seems to think so, seeing as its the prominent color in television ads and magazine prints. It brings, dare I say, glamor and flash to a class thats about as bland as plain oatmeal. Ford has nearly escaped the fleet mentality, but trace amounts still remain in the color selection which includes a flat-looking sage, dusty grays and of course, beige. Personally, with a car as bold as the Fusion, you dont need a pallet; Henry Fords famous saying for the Model T should make a comeback - you can have it in “any color, so long as its black.”

The first thing you really notice about the Fusion is its three-bar chrome-plated grille, which does an absolutely great job of harking back to Fords ponycar heyday, yet, this trip down memory lane doesnt entail the big-shouldered blockiness which other domestic manufactures have graced their cars with. The Fusion looks smaller on paper than in the metal, the same size as the aforementioned Ford Contour; these proportions disguise the fact that when youre standing right next to it, its just as big as an Accord. Its all about the proportions though - a few longer lines, shorter pillars, a higher metal to glass ratio on the doors and the Fusion grows into the concept that inspired the production car, the magnificent and glorious full-size 427.

But instead of bold and brutish, the Fusion is slim, trim and thoroughly modern, a style set by those thin, vertical headlamps and triangular taillamps filled with fantastic and almost concept-like detailing. The rest of the Fusions body is somewhat ordinary, a standard three-box sedan with good flow, accentuated with splashes of chrome about the window line and license plate holder for good measure. In other words, its that dash of chili sauce to wake up the tastebuds after decades of blandness. The Fusion is the first vehicle to bear this new look, which Ford is banking on - you can see it in the Fusion-based Edge crossover that debuted at this years NAIAS in Motor City, and on a number of concept cars and trucks, as well as, according to reliable sources, the mid-cycle update of the Five Hundred.

You must be thinking that with such a stylish exterior penned by a top European designer, the entirety of the Fusions budget must have been spent, meaning remnants of the Tauruses corpse underneath. If you find that this resembles your line of thinking, youre a pessimist who has little faith in Ford and probably a grizzly outlook on life in general and should probably stop watching the 11 oclock news. The Fusion is one of several vehicles to be based off the new CD3 platform, which shares basic blueprint elements with the Mazda6, one of the best handling midsize cars ever made. Every aspect, however, has been modified by the Blue Oval to ensure that its not just a 6 in different clothes. In all dimensions, from length, to height and track, the Fusion is sizably larger, ready to fully compete with Camry and Co.

In its research and development labs, Dearborn has genetically altered the 6, adding 13 percent greater rigidity to the 6 sedans reasonably rigid skeleton, which should help to ward off any premature squeaks and rattles while boosting its passive safety. This strengthening was only one of the many advancements that Ford has made in its first completely digitized car. Thats right, the Fusion was designed, simulated and engineered completely on computers, something Ford is very proud of. Theyre equally as proud that this is the first car theyve made that comes equipped with the keyfob integrated into the key. What advancements the 21st century holds! I wonder what theyll come up with next…

A dusting of snow and frozen rain prevented any serious performance driving, but I have reservations about the Fusions ability to entertain demanding drivers. The rack and pinion steering setup was tight, feeling heavy and deliberate when flung into the bends, taking complete control over the road beneath the 225/50R 17 tires, which believe it or not come standard with the SEL. The brakes, standard four-wheel discs with ABS and EBD (Electronic Brake force Distribution) have good stopping power, but are marred by a slightly mushy pedal. Traction control cant be had on four-cylinder cars, and stability control cant be had at all, although the Fusions cornering deftness really prevents a need for such electronic aids.

Enlarging the Mazda skeleton has worked in the Fusions favor, putting it more in line with midstream midsize cars. The long wheelbase makes for a smoother and more relaxed ride than its Japanese relative, cutting the fidget; softer-tuned springs and dampers dial the stiffness down. By American car standards, the Fusion is firm, which helps to preserve the sporting undertones. The additional rigidity, new rubber dampened suspension subframes as well as extra soundproofing material makes the Fusion quieter than the Mazda6, but its not as hush-hush as a Camry.

Where the 221 horsepower Duratec 30 V6 motor is underwhelming in the Five Hundred and Freestyle crossover, it no doubt makes for a good optional mate to the much lighter Fusion. Standard, and featured in my tester was the 2.3-liter Duratec 23 inline-four, a Mazda-designed engine featured in numerous Fords like the Focus and Ranger. With variable valve timing on intake the engine efficiently produces 160-horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque, which is on par with the class average. For a car of this size, fuel consumption is very reasonable; Ford claims an economy rating of 23 mpg city, and 34 mpg on the highway. With a full tank of gas, thats over 435  miles of highway range. And, with 370 miles mixed kilometers racked up over the course of a few days, I was able to return exactly 29 mpg, which makes the onboard computers claims believable.

The gearshift on the manual is clunky with a heavy action, lacking the finesse of its Japanese cousin and other competitors; finding reverse is a bit of a chore, particularly when the vehicle is cold, taking several strong-armed attempts to get it in place. I have no complaints about the clutch - its light and easy to modulate, as a family sedan should be. A five-speed automatic will be offered later on, but if an auto is mandatory, the SEL V6 with its Aisin 6-speed automatic is the way to go. And incidentally, for such a sporty-driving car, theres no manual select mode for the automatic gearbox.

Out on the open road, the inline-four is satisfactory in the power department, its pleasing, free-revving nature making up for the outright lack of power and torque of a larger motor.  At lower speeds, the Fusion feels eager and willing to accelerate thanks to its short gearing, but the price is paid when it comes to highway cruising. The fifth gear is too short - 75 mph is well over 3,000 rpm allowing the engines buzz to infiltrate; and given the fact that urban commuters oft travel at speeds faster than this to make it to the meeting on time, Im sure Im not the only one who finds this a problem. A sixth, cruising gear would be invariably useful at solving the problem, allowing the Fusion to keep its peppy feel at in-town speeds.

Like the exterior, theres a revolution of style when it comes to the Fusions interior. Its certainly not the average, run of the mill Ford product with organic shapes. Rather, its look is blocky and big, descending from Fords most popular product, the F-150 pickup truck. Workhorse inspiration aside, the quality of materials and assembly is up, for the most part; dashboard plastics are soft and squishy, though their deep grained crackle texture may lead initial impressions to believe that little forward progress has been made. The exception to the rule, of course, is the ill-fitting, flimsy dashboard lid, a cheap-feeling roof-liner and single dome lamp. On the SEL, the chunky four-spoke wheel gains multi-function controls, including those for adjusting the climate controls temperature and fan speed; a useful and noteworthy addition.

Take a seat and make yourself comfortable: the front buckets immediately have a soft, spongy feel thats unmistakably American, sort of like those in the full-size Impala or Crown Vic. Its a sort of odd sensation at first, as they provide plenty of support through good upper and lower side bolstering, while the velour trim grips you tightly. Size of the driver matters not, as the steering wheel adjusts for rake and reach, while the bottom cushion is controlled by a six-way power function. As a side note, before committing to the Fusion, go for an extended test drive: the lumbar support is fixed, and the headrest is adjustable for height but not angle.

Legroom and headroom are very good for those who ride in back, areas taken care of by the chassis enlargement. In fact, Ford encourages you to stuff your very tall pals in back, to demonstrate the ease of entry and exit: the rear door sills are large enough to accommodate a size 14 shoe without brushing the middle or rear pillar. In most cars, youve got to turn a regular size 10 shoe sideways.

Not to say that the Fusion is a simple vehicle, with plenty of thought going into the ergonomics and design, but the instrumentation couldnt
be any simpler. The raised gauges on the instrument panel, with their
XXXL-sized font type, arent sporty but couldnt be any more clear - or larger for that matter. Much the same can be said about the digital climate control, with its wide readout and oversized buttons, located on the lower shelf of the two-tiered center console. And then theres the analog clock, an object of outspoken elegance, which is lost amongst the piano black lacquer trim and sporty interior shapes.

On the upper shelf of the center console, youll find the stereo with its big head-unit and friendly looking buttons, which are easy to find and operate while driving. Flushly integrated into the dash, the standard stereo, with MP3-CD capability, is a device definitely geared towards a younger crowd; on neutral settings its extremely bass-heavy, so much so that it often overpowers songs. Best stick to hip-hop, dub and house, surely not the type of music that Five Hundred owners have on their mix tapes.

Like its cabin, the trunk is suitably large, made even more useful by its square shape, and low-loading deck. The trunk itself can accommodate an enormous 15.7 cubic feet of cargo, which is up there with the segment leaders, but should you need more space, just pull the two tabs located on the trunks walls that release the latches, folding down the 40/60 split rear seat. Its a nice thought on Fords part, and a real convenience seeing as you dont have to walk around the vehicle when your cargo wont fit.

Perhaps one of the most impressive things about the Fusion is its pricing. Value for the money, which the Fusion definitely has, considering its extensive standard features list, is a given, but the engineering and driving performance? Thats usually extra - a lot more extra, but not so with the Fusion. A base S model starts at just $17,145, undercut only by the ABS-less Hyundai Sonata, while a four-cylinder SEL model like my tester, has a list price of $23,800. Options for the SEL include leather-trimmed seats with 427 Concept-style oatmeal-colored stitched seats, power sunroof and a 6-disc Audiophile-Mach sound system capable of making ears bleed.

If ownership of a car has more meaning to you than to get you from A to B - a transportation appliance - the Fusion answers a call that most midsize vehicle buyers merely ignore. Ford has shown that it can produce a good looking product thats actually fun to drive, while being spacious, practical and efficient. With a range full of cars like the Fusion, Ford should be able to turn itself around, making a name for itself as the builder of drivers vehicles - a parallel of its image in Europe. After an era of boring midsize Fords, the Fusion is step in the right direction, taking Ford where it needs to be.