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This Fusion sizzles; Ford offers compelling proof that Asian makers don't have a lock on the mid-size sedan market
Brian Early, January 09, 2010
This latest Fusion may well be the best car Ford has produced in the past 20 years.
It drives well, providing an almost European balance of handling and ride quality. It looks good, with conservative yet distinctive styling. And it's roomy inside without being huge outside. It offers a wide variety of powertrain options, including V6, hybrid and all-wheel drive versions. Like Chevrolet's current Malibu, it is compelling proof that Asian automakers do not have a lock on the mid-size sedan market.
That the Fusion's basic platform and four-cylinder engines are based on Mazda designs may be a factor. Regardless, the previous generation's reliability has been above average, and with the Fusion's basic ingredients and its assembly site in Mexico remaining the same (this is not an all-new car), there's every chance this one will be similarly dependable.
The version I drove, the Fusion Hybrid, demonstrates how Ford's own hybrid system, first seen in the Escape crossover, is functionally as good or better than Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive.
The Fusion Hybrid not only betters the Camry Hybrid's official consumption ratings, it does so with greater refinement. Only some occasional and slight surging/hunting under moderate load suggests there's anything more complicated than a conventional engine and a CVT transmission under the hood.
Power from the 2.5 L Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder and electric motor (rated at 191 net horsepower) feels more than adequate, even with four passengers, and it's possible to travel at up to 75 km/h on electric power alone.
Certainly the Fusion Hybrid's unique - and very neat - multi-configurable full colour instrument cluster screens put the Camry Hybrid's standard monochrome LCD display to shame.
That high-resolution display itself is brilliant, expanding on the concept of the previous Toyota Prius's bar-graph readout to make efficient driving seem like a video game (gauges indicate immediate actions, clusters of leaves on vines mark your longer-term score). Or you can make it basic, with no distractions.
Clearly, I like the Fusion. It isn't all sunshine and roses, mind you. The Hybrid model, like the hybrid versions of pretty much any conventional vehicle, commands a price premium - at $31,999, approximately $6,200 more when compared to the four-cylinder SEL model it most closely resembles.
That's hard to justify in purely economic terms. Government incentives may shrink that gap, but it will still take a long time or substantially more expensive fuel to make up the remaining difference.
Before buying the Hybrid, ask yourself how much you're willing to pay to reduce your carbon footprint.
Further, the "eco-friendly" fabric used in the Hybrid's standard cloth interior feels weak enough that I'd be concerned about its long-term durability. The leather upholstery option is one to consider.
No marathon Ikea shopping sprees with the Hybrid either, as the battery- pack's location behind the rear seatbacks precludes their folding. The pack consumes about 133 litres (4.7 cu.ft.) of the large trunk's capacity as well.
Officially, the hybrid has less rear-seat room (the cooling ducts and battery pack take up space slightly here too), however there's plenty of room for two adults and a child back there.
Should these concerns be enough to scratch the Fusion Hybrid off your list? I don't believe so, because the compromises involved are essentially the same as those for the Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, and Honda Civic hybrids.
If you keep your vehicles as long as my family keeps ours, you will eventually see a payback in fuel savings (and hybrids typically experience less brake wear, too).
So far - more than six years in the mainstream - the 500-pound gorilla of battery-pack life hasn't been a real issue for any automaker. Time will tell, but Ford's hybrid components are covered for eight years or 160,000 km at the least.
Otherwise, consider a non-hybrid Fusion. It's hardly settling for second best, and you get a bigger trunk and folding rear seats.
Front-drive and a 175 hp, 2.5 L four are standard Fusion fare. A 240 hp, 3.0 L V6 is optional in SEL models, and it can be paired with AWD. Fusion Sport gets a 263 hp, 3.5 L V6 and is AWD only.
Pity you can only get a manual transmission (a six-speed) in the base Fusion SE; I'd be partial to a manual-shift SEL model. Most mid-size sedan buyers prefer automatics anyway, and non-hybrid Fusions feature modern six-speed units.
I consider the Fusion the spiritual successor to Ford's game-changing mid- 1980's Taurus, a truly competitive, world-class mid-size domestic sedan.
Illustration: photo by Brian Early - The Ford Fusion Hybrid betters the Camry Hybrid's official consumption ratings, and it's possible to travel at up to 75 km h on battery power alone.
