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-litre 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 10.2 L/100 km city, and 6.9 L/100 km on the highway. With a full tank of gas, that's over 700 km of highway range. And, with 600 mixed kilometers racked up over the course of a few days, I was able to return exactly 8.0 L/100 km, which makes the onboard computer's 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 - it's 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, there's 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 - 120 km/h is well over 3,000 rpm allowing the engine's 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, I'm sure I'm 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, there's a revolution of style when it comes to the Fusion's interior. It's certainly not the average, run of the mill Ford product with organic shapes. Rather, its look is blocky and big, descending from Ford's 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 control's 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 that's unmistakably American, sort of like those in the full-size Impala or Crown Vic. It's 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, you've got to turn a regular size 10 shoe sideways.
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| Mazda-sourced 2.3 litre inline-four engine is thrifty yet enthusiastic. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
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 - it's 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, there's no manual select mode for the automatic gearbox.
Out
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| Five-speed manual yields mixed results, has clunky action and short ratios. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
Like the exterior, there's a revolution of style when it comes to the Fusion's interior. It's certainly not the average, run of the mill Ford product with organic shapes. Rather, its look is blocky and big, descending from Ford's 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 control's temperature and fan speed; a useful and noteworthy addition.
Take a seat and make yourself comfortable: the front buckets
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| Interior a huge step forward for Ford, with good quality fabrics and plastics. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
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, you've got to turn a regular size 10 shoe sideways.