Taking it to the Imports
Last month Ford flew me across the continent to Dearborn to take part in a special unveiling of an all-new critically important product.
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| Ford's new Fusion is a midsize offering that is actually a touch larger than most of the segment's big sellers. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
What I witnessed was what I feel is the rebirth of Ford as a highly competitive passenger car company. Not that the Five Hundred isn't an excellent car, it is in almost every way it needs to be. And the Mustang is an over the fence hit with the bases loaded to boot. But the Mustang is a strong player in a niche segment, and the Five Hundred a very large sedan that won't be suitable to midsize buyers who would normally be looking for something with Taurus dimensions.
The new Fusion is just that; a midsize offering that is actually a touch larger than most of the segment's big sellers. While based on Mazda's award-winning 6 architecture, one of the smallest high-volume midsize entries, the Fusion is longer and wider than the 6 and the top-selling Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Its overall height, however, is the lowest of the three, giving it an especially sleek profile.
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| While the Fusion is based on the Mazda's award-winning 6 architecture, it's longer and wider than the 6 and the top-selling Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
Still, it doesn't seem to give up much in headroom, and its rear seat legroom is adequate enough for even large adults. Ford went so far to make sure someone with size 14 feet could enter and exit the rear seating area without getting his (or her?) shoes caught up on the B-pillar scuff plate or the back of the front seat. While my feet are about half that size, I still appreciated the car's interior dimensions when crawling around inside during the launch, an experience that proved this midsize Ford will offer a great deal more than merely sizable dimensions when it becomes available.