Ford Fusion is Part of Ford's Good Vibes

There’s been plenty of good news for Ford Motor Company despite the horrible auto market. Not only did the company manage to avoid bankruptcy and government bailout money, but the company has some great cars to sell. The Fusion is one of them.

The midsized Fusion sedan, introduced in 2006, competes directly with the enormously popular Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. American products have struggled in this contest historically, but for 2010, Ford focused on improving any areas that will enhance the Fusion’s status with car buyers.

First of all, they burnished curb appeal with a carefully orchestrated restyle. The changes include a domed hood, more dramatic headlamps and a grander version of the chrome three-bar look offered in the first release of the car. The rear features more elaborately rendered taillamps and detailing, which is part of an overall car industry trend.

Drivers actually spend the bulk of their time behind the wheel, and here Ford paid attention and applied worthwhile upgrades. The dash features padded panels in place of hard plastic and the wheel wears a soft leather cover. The gauges are upgraded to a jewel-like quality with bright “ice blue” lighting. The instrument panel welcomes you with a little sequence that includes sweeping needles and a friendly greeting.

The seats, often a weak spot in American vehicles, have been recontoured, with more side support. The armrests are nicely padded. The shifter is redesigned. It’s a long list of upgrades.
Quiet has been a selling point of luxury cars for decades, and the engineers also attacked this area in the 2010 Fusion. An acoustic windshield, thicker door glass, and revised insulation in the hood, dash, trunk and headliner, along with better body and door sealing, make the Fusion whisper quiet. That improves the perception of quality and also makes for more relaxed freeway cruising.

The Fusion comes in several levels, from the entry S to the well-equipped SEL. It also offers a Sport version and a new Hybrid model. My test car was a Sterling Gray Metallic SEL.
The S, SE and SEL come standard with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that puts out 175 horsepower—an improvement over last year’s 160-horsepower 2.3-liter four. My tester was upgraded to the 3.0-liter Duratec V6, with 240 horsepower. That’s enough to make the 3.400-pound car a strong competitor with the V6 Camry/Accord—on regular gas.

The Sport model uses a 3.5-liter V6 that puts out 265 horsepower. That places the Fusion into competition with a wider range of cars, and could even tempt buyers of more upscale vehicles who have an open mind about the badge on their trunk lid.

The four-cylinder engine, which comes with a manual six-speed in the S model, earns a respectable 23 City, 34 Highway with the six-speed automatic (slightly better than with the manual!). The V6 is rated at 18 /27, with automatic only. I averaged 22.7 mpg.

The EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide gives the four-cylinder a 7 for both Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution scores. The V6 drops to a 7 and a 5.

The Fusion proved to be a good driver in town and for commuting. Engineers made numerous improvements in the 2010 model’s steering, handling and brake pedal feel. I felt engaged with the car. The electric power steering had a good heft to it and assistance varied depending on speed, so parking lot maneuvering felt different from freeway cruising.

The Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Cross Traffic Alert identifies when a vehicle enters the defined blind spot zone on either side of your car and illuminates a light on the corresponding side-view mirror; it makes an audible alert too. The system also can provide extra confidence to drivers in parking lots by alerting them sooner of nearby traffic while backing out.

I had a few minor issues with the interior. The textures of the hard and soft plastics were not perfectly matched. The console is home to many buttons, which despite their attractive new look were sometimes a long reach, which forced me to take my eyes off the road to make climate control and seat heater selections. The highly regarded SYNC system had trouble connecting to my iPod. And an electronic voice periodically interrupted my enjoyment of the Sirius satellite radio to ask if I wanted a Vehicle Health Report.

Prices start at $19,995 for the S with manual transmission and no extras. The likely volume-selling SEL starts at $24,700. My SEL, with V6 and a package full of goodies, including audio upgrade, moonroof and the BLIS system came to $28,105.

Motor Trend named the Fusion as its 2010 Car of the Year. Sales are up. In a stormy time, it’s a ray of sunshine. And Ford has more coming soon.