The 2006 Ford Fusion has been the recipient of warm reviews and is a top contender in the ‘midsize family car’ segment. In fact it is not the kind of car that blends into quiet obscurity; but rather commands a second look with its aggressive stance and angular profile. The interiors are luxurious, warm and inviting. It has an appealing, easy- to- decipher instrumental panel, plenty of storage options, plush seating and innumerable convenience features. The Fusion now offers ten inventive stowage spaces. Its high ground clearance, a finely tuned suspension and excellent turning and cornering capabilities make the Fusion a nimble and fun car to drive.
Ford Fusion comes with 16 valves, 1.6 L lightweight alloy block engine that generates a maximum power of 101 ps @ 6500 rpm. The engine is tuned to run optimally in Indian conditions and has been developed and calibrated specifically to provide a balanced combination of drivability and low emissions. Ford Fusion car is available in two variants - Ford Fusion and Ford Fusion+. Both the variants come with hydraulically operated and power assisted steering system. A high ground clearance, optimized suspension and small turning radius make Ford Fusion agile and fun to drive. Special attention has been given to Ford Fusion’s chassis to ensure high level of stability.
Build & Styling
The 2006 Ford Fusion is a juxtaposition of aggressive-reserve and class. Attractive headlamps give it a funky appeal as they trace an alluring path into the hood and fender lines while also enhancing visibility at the front corners. The three chrome bars add to its intrinsic appeal. The front bumper has two chrome strips that match the ones on the grille giving it a svelte appeal. A wide track and vertical tail lamps with chrome trim at the rear and wide tyres with 15″ Alloys wheels give the Fusion a flamboyant silhouette.
The Ford Fusion’s design is a combination of upper crust chic and utilitarian elements. Soft-touch materials figure on the dash and door, leather trims, the leather wrapped steering wheel, and a storage bin in the dash are among some of the features that add to its refined aura. It has a spacious stowage area and a split-folding rear seat paves way for ample legroom in the rear. The instrument panel on the dashboard is easy to navigate. All the control buttons are of a convenient size. The center stack is simple and practical. There are convenient storage options placed in suitable locations. Additional storage is provided in the door pockets, front seatback pockets and center console.
There is ample leg room in the rear, because of the comfortably shaped front seatbacks. The back seat feels immensely spacious. Head and leg room dimensions are adequate. The Blue Oval’s latest offering is straight out of left-field. We acquaint ourselves with the future of family motoring. It’s unique, it’s intelligent, and it’s the first of its kind in this country. Meet the Ford Fusion, conceived to take urban drivers a step above the rest - literally. Ford calls the Fusion an Urban Activity Vehicle (UAV) but true to its name, it’s actually a mixture between a hatchback, MPV and SUV - all rolled into one very distinctive shape.
The Fusion’s design is what sets it apart from the monotony of everyday hatchbacks and saloons. Basically, the Fusion is a jacked-up version of the current Fiesta hatchback on sale in Europe (in fact, it’s based on the same platform) but the styling is distinctly SUV. The high bonnet-line, prominent grille, beefy bumpers and large block-like headlamps give it the look of an off-roader, as do the pronounced wheel arches and a thick rubbing-strip across the lower body.
The rear quarter-glass and raked front windscreen are very MPV, however. The D-pillar, housing vertically-stacked tail-lights, is upright to liberate great headroom for the rear passengers. The tailgate drops down to bumper level, making the boot very accessible, as it has no load lip to haul heavy items over. From the rear, the beefy bumpers and flat tailgate make the Fusion appear a cross between an SUV and a hatchback.
The Fusion has the same wheelbase as the Ikon, but the similarities end there. Where the Ikon looks sharp and sleek, the Fusion is blunt and square. The Ikon is a conventional sedan, while the Fusion is a hatchback. Parked side-by-side, the Fusion looks far larger than the Ikon, and towers over its sibling. And it’s this height, partly thanks to the large 15-inch rims, which makes it so practical for the cut-and-thrust of urban traffic. Standing taller than most cars, the Fusion has oodles of road presence, perfect for our ‘might is right’ driving. You’re likely to be given a wide berth by unruly drivers who’d now hesitate before chopping across your bows.
The increased height has other practical advantages too. For one, the larger wheels and generous ground clearance will let you play hopscotch through the potholes in Mumbai’s streets. It comes with 195/60 R-15 tubeless tyres, and while we feel the tyre profile maybe too low to cushion the occupants from our roads, the Fusion’s ground clearance of 195mm (15mm better than the Ikon) will tame even the largest speed breakers. The instant you slip behind the wheel, you know you’re not sitting in an ordinary car. You don’t have to climb into the Fusion like you would in an SUV, nor do you have to crouch down to get in like you would in a regular sedan or hatch. In the Fusion, the seat height is at the perfect level for you to simply slide in and out.
There’s lot of glass area so there are no big blind spots, and you get a panoramic view out of the wide windscreen.
Sitting high up gives you a sense of control and makes parking or maneuvering through traffic a lot easier. Once you’ve stopped admiring the view, you can settle down inside and discover all the useful and intelligent bits and pieces Ford has packed into the interior. The dashboard is pretty clear and logically laid out. The military-style circular air-vents and ribbed storage box on top of the sharply chiseled dashboard are a reflection of the Fusion’s rugged image. However, the dashboard plastics feel cheap with their shiny, hard texture and that’s a shame since all the controls and switches have a nice, high-quality feel. Previous Ford owners will recognize some switchgear as typically Ford, like the rotary control for the electric power mirrors (only available on the high-end version) the power-window switches at the rear come from the Ikon.
Creating a taller car creates more legroom, and the higher roofline of the Fusion means two six-footers get business-class seats up front with no chafed knees or feet. It’s easy to get comfortable in the driver’s seat thanks to generous seat travel and a steering wheel, which is adjustable for height (but not reach). The seats are pretty supportive, and the squab has loads of under-thigh support. The rear seat benefits from the tall roof as well. Passengers can sit higher up and more comfortably and not in the ‘knees-up’ position that most saloons with a low-roof line force you into. The flat centre section and generous width of the back seat makes sitting three abreast more comfortable than most other mid-size cars. The smart-looking, ’shingle-style’ headrests are easy to adjust, and the rear passengers get treated to individual roof lights too.
But it’s the versatility of the rear seat that is the real talking point of the Fusion. It comes with what Ford has dubbed a 40:20:40 split seat. There’s a provision for a centre console (the ‘20′ part of the split), a useful accessory that can be easily fitted by removing the centre squab. It’s cleverly designed with a generous storage box and a couple of cup-holders, and it also doubles up as an armrest. The way the base of the rear seats folds upwards like a movie-theatre chair is another clever touch and allows you to pack tall items in the cabin which wouldn’t otherwise fit in the boot. It’s something we first saw in the Honda City in Thailand, but sadly the Indian-made City only comes with fixed rear seats.
The rear seats fold forward with a 60:40 split like most hatchbacks, but don’t have a second fold. As a result the load floor isn’t completely level, but thanks to the high roof you can still pack in a lot of luggage. The boot itself is not very deep but is pretty tall and hence big bags can be stored vertically. There is a useful tie-down net and other pockets to tuck away small items. In fact, Ford has tried to carve out storage space out of every nook and cranny in the Fusion. The front seat hasn’t been spared either. The squab lifts out to reveal a very useful storage area where you can hide your valuables. Even if your car is broken into, it’s unlikely the thief will look under the seat - unless he owns a Fusion or has read a copy of this magazine! The door pockets and glove box aren’t really large, but there’s a nice slot for your CDs below the single CD-changer, standard on the high-end model.
Inside and Out
For anyone who, after the 1996 Taurus, lost all hope in Ford’s ability to create an attractive, original sedan, it’s time to re-examine those beliefs. Aside from the 1997 Honda Prelude headlights and 1992 Honda Prelude taillights, this look is all Ford’s own, and in fact will serve as inspiration for future Blue Oval models. Have you noticed how automakers recently started coming up with corporate “faces”? Take a look at those three chrome bars, for they now form Ford’s.
On the inside, you get the idea that the Fusion didn’t get an infusion of class. Materials covering the dash are grainy and coarse, the “piano black” plastic trim is artificially shiny and reflective, the fonts and analog clock are pure cheese, and the stereo is a square peg in a trapezoidal hole. Stick with the cloth seats, because if you want leather with the slightest hint of quality, you’ll have to do a lateral move back to Mazda or an upward move to the identical Lincoln Zephyr (the Mercury Milan, another Fusion clone, is no help). The leather on the steering wheel especially needs an upgrade; holding hands with such a low-grade tool honestly makes driving a little less pleasurable. Lastly, while some automakers can make an all-black interior look slick and sleek, the Fusion’s just looks dark and dank. You’d think these guys would be better at it, having pioneered the idea in 1915.
There are a few ergonomic downgrades as well. The steering wheel controls are too numerous and complicated, and their sameness works against the idea of eyes-off operation, which is the whole point of steering wheel controls to begin with. The SEL model’s mushy-buttoned automatic climate system is also a bit of a pain in the ass (though that’s true of most auto units), the turn signal has a weird upward tilt, and on cars without sunroofs, what are the map lights doing way back in the center of the ceiling? Even the keyless entry system has issues, its buttons not being in the best arrangement and containing trunk and panic buttons that are too easily triggered, I discovered embarrassingly.
On the positive, everything is legible, there are plenty of storage spaces (including an extra center console atop the dashboard), and Ford has modernized its power windows and locks to the ideal. I also liked Ford’s unique take on wiper controls, which make sense in their own way and offer more variability in intermittent mode than do most cars. Overall, it’s good enough to get by. You can tell Ford put some effort into the audio by the sheer strength of the Fusion’s big, bad bass. Even on the default setting you can cause your own little private thunderstorm. There’s more power than crispness here - the sound is kind of blatty and not completely satisfying - but the Fusion stands ahead of some others by offering MP3 playback on every model, six standard speakers on all but the base S model, plus a 6-disc changer and 8 speakers on the optional Audophile system. Seating, also, is enough to get by.
The front buckets are roomy enough for the vast majority of profiles cause no pain, and the telescoping steering column helps anyone find the perfect position. They don’t feel as sporty as they could be, though, considering the Fusion’s mission. Kind of flat, like you’re sitting on a protruding poof of foam. But I guess they’re comfortable. That assessment carries over to the rear. Mazda’s 6 have the distinction of being the tightest mid-size sedan; the Fusion’s marginal increases help neutralize that. But the Fusion has a cushion that’s slightly mushy at the front edge, making leg support a bit of a do-it-yourself affair. The more pressing issue is how cheapness crept into safety matters: the Fusion’s rear head restraints - all two of them - are a joke: basically two extra vertical inches of foam.
This is an issue shared with the Focus, meaning if you want a Ford sedan in which 60% of the occupants won’t snap their necks in a rear-end collision, you’ll have to step up to the Five Hundred. Side and side-curtain airbags are at least available as options, as are antilock brakes and all-speed traction control; though a full-scale stability control (the kind that brakes individual wheels) doesn’t exist. Luckily, the Fusion has continued the Ford tradition of high scores in frontal crash tests, and the computer knows when to turn off the passenger’s air bag. At the hind end you’ll find one of the best trunks in the business. It’s nice and wide, nice and tall, suspended by struts, and could knocking down the back seat be any easier? Just pull two in-trunk levers and boom, your already-high 15.8 cubic feet nearly triples in volume.
Chassis and engines
The rest of the chassis designs come over pretty much intact from Mazda. That includes a short/long arm front suspension, a multi-link independent rear suspension, and rack-and-pinion steering. There’s nothing startling in all this - and nothing wrong either. Ford is shipping the Fusion out with two different “Duratec” engines and both are shared with the Mazda. The base four is an all-aluminum 2.3-liter, DOHC four making 160 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 150 pound-feet of peak torque at 4000 rpm. The optional V-6 displaces 3.0 liters, has DOHC heads, a total of 24-valves, and makes 221 horsepower at 6250 rpm and 205 lb-ft of peak torque at 4800 rpm. While these two engines are shared with Mazda, they’re actually both built in North America. The four comes from Ford’s engine plant in Chihuahua, Mexico, and the six comes from that venerable institution, Cleveland Engine Plant #2 in Ohio.
The Fusion also shares its six-speed automatic transmission — a required companion to the V-6 — with the Mazda6. Amazingly compact, this transmission looks like it ought to be hanging off the side of Harley-Davidson instead of transmitting power in a 3280-pound sedan.
Unfortunately Ford doesn’t provide any way for the driver to positively control the selection of ratios manually - the conventional transmission control only shows a single “L” indents below “D” which apparently keeps the transmission from heading into the overdrive fifth and sixth gears and not much else. Four-cylinder Fusions will come with either a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. Ford didn’t have any four-cylinder Fusions on hand for sampling. Ford is selling in three different trim levels. At the base is S starting at $17,995, the SE will likely be the popular model while the SEL caps the line by loading on all sorts of luxuries including 17-inch wheels and automatic climate control. All three come with the four standards, with the six available in SE and SEL.
All three are great-looking cars. Taking styling themes established by Ford’s 427 concept car during the 2003 auto show season, the lines are handsome from every angle, but particularly so from the front where the three bold chrome slats make up the grille and the headlights manage the neat trick of being both somewhat rectangular and swooping up into each front fender. If there’s one problem with so many cars in this class it’s that they’re boring looking. The Fusion, in contrast, is simply delightful looking.
And that continues inside where the cabin is trimmed with a lot of soft-feel plastic and a lot of airbags. The dash is well balanced with a hooded binnacle in front of the driver covering four round gauges (the Speedo and tach are big, the temp and fuel meters no-so-big) trimmed in fake brushed aluminum. The center stack includes all the audio and ventilation controls laid out with intuitive operation in mind, and there’s a neat round clock that adds some sense of elegance to the environment. The four-spoke steering wheel packs some redundant ventilation and audio controls for ease of operation.
Yes, the seats are nice. But what’s better is that there’s enough room to enjoy them. In stark contrast to Ford’s old Contour, the big seat has enough like room so that a six-footer can sit behind a six-footer with enough comfort for a lunch run. If the driver is five-eight, that six-footer might even be comfy for a couple of hours back there. And of course - this is a car designed for American tastes - there are plenty of cup holders.
Every Fusion comes with standard (and required) dual-stage airbags for the front seat occupants. Optional are seat-mounted side airbags for the front passengers and side curtain airbags for both the front and rear passengers. In this tough market segment, Ford may have scored some points by making those entire bags standard (as Hyundai has with the six standard airbags in the new Sonata). But price is a critical element to selling in this segment too.
Interior Features
In keeping with its European influence, Ford has chosen to go with the soft touch for surface materials, which is expected in a luxury car but not in a mass-market car. The dashboard is a straightforward design that runs horizontally across the car’s width with just a binnacle above the instrument pod. It contains four small gauges that are easy to read as they are separated from each other rather than overlapping and the figures are in a large font. Decent sized control buttons for the radio and climate controls should please everyone.
The center stack is simple, but nothing to write home about. The car we drove had a dark charcoal interior so everything was finished in black. The optional two-tone interior, especially the dark stone and camel with faux wood trim looks more inviting. A convenient storage bin on top of the dashboard features a large clamshell lid and it’s big enough to hold a phone or small camera as well as maps and the like. The center console, door pockets, and front seatback pockets provide additional storage.
Rear-seat passengers will find a decent amount of leg room with nicely shaped front seatbacks that allow for plenty of foot space. Head and leg room measurements don’t put the Fusion at the top of its class, but the back seat feels roomier than the numbers suggest. The Fusion has a good-size trunk with a flat floor and low lift over. The scissor-type hinges avoid the annoyance of luggage being crushed by gooseneck hinges. All Fusion models include a 60/40 split rear seatback, which allows for a generous amount of pass-through space.
Driving Impressions
The Mazda6 and Ford Focus have established themselves as class-leading cars when it comes to handling. Ford openly admits that it’s taken these traits from the two cars to make sure the Fusion inherits the same attributes. Judging by our all-too-brief test drive in a V6-powered Fusion SEL we can say they have succeeded. On the road, the Ford Fusion feels bigger than it looks, but it handled curvy mountain roads above Hollywood with ease. The rack-and-pinion steering was precise with just the right amount of weight to make the driver feel connected to the road without being twitchy. In the past, a car that handled well often came with a stiff ride. That’s certainly not the case with the Fusion. Its long wheelbase and wide track puts the four wheels at the corners for good handling and a better ride. The front suspension is a short/long arm design while the rear wheels are anchored through a multi-link setup. Improved bushings and hydraulic engine mounts keep vibration and road noise to a minimum.
The 221-horsepower V6 engine provides enough power, although the Fusion will not likely be mistaken for a sports sedan. According to Ford’s own tests the Fusion can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 8 seconds, a reasonable performance though not as quick as the V6 versions of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The six-speed automatic transmission is very smooth. Shift into Drive and it works well. However, drivers who want more control won’t find it here. Shifting from D to L only locks out fifth and sixth gears. Also, there’s no indicator showing the driver what gear it’s in at any given moment and around town it’s difficult to tell by feel.
The Fusion V6 manages 29 mpg on the highway, according to the EPA. That’s quite respectable for a V6 and the four-cylinder model with the five-speed manual betters this figure by a couple of miles per gallon. We have not yet had the opportunity to try a Fusion with a four-cylinder engine. Considering the improved performance, smoother six-speed automatic transmission and almost identical fuel consumption, the V6 model is probably the best value for most buyers. Because of this, Ford expects more than half of Fusion buyers will opt for the V6 models.
Stretching the 6’s width and wheelbase by 2.1 inches and its length by 3.4 inches spotted the Fusion in the upper half of the mid-size segment, where the Accord, the Nissan Altima, and the Toyota Camry live. Ford raised structural stiffness by 10 percent, increased braking capacity, widened the wheel tracks, and moved the maximum tire size up a notch from 215/50VR-17 to 225/50VR-17. Under the hood, Mazda’s spunky 2.3-liter four and Ford’s trusty Duratec 3.0-liter V-6 are back for another go. The most notable powertrain upgrade is a new Aisin six-speed automatic that’s standard in the V-6 Fusion and some Mazda 6 models. The platform-sharing train usually derails about now with well-intentioned softening and weight hikes. Fortunately, Ford resisted the temptation to squish the suspension and to layer in hundreds of sound-deadening pounds.
The Fusion is a fit fighter with no weight gain, tight damping, stout brakes, and interior trim more reminiscent of Audis than Altimas. Hurling the Fusion through North Carolina mountain bends, we felt two of Vought’s top three priorities: more attitude than the Camry, more ability than the Accord. The steering talks to you in self-assured tones, never asking for a mid-turn correction. The wheels stroke through eight inches of travel to soak up bumps and maintain equilibrium. The body refuses to pitch and roll when heavy feet tread the pedals. One fault is an automatic that won’t play the sport-sedan game. In lieu of a manual-shift mode, there’s an L position calibrated to provide engine braking into turns and delayed shifts when you pour on the go juice while exiting bends. Something was amiss during our drive, resulting in full-throttle up shifts far in advance of the 6550-rpm redline.
Walkaround
The Ford Fusion actually has presence, amazing in a segment where most cars blend in. Some people like the aggressive, angular look, some don’t. It starts with the large headlights that rise up into the top edge of the front fender, which features a crisp fold along the top edge that runs all the way back along the edge of the roof to the trunk. Three thick chrome bars across the grille also make the car look more up market than its pricing might suggest. The front bumper almost disappears as there are two chrome strips below it that match the ones on the grille.
The Fusion has a wide track, which makes it stand out on the freeway when viewed from behind. A high trunk line and large triangular taillight clusters with chrome trim give the rear end a classy look, not unlike some newer Cadillacs. Overall, the Fusion is slightly smaller than the Taurus it replaces, but it has much the same dimensions as its competitors. Although the Fusion shares the same basic floor pan as the Mazda 6 its wheelbase is two inches longer and it is an inch or so wider. Ford also says it is a stiffer bodyshell than the Mazda6, which is good.
Specification
Engine |
Fusion | Fusion+ | |||
Engine Displacement (cc) | 1596 | 1596 | ||
Max. Power (ps/rpm) | 101 / 6500 | 101 / 6500 | ||
Max. Torque (nm/rpm) | 146 / 3400 | 146 / 3400 | ||
Cylinders | 4 Cyl. In-Line | 4 Cyl. In-Line | ||
Construction | All Aluminum | All Aluminum | ||
Fuel System | SEFI | SEFI | ||
Emission level | Euro 3 | Euro 3 |
Transmissions |
Gear ratios: | ||
1st | 3.58 | |
2nd | 1.93 | |
3rd | 1.28 | |
4th | 0.95 | |
5th | 0.76 | |
Final Drive Ratio | 4.25 | |
Reverse Gear Ratio | 3.66 |
Suspension |
Front | "Independent MacPherson Struts with offset coil spring/damper units, dual path body mounts and stabiliser bar | |
Rear | Semi-independent twist-beam, low package coil springs & twin-tube dampers. | |
Shock Absorbers (Front & Rear) | Gas Filled |
Brakes |
Overall Length (mm) | 4018 | |
Overall Width (mm) | 1720 | |
Overall Height (mm) | 1529 | |
Wheel Base (mm) | 2486 | |
Ground Clearance (mm) | 198 |
Interior Dimensions |
Dimensions | Front (mm) | Fusion+ | ||
Legroom | 1045 | 953 | ||
Headroom | 1017 | 981 | ||
Shoulder room | 1358 | 1325 |
Fuel |
Fusion | Fusion+ | |||
Fuel Type | Unleaded Petrol | Unleaded Petrol | ||
Fuel tank capacity | 45 L | 45 L |
Safety |
S - Standard. O - Optional. na - Not Available. |
Side Door Intrusion Beams | S | S |
Collapsible Steering Column | S | S |
Engine Immobilizer | S | S |
Day-Night Inside Rear View Mirror | S | S |
Central Locking | S | S |
Front Fog Lamps | S | S |
Rear Fog Lamps | S | S |
High Mounted Stop Lamp | S | S |
Dual Horn | S | S |
Fuel Cut-off Inertia Switch | S | S |
Child Safety Rear Door Locks | S | S |
Keyless Entry with Auto Re-locking | - | S |
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) | - | O |
Door Ajar Indicator | S | S |
Head Lamp On - Door Open Warning Buzzer | S | S |
Comfort and Convenience | Fusion | Fusion + |
S - Standard. O - Optional. na - Not Available. |
Air Conditioning | S | S |
Heater | S | S |
Power Steering | S | S |
Power Windows | S | S |
Radio/ CD Player | - | S |
Roof Antenna | S | S |
4 Speakers | S | S |
Tilt Adjustable Steering | S | S |
Height Adjustable Front Seat Belts | S | S |
Headlamp Levelling | S | S |
Driver Seat Height Adjust | - | S |
Manual Adjustable Outside Mirrors | S | - |
Electric Adjustable Outside Mirrors | - | S |
Rear Defogger | S | S |
Intelligent Front & Rear Wash/ Wipe | S | S |
Electric Tailgate Release | S | S |
Front Map Reading Lights | S | S |
Theatre Dimming Interior Light with Courtesy Delay | - | S |
Rear Reading Lights | - | S |
Remote Tailgate Opening (From Outside) | - | S |
Leather Steering with Aluminium Shells on Spokes | - | S |
Leather Wrapped Gear Knob | - | S |
Boot Stowage Net | - | S |
Dashboard Center Stowage Bin with Flip Top Lid | S | S |
Retractable Grab handles with Coat Hooks in Rear | S | S |
Front & Rear 12-V Power Outlets | S | S |
Removable Ash Cup | S | S |
Rear Ashtray | S | S |
Seats & Door Inserts | Premium Jaquard | Plush Velour |
Front Passenger Seat Under-Stowage | S | S |
Rear Seatback - Fold Down | S | S |
Rear Seatback 60:40 Split Folding | S | S |
Rear Cushion Frame 60:40 Split Folding-up | S | S |
40:20:40 Rear Seat Cushion | S | S |
Driver Seat Utility Pockets | - | S |
Passenger Seatback Pocket | S | S |
Tachometer | S | S |
Low Fuel Warning | S | S |
Power and Performance | Fusion | Fusion + |
S - Standard. O - Optional. na - Not Available. |
Power steering | S | S |
4.9 metre turning circle radius | S | S |
Front suspension - MacPherson struts | S | S |
Rear suspension - Heavy duty twist beam system | S | S |
Brakes: front disc/rear drum | S | S |
Tubeless tyres | S | S |
Alloy Wheels | - | S |
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