Topic: CD Article: 2006 Ford Fusion SE 4-cylinder

[Autos_Editor]

Test Drive:

The base 4-cylinder Fusion "is a little sluggish" off the line but offers "adequate passing power," reports Chris Chase. Highlights include "a high-quality feel on the road" and "a balanced cornering attitude."  Criticisms?  The automatic transmission has a tendency to "hold first gear longer than necessary," and there are "a couple of ergonomic flaws," he says.       More...

[a4_tom]

There are surprisingly numbers of Fusion SE I-4 on the road.

[Benhaze]

It is refreshing to see on a base model exterior elements such as bumpers, mirrors and side moldings not made of black cheap plastics. This car does not look like "the poor man's version".

I question Ford's choice with not offering any gear selection other Drive and Low for forward gears. Cost reduction or this is the next assumption we are better served with less, like these idiot lights instead of real gauges.

But in general I think this car is 

[MKII]

Would be nice to read a review on the 2.3 variant with manual tranny.

I appreciate a base model review as well. Not sure if Chris Chase reads these threads, and if so what was your opinion on the seat material.Will it stand up over time. Also how did the switch gear feel,and how was the base audio system. Also did you drive the car in the dark, just curious if you noticed any lack of backlighting on the switchs, buttons, etc, and also how are the headlights etc.

BTW, the car looks quite nice in white, its just those Nissan Sentra look-a-like tailights need to redeigned.IMO.

[Shnak]

and headroom was good for drivers of average height, even with the optional power sunroof in my tester.

Imagine that, a car with good headroom for average height drivers... Wow thanks for the insight there!! 

[Gardiner Westbound]

But while driving a never-ending stream of cars with a heap of extra-cost goodies is great for the writers who get to drive them, it makes it difficult to say how the base model of any given car compares to its stacked cousins: will it drive as nicely with smaller wheels? -- Chris Chase, Canadian Driver, 3-14-06

This is a much appreciated departure. The automotive press offers little guidance to buyers looking to step up to a higher vehicle class. There's good value in base versions. The purchaser receives many benefits of the better car at a reasonable price. Expensive products aren't exempt. The Lexus RX330 insanely requires $10,300 in options for a wood-trimmed steering wheel!

[wing]

  Although I didn't read Chris' review as to not taint my opinion (I pick up this very car for my review this week), I find it silly that they fill press cars with all the goodies.

Yes it is nice to drive a decked out fully loaded car around for a week and I understand the manufacturer point of view that they want to protray their car in the best light possible so they deck her out.

But on the practical site, generally cars provide their best value at their base trim, some vehicles slap on a bunch of extras for great value as well, but as a general rule you pay more for extras leaving the base model as your best bang for the buck.

It also taints some journalists reviews, if they drive a fully decked out $70,000 Lexus one week and a base Fusion or Echo or something the following week, they will be more picky, try as you might, journalists are human.

[Bullet Blue]

Would be nice to read a review on the 2.3 variant with manual tranny.

I appreciate a base model review as well. Not sure if Chris Chase reads these threads, and if so what was your opinion on the seat material.Will it stand up over time. Also how did the switch gear feel,and how was the base audio system. Also did you drive the car in the dark, just curious if you noticed any lack of backlighting on the switchs, buttons, etc, and also how are the headlights etc.

BTW, the car looks quite nice in white, its just those Nissan Sentra look-a-like tailights need to redeigned.IMO.

I too would like to see how the numbers of this car does with a manual tranny. And yes, Chris does read the forum, and even posts occasionally 

I had to rent a car for the day over the weekend and was eager because they had lots of new models to choose from. So I picked out a Ford Fusion over the phone, but when I got there all they had was a Ford Taurus left after I specifically reserved the Fusion  Reminds me of that Seinfeld episode.

I read that the Fusion's crash ratings were less than stellar....

[wing]

Yes poor on models with no side airbags....

The Fusion, a mid-size sedan starting at $17,795, received Institute's lowest mark on side-impact tests conducted on a model without optional side air bags. On frontal crash tests, the Fusion received the institute's second-best mark of acceptable.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/06/...in1371742.shtml

[chrischasescars]

Would be nice to read a review on the 2.3 variant with manual tranny.

I appreciate a base model review as well. Not sure if Chris Chase reads these threads, and if so what was your opinion on the seat material.Will it stand up over time. Also how did the switch gear feel,and how was the base audio system. Also did you drive the car in the dark, just curious if you noticed any lack of backlighting on the switchs, buttons, etc, and also how are the headlights etc.

BTW, the car looks quite nice in white, its just those Nissan Sentra look-a-like tailights need to redeigned.IMO.

The interior materials overall were pretty good; the seats were finished in what felt like a pretty durable fabric. Not the most luxurious-feeling, though.

The stereo was nothing special - I've driven basic cars with better - but the sound quality was decent.

Trying to remember what was backlit and what wasn't - pretty sure the window switches lit up. I know everything else did, in terms of the dash and steering wheel buttons. The lighting is standard Ford green throughout. The headlights were good, though based on my experiences, I think the days of poor headlights are mostly over.

I don't like the taillights either, but I don't get into stuff like that in my reviews, cos that sort of thing is so subjective. I try to focus on how stuff works, rather than how it looks.

[wing]

Keep the questions coming, I'll cover them off in my blog next week

[Howswedeitis]

I think it's obvious that the Fusion is an interesting and competitive alternative to the frankly boring/style-less offerings by Honda (see Accord), Toyota Camry et al.
From a styling standpoint the Fusion is much better executed and from what I've read
dynamically it's performace is on par or better than the Japanese competition. Yes the tailights
aren't the nicest but let's be fair this is one very nice mid sized sedan.

[mdxtasy]

Keep the questions coming, I'll cover them off in my blog next week

So they give you the Fusion but the pass you up when the Cayman was tested. 

[wing]

Glad stodge warned me (good job on that )

Yes mdx, but I don't believe the Cayman was in Ottawa, and I'm not an AJAC member (yet) meaning I'm limited right now.

[a4_tom]

Fusion's succeed can be contributed by Mazda6 platform, which constantly got rave reviews everywhere else.

[dorin]

BTW, the car looks quite nice in white, its just those Nissan Sentra look-a-like tailights need to redeigned.IMO.

Nissan?!?  I could swear those tailights are leftover aftermarket jobbies for 4th generation Honda Preludes.

[MKII]

Yes Prelude is very similar, but the lenses flow to the top of the trunk lid, whereas the Sentra/Fusion are rounded before the top line of the trunk lid.

If you took the chrome/tin foil out of the Fusion rear lense, the shape and desgin is very Sentra-like, http://www.rsportscars.com/foto/09/sentraser03_03.jpg  which IMO does not flow with the modern  edgey look
of the car. Very modern looking design back to rear, then the car dates itself to some old style.

[dorin]

I see what you mean w.r.t. to the lights not going all the way up, but the Sentra lights are wider than they are taller whereas the Prelude ones have the same aspect ratio as the Fusion's. I guess we're both right.

[MKII]

Prelude tailights (non-clear lense) always remind me of the original Volvo S80 tail light lense. Of course not exact but shape and size wise.

Like I mention on the Fusion rear lenses, if you take out the tin-foil,( which gives an optical illusion of tallness)  http://www.canadiandriver.com/photos/2006/ford/fusion/06fusion-i4_4.jpg  shape is quite like the out going Sentra.

Maybe someone here could photo shop the Fusion lense, take out the tin foil. and give a red lense.

[dorin]

Fusion tail light:

4th gen Prelude tail light:

Sentra tail light:


I definitely think that the Prelude tail light is closer in shape to the Fusion than the Sentra.  The chrome trim in the Fusion light is also inside the housing, so it's part of the shape.