Ford's Fusion Gets Even Better

Despite stiff competition, the new Fusion has the performance, price, and practicality to take on Toyota and Honda

by Matt Vella

Editor's Rating:

The Good: Excellent fit and finish, all-wheel drive, European road-feel

The Bad: Doesn't always live up to stiff competition

The Bottom Line: Worthy of comparison to 800-lb. gorillas from Toyota and Honda

Reader Reviews

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Up Front

Ford's (F) midsize Fusion sedan faces some stiff competition. Not only does the car compete directly with the segment's 800-lb. gorillas, the Honda (HMC) Accord and Toyota (TM) Camry, but it's about to face a serious incursion from General Motors' (GM) newly redesigned 2008 Malibu, which, even in its previous, thoroughly unexciting incarnation, already outsells the Fusion.

If that weren't bad enough, the Fusion last year replaced the once-great Taurus. That sedan all but saved Ford from a crisis, similar to its current woes, in the 1980s before eventually suffering a long and unhappy decline into a mediocrity even rental fleets couldn't love (see BusinessWeek.com, 2/7/07, "Should the Taurus Have Stayed Dead?").

Still, the virtues that made the Fusion a knockout upstart in the midsize segment two years ago still stand, making it worthy, at least, of being cross-shopped with the heavyweights. Too few of Ford's vehicles these days fulfill the promise of the company's "Bold Moves" marketing catchphrase. But the Fusion is one noteworthy exception.

Last year, Ford sold 142,502 Fusions, according to Automotive News. That total pales in comparison to the 163,853 Chevy Malibus, 354,441 Honda Accords, and 448,445 Toyota Camrys sold during the same period. But for a new model that was rather poorly marketed at launch—advertisements that actually say why the car is an alternative to Camry and Accord are only now hitting the airwaves—those numbers conversely have the makings of a surprisingly strong start.

A basic Fusion rolls in at $17,995, but a six-cylinder version with top-of-the-line SEL trimmings and all-wheel drive starts at $23,825, marginally undercutting pricing of Japanese competition. My test vehicle was equipped with $295 heated front seats; $595 antilock brakes; $195 satellite radio; $895 leather seating; $420 audiophile sound system; and $1,895 navigation system. Even with a $700 destination fee, the total comes in under the magic 3-0, at $28,820.

Why antilock brakes are an option and not standard is unclear, but the other options are reasonably priced. What's more, nixing a few of the goodies—enhanced audio, navigation, and satellite radio, for instance—knocks off more than $2,500, making the value for price, in my opinion, exceptionally attractive for an all-wheel-drive sedan with a V6.

Behind the Wheel

Fusion may be an uncannily apt moniker for Ford's midsize sedan. If one thing kept occurring to me throughout my time with the vehicle, it was a pleasing sense of tightness. Sharp handling, road-gripping ride, even the cabin materials and seats—all surprisingly tight for a car aimed at the very center of the car-buying public, where mild blandness can be the unhappy side effect of attempting not to offend anyone. But for the most part, the Fusion felt Euro, almost like a Volkswagen or an Audi.

The Fusion's 3-liter V6 produces 205 ft.-lb. of torque and 221 horses. That's much less power than any of the its similarly equipped competitors—the Altima and Camry both pack power plants that pump out around 270 horses. And yet, the Fusion doesn't feel sluggish or unwilling to leap to action when pushed.

In fact, handling is impressive thanks no doubt to the vehicle's all-wheel drive. The experience isn't sporty exactly, especially since the car isn't stocked with a surplus of power, but confident and, surprisingly, rather fun. Certainly, the Fusion is capable of taking more rough stuff than your neighbor's plain-Jane, two-wheel-drive midsize.

Ford's new ads, by the way, crib from the famous Pepsi challenge. Drivers toss around the Accord, Camry, and Fusion to compare the three.