Ford's Fusion Gets Even Better

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They report, of course, that the Fusion is the most fun of the bunch. Though I haven't driven the three back to back on the same track, I wouldn't doubt those results.

At this price point, prevailing design wisdom seems to be: "Stand out, but not too much." The Fusion introduced Ford's new three-bar grille, which will appear on the next versions of the Focus and Five Hundred (to be renamed the Taurus). That cue still looks the sharpest nestled between the Fusion's tic-tac-toe headlamps. Styling is, for the most part, a matter of personal taste, but the Fusion presents a strong alternative to the Camry's canary beak. The Fusion's perky backside, however, is less compelling than Toyota's sculpted butt.

Fit and finish inside is, overall, very good. The center console, gear shift, and door panels lack verve, falling prey to some hard plastics that are unpleasant to the touch. Center-stack controls for the audio system feel sturdy but take an understated tack.

Inside, a few features stand out. The seats, for instance, are top-notch, both good-looking and comfortable. Seats often make a first impression and Ford seems clued into this. In the front and back, the seats look plush and well-made even at a distance. Up close, detail stitching is a nice, uncommon touch. Trunk space is also cavernous, and back-seat passengers are treated kindly.

The Fusion earned an overall rating of "good," the highest given, in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's crash tests. And front-seat side air bags and side-impact air curtains are standard on all models this year. All-wheel drive typically degrades fuel economy slightly, but I managed to earn 25 mpg on mixed highway and city driving.

Buy It or Bag It?

To summarize, the Fusion is an impressively strong product, meeting expectations in nearly every category and impressing on handling thanks to the all-wheel-drive option. In fact, it's probably the best sedan the company has ever offered in North America. But is it better than a Camry or Accord?

That's hard to say. Stalwarts are stalwarts for a reason. Though it may not win out in every instance, the Fusion is a solid offering worthy of being considered alongside the heavies from Honda, Nissan (NSANY), and, yes, even Toyota.

Click here to see more of the 2007 Ford Fusion.

Vella is a writer for BusinessWeek.com in New York.