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2006 Ford Fusion SEL i4 Road Test

Welcoming a Midsize Ford to the 21st Century

When it was announced in early 2004, we expected big things from the Ford Five Hundred, the supposed successor to the Ford Taurus (which, by the way, is still in production). We got all excited and giddy about the idea of a Ford that was engineered in part by Volvo and would feature all-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic. And while its styling is as safe as NORAD, compared to the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and even the V8-powered Buick Lucerne, it hardly registers on the radar. Frankly, basing a car off the Volvo S80, a vehicle which wasnt particularly pulse-raising in the first place, and then dulling it down with a less powerful engine and CVT gearbox (that six-speed is also available) isnt the recipe most automakers would have chosen for success, unless better than average fuel economy is the prime objective. It probably sounded better coming from the engineers. And while the Five Hundred has been a moderate sales success, it hasnt done a lot for Fords overall image.

You can tell, just by its looks that the Fusion was created with a different set of rules. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

The midsize segment from which the Taurus was born has grown apart, into two distinctive buyers. There are those who liked the big, plush softness of the Taurus, and Ford has delivered with the even bigger, softer Five Hundred. They tend to be older, with more mature tastes, less concerned with horsepower and more concerned with lumbar support adjustments and, yes, fuel consumption. There were also those who appreciated the sportier European-derived Contour and long-defunct Taurus SHO, but the few that did have been left out in the cold in recent years, Ford having given up on them due to their small numbers. Targeting these disenfranchised buyers, and others looking for something with a little more edge, resulted in Fords latest curve ball, the Fusion. Targeting

Standard 17-inch wheels on a midsize. Only the Mustang GT has larger wheels, and theyre optional. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

a younger more enthused audience - uou know, the ones that arent driving Tauruses - who look to an ownership experience that amounts to more than a beige rental vehicle, Ford is making inroads.

The Fusions eye-grabbing style comes from Fords head of global design, J. Mays. Mays, the man responsible for giving the previous generation VW Passat that aura of expensiveness and class (and gave the Five Hundred its rather Passat-esque profile), has worked wonders for the latest Ford midsize. Rater than graft Ford of Europes styling onto North American model products, which is what was done on the Five Hundred and warmed-over Focus, we get a completely different looking vehicle that abolishes memories of the old jellybean-shaped Taurus. Drive a Fusion, and people will look. People

Proportions play a big part on how the Fusion is able to carry off looking like a smaller vehicle. In reality, its just as big as an Accord or Camry. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

will stare. And if theyre not already gaping, they will when they see the Ford badge.

Rarely do midsize cars play styling as a strong card, but the Fusion does. It looks boss in black, and Im not the only one who seems to think so, seeing as its the prominent color in television ads and magazine prints. It brings, dare I say, glamor and flash to a class thats about as bland as plain oatmeal. Ford has nearly escaped the fleet mentality, but trace amounts still remain in the color selection which includes a flat-looking sage, dusty grays and of course, beige. Personally, with a car as bold as the Fusion, you dont need a pallet; Henry Fords famous saying for the Model T should make a comeback - you can have it in "any color, so long as its black."

The first thing you really notice about the Fusion is its three-bar chrome-plated grille, which does

Expect to see a lot of this, and a lot of three-bar chrome grilles. These defining features are pure Ford. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

an absolutely great job of harking back to Fords ponycar heyday, yet, this trip down memory lane doesnt entail the big-shouldered blockiness which other domestic manufactures have graced their cars with. The Fusion looks smaller on paper than in the metal, the same size as the aforementioned Ford Contour; these proportions disguise the fact that when youre standing right next to it, its just as big as an Accord. Its all about the proportions though - a few longer lines, shorter pillars, a higher metal to glass ratio on the doors and the Fusion grows into the concept that inspired the production car, the magnificent and glorious full-size 427.
But instead of bold and brutish, the Fusion is slim, trim and thoroughly modern, a style set by those thin, vertical headlamps and triangular taillamps filled with fantastic and almost concept-like detailing. The rest of the Fusions body is somewhat ordinary, a standard three-box sedan with good flow, accentuated with

Unexpected cold snap prevented all-out performance tests, and gave Fusion a bit of a runny nose.? (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

splashes of chrome about the window line and license plate holder for good measure. In other words, its that dash of chili sauce to wake up the tastebuds after decades of blandness. The Fusion is the first vehicle to bear this new look, which Ford is banking on - you can see it in the Fusion-based Edge crossover that debuted at this years NAIAS in Motor City, and on a number of concept cars and trucks, as well as, according to reliable sources, the mid-cycle update of the Five Hundred.

You must be thinking that with such a stylish exterior penned by a top European designer, the entirety of the Fusions budget must have been spent, meaning remnants of the Tauruses corpse underneath. If you find that this resembles your line of thinking, youre a pessimist who has little faith in Ford and probably a grizzly outlook on life in general and should probably stop watching the 11 oclock news. The Fusion is one of several vehicles to be based off the new CD3 platform, which shares basic blueprint elements with the Mazda6, one of the best handling

Bold nose and tail compensate for the blander bits in between. Chrome accents aid visual appeal, though. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

midsize cars ever made. Every aspect, however, has been modified by the Blue Oval to ensure that its not just a 6 in different clothes. In all dimensions, from length, to height and track, the Fusion is sizably larger, ready to fully compete with Camry and Co.

In its research and development labs, Dearborn has genetically altered the 6, adding 13 percent greater rigidity to the 6 sedans reasonably rigid skeleton, which should help to ward off any premature squeaks and rattles while boosting its passive safety. This strengthening was only one of the many advancements that Ford has made in its first completely digitized car. Thats right, the Fusion was designed, simulated and engineered completely on computers, something Ford is very proud of. Theyre equally as proud that this is the first car theyve made that comes equipped with the keyfob integrated into the key. What advancements the 21st century holds! I wonder what theyll come up with next...

A dusting of snow and frozen rain prevented any serious performance driving, but I have reservations about the Fusions ability to entertain

Mazda-sourced 2.3 liter inline-four engine is thrifty yet enthusiastic. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

demanding drivers. The rack and pinion steering setup was tight, feeling heavy and deliberate when flung into the bends, taking complete control over the road beneath the 225/50R 17 tires, which believe it or not come standard with the SEL. The brakes, standard four-wheel discs with ABS and EBD (Electronic Brake force Distribution) have good stopping power, but are marred by a slightly mushy pedal. Traction control cant be had on four-cylinder cars, and stability control cant be had at all, although the Fusions cornering deftness really prevents a need for such electronic aids.

Enlarging the Mazda skeleton has worked in the Fusions favor, putting it more in line with midstream midsize cars. The long wheelbase makes for a smoother and more relaxed ride than its Japanese relative, cutting the fidget; softer-tuned springs and dampers dial the stiffness down. By American car standards, the Fusion is firm, which helps to preserve the sporting undertones. The additional rigidity, new rubber dampened suspension subframes as well as extra soundproofing material makes the Fusion quieter than the Mazda6, but its not as hush-hush as a Camry.

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