Ford offers three different engines with the 2010 Fusion.Ford
Ford is betting its future on what company types like to call a "rally around fuel economy."
Ford and fuel economy? This from the auto maker that made the fuel-swilling Explorer and Expedition household SUV names in the 1990s? Apparently, leopards can change their spots.
A key to Ford's bid to become an industry leader in fuel efficiency is the 2010 Fusion mid-size sedan.
The updated Fusion went on sale earlier this year and since then sales have been seriously on the upswing. Yes, Ford has been pushing some Fusions into fleets to drive up the numbers. Nonetheless, overall Fusion sales spiked 48 per cent in July in Canada. Ford Canada was also the top-selling auto maker in the country in June and July, although it slipped to second place in August.The point is, Canadians are buying Fords as they turn away from other brands, namely Ford's Detroit-based rivals.
The fuel economy piece is really all about long-term growth, not merely marketing spin or a tactic to - in Survivor-speak - outwit, outsmart and outplay General Motors and Chrysler. Ford officials really want to take on Toyota and Honda where they live.
And that means going after leadership in fuel economy, reliability, durability and safety. To be successful, says Derrick Kuzak, Ford vice-president of global product development, the 2010 Fusion must beat the competition in every important way.
Fuel economy is part of that, but so is everything else. Ford's promise is that its cars will sip fuel with the best of them and they will not break down. You'll like driving Fords more than Toyotas and Hondas and Chevys, too. And you'll be safe.
If you believe the research from the likes of Consumer Reports and J.D. Power and Associates and others, Ford has clearly turned the corner on quality. The vast majority of its vehicles are "recommended" picks by CR. J.D. Power's long-term dependability study also ranks Ford above average.
The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says Ford has more Top Safety Picks than any other manufacturer, too. However, the 2010 Fusion, the least expensive four-cylinder version listed at $22,799, is not as fuel-efficient as the 2010 Toyota Camry four-banger ($24,900 base) nor the base four-cylinder 2009 Honda Accord ($25,290).
The 175-hp Fusion is more powerful than the 169-hp Camry, but a hair behind the Accord at 177 hp. Truly, the differences in horsepower and fuel economy among these three front-drive sedans are pretty insignificant. Nonetheless, Ford needs to do a bit more rallying around economy at the fuel pump if it wants to own mid-size cars.
Then there is the matter of residual values or resale value. Ford vehicles are ranked below average among mainstream brands. Four-year-old Fords hold on average 32.6 per cent of their original value, while Honda is No. 1 at 40.4 per cent and Toyota is No. 2 at 39.4 per cent.
Obviously there is work yet to be done at Ford. But at the very least the 2010 Fusion shows how much progress Ford has made in just the last 2½ years. Products - cars in particular - clearly now matter.
For the record, Ford offers three different engines with the 2010 Fusion and all-wheel-drive is also available, unlike all the competition save the Subaru Legacy.
The performance Fusion is the Sport with its 263-hp, 3.5-litre V-6. There is also a 3.0-litre V-6 (240 hp), but it's the least desirable among this power plant trio. Seven out of 10 Canadians, perhaps more, are most likely to get the four-banger and it's a solid choice.
In all the Fusions, Ford has reduced wind and road noise, improved ride and handling and reduced body roll. The four-cylinder and 3.0-litre V-6 versions have electronic power-assisted steering. This shrinks the turning radius and helps fuel economy. Steering feel isn't bad, either, especially for electric steering. It's not heavy nor is it numb.
The six-speed manual transmission had a precise and easy motion, while the automatic was smooth and quick. Brake feel is solid, also.
The car looks pretty good, too, though the design changes are not dramatic; this Fusion is clearly recognizable as the successor to the old one.
Ford restyled the Fusion's front end in search of a sportier look and improved aerodynamics. All the exterior sheet metal, except for the roof and doors, was changed, though not dramatically. I like it, though a more striking design would grab more eyeballs.
The cabin strives for a high-tech look. What is most obvious is the quality of the materials, the graining and colour-matching of the plastics and the overall tight fit of all the pieces.
Every interior surface is now covered in high-quality soft-touch materials. Tasteful, lighter-coloured accents dress things up. On top of that, there is nothing confusing here, no oddball electronic controllers to mystify and frustrate you.
The seats aren't bad at all, either. The padding is good enough, though with all Detroit-based models I'd argue for firmer foam. Sit in a mainstream Volkswagen and you'll know exactly where Ford needs to go. At the very rear, trunk space is adequate, though the rear opening could be wider.
New features for 2010 range from the latest-generation Sync system Ford developed with Microsoft. This gizmo works as advertised. It delivers hands-free control of mobile phones, iPods and other audio knick-knacks. You'll want this now that many Canadian provinces, including Ontario, are banning the use of hand-held mobile phones.
On top of that, Ford has added a voice-controlled navigation system that functions as well as what most luxury brands offer. The Fusion also now offers blind-spot alert and an ultrasonic rear parking assist. Huh? This goodie peeks around the corner when you back out of a parking space to warn of oncoming cross traffic.
The original Fusion went on sale about three years ago and since then it has always been among the best-handling family sedans. The Camry, by comparison, feels heavy and sluggish. The ride is comfy even when the roads are lumpy and the handling comes close to being downright entertaining.
Most of all, keep in mind that the Fusion has a price advantage over the Camrys and Accords of the world.
So even though the four-cylinder Fusion is not the fuel economy leader in its class of base four-banger family sedans, it comes at a brilliant price, feature for feature. Ford's in the game now, no question.
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CLARIFICATION
A review of the 2010 Ford Fusion sedan that appeared in Globe Auto Sept. 24 reported fuel economy for the four-cylinder SE model, with six-speed manual transmission, at 9.4 litres/100 km city and 6.9 highway. This is correct. Ford, however, does make a very base S model with the optional ($1,200) automatic transmission that delivers 8.9L/100 city and 5.8 highway. The fuel economy figures for this model do not appear in the "Specifications and Options" section of Ford of Canada's own Website (www.ford.ca). This led to some confusion over the Ford's claim to have the most fuel-efficient mid-size sedan in Canada. Indeed, the S model with the optional automatic transmission achieves slightly better fuel economy than the 2010 Toyota Camry base model equipped with a four-cylinder engine and automatic transmission.
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2010 FORD FUSION SE 2.5
Type: Mid-size family sedan
Base price: $22,799
Engine: 2.5-litre, inline-four-cylinder
Horsepower/Torque: 175 hp/172 lb-ft
Transmission: Six-speed manual or six-speed automatic ($1,200)
Drive: Front-wheel-drive
Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 9.4 city/6.9 highway; regular gas
Alternatives: Honda Accord, Mitsubishi Gallant, Subaru Legacy, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Magentis, Volkswagen Passat, Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Aura, Nissan Altima, Dodge Avenger, Chrysler Sebring, Mazda6, Toyota Camry
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Like
- Excellent Sync system makes for hands-free use of cell phones and vehicle systems
- Among the more fun-to-drive mainstream family cars
- Cabin design and materials are first-rate
- Ford's drive to deliver safe and reliable vehicles is reflected positively in the consumer research
- Price
Don't like
- Despite all the fuel-economy cheerleading, rival cars still nip the Fusion at the pump
- Ford's below-average residual values
- Rear trunk opening could be bigger