Ford Fusion – A Lot of Sedan
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
Now the car seems a bit dated, especially when compared to the all new Ford Taurus and the new offerings at Lincoln. However, the midsize sedan market has always been fueled by function and reliability rather than purely style. And that’s where the Fusion remains a formidable competitor.
A sign of the times if that the Fusion has been named Motor Trends’ 2010 Car of the Year.
Before I get to the Fusion’s equipment, I spent my week with the sedan using it as family hauler. My daughter visited with her daughter and the Fusion accounted itself well. The trunk swallowed my grand’s rather sizable though lightweight stroller.
We didn’t have to contort to secure the car seat in the back seat. Securing my 20 month old granddaughter in that seat was literally a snap. And most important, the Fusion did its job; most of time that my granddaughter was in that car seat she went to sleep.
That fact attest to the smoothness of the Fusion’s ride, its ease of handling, its cornering without a lot of body roll, and a very quiet powertrain. And while driving, my daughter and I talked to each other without having to talk over road or wind noise. In fact, I heard my granddaughter snoring.
I was surprised that my daughter was surprised by the Fusion. I didn’t think somebody in their mid-twenties would be familiar with the sedan. Still, she didn’t’ remember the car as being that stylish, its interior fit and finish that good and she didn’t remember all the creature comforts.
To keep the 2010 Fusion relevant, Ford has endowed it with some equipment that in years past could only be found on luxury brands. I was a bit startled by the rearview camera with cross traffic alert and the blind spot warning system.
I had an SEL model that was powered by a 3.5 liter V6 engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. A six-speed manual gearbox is available. My test vehicle had an EPA rating of 18 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the HWY. That was not bad.
If you need better mileage, a four cylinder powered Fusion, one that uses E85 fuel and a hybrid are also available. It’s sort of a Fusion for every gasoline budget.
My test car was outfitted with SYNC. The system fully integrates most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital media players, providing hands-free cell phone and music selection capabilities – plus new 911 assist and vehicle status reports with no monthly fees. There was satellite radio and auxiliary as well as USB jacks.
I didn’t take the time to find out how to change the hues but the Fusion’s ambient lighting system allows drivers to choose from seven base colors – ice blue, purple, blue, orange, red, white and green. The lighting gave my test Fusion a soothing ambience, it was set on orange.
Ford has also partnered with some highly respected brands. The SYNC system was developed by Microsoft. The Fusion’s 390 watt 12 speaker audio system was developed by Sony. After a week with the 2010 Ford Fusion, I thought it to be a comfortable, functional and well equipped midsize sedan.
And I was really surprised by the sticker: the base price of my test vehicle was $23,975. Add options and the price of my Ford Fusion as tested came to $30,825.
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