Ford Fusion 1.4
According to Fords advertising, the Fusion should represent nirvana for those more vertically challenged amongst us. No longer will you have to crane your neck to see past the traffic, no longer will you need to resort to an effete compact 4x4. The Fusion puts you head and shoulders above most other road users, even in entry-level 1.4-litre guise.
Thats the theory in any case. Ford have researched this market with forensic precision and identified that many especially urban drivers wanted a car that was as compact as a Fiesta-sized supermini but which boasted a commanding view so that they wouldnt feel intimidated by the citys more lumbering inhabitants. Seeing and being seen consistently scored highly amongst female car buyers and the Fusion is a nod in the direction of this important purchasing bloc. Commanding a £1,000 price premium over the Fiesta its based upon, the Fusion 1.
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Inside, a redesign concentrates on improving the feeling of quality and space. Highlights include a smarter fascia with easier to read instruments and a soft-feel upper section to the instrument panel. Its certainly a big improvement on the cheap-feeling plastic of the original model. Priced from £10,645 in Style trim and £11,245 for the Zetec, few will begrudge the premium.
A luxury Fusion Plus can be ordered that includes a CD autochanger, ranin-sensing wipers and a subtle styling kit. The Fusion is longer, taller and wider than a Fiesta and the cabin is supremely practical. The rear seats can fold down with their headrests in place, theres a very low rear loading sill Plus the drivers seat is adjustable for height, guaranteeing a decent driving position.
"The Fusion 1.4 offers a little more than a Fiesta with a booster seat"
As you would expect from anything based on a Fiesta, the handling is very good. Although the tall Fusion looks like something that may be slightly top heavy, your first corner will rapidly dispel this impression. Somehow Ford seem to have engineered a ride thats able to absorb the ruts and bumps of city streets with a chassis that enjoys spirited driving. Refinement is a mixed bag, the 1.
4-litre engine being reasonably well behaved at higher speeds with tyre and wind noise making a significant intrusion. The 1.4-litre engine needs to be worked quite hard to make respectable progress, hitting 60mph in 13.5 seconds on the way to 101mph.
CO2 emissions are reasonable, the Fusion pumping out 154g for every kilometre travelled. Likewise, youll not be taken to the cleaners at the pumps, the 43.5mpg average fuel consumption a fine effort. Even around town you can expect to see over 33mpg.
The Fusion is, nevertheless, an enigmatic proposition. If its designed for those people who want a little space than a Fiesta offers, where does that leave Fords next model up, the Family Hatchback Focus? After all, a Focus 1.4LX is in the same ballpark as the Fusion 1.4 pricewise and offers a far more grown-up proposition.
But therein lies the point. Whereas the Focus shouts thirtysomething, the Fusion is definitely twentysomething. Or twentysomething with the screaming kids, the garden centre obligations and the aspirational/imaginary extreme lifestyle youll read about in the Fusion brochure. For something aimed so deliberately at the young and image-conscious, the Fusion pays more than mere lip service to mundane criteria like practicality and comfort.
Theres masses of passenger space with a roof thats almost gratuitously high, giving an overall impression of airy expanse. Ford seem to have missed a trick in not building in more MPV-style tricks however, the fixed airline-style table on the folded front passenger seat back being about the only nod in this direction. The rear seats neither slide, swivel nor detach and the boot lacks hooks or a two-piece tailgate. Still, the car can carry an impressive 337 litres and comes equipped with a cargo net and split/fold rear seats, so it gets most of the basics right.
That theme carries on throughout the cabin, which is functional, workmanlike but not endowed with any great flair. The driving position is a full 75mm higher than youd find in a Fiesta and its longer but slightly narrower too. The bumpers and rubbing strips followed intensive research into how cars become damaged in the urban environment. Should you contrive to take the cars name somewhat literally and meld it with something else, its good to know that youve an Intelligent Protection System that will intervene with dual stage front air bags that sense the type and severity of the impact.
Side airbags are available for front seat passengers and optional curtain bags provide side-impact head protection. All five occupants get three-point seat belts and Ford have created a body structure that minimises footwell intrusion in the event of an accident. The Ford Fusion 1.4 may demand an additional £1,000 over and above the price of an equivalent Fiesta but for many the additional expenditure will be justified in terms of a more reassuring feeling at the wheel.
It certainly feels a more substantial proposition than a Fiesta, although the basic interior may deter some fashion-conscious buyers. Does it have what it takes to eke out a share for itself in a tough corner of the market or is it all altitude? It will be interesting to see.
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Ford Fusion 1.4
PRICES: £10,645-£12,445 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 4-5
CO2 EMISSIONS: 154g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 13.5s / Max Speed 101mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 33.2mpg / (extra urban) 53.3mpg / (combined) 43.5mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 4020/1708/1503mm
