Ford FUSION 1.6
As A More Versatile Spin On The Usual Supermini Theme, Fords Fusion Could Have A Lot Going For It. Andy Enright Looks At The 1.6-Litre Version
You wont see the phrase Supermini-MPV in any of the literature promoting Fords Fusion but thats essentially what it is. A conventional supermini in this case based on the latest Fiesta with a dash of extra versatility.
Theres nothing new in any of this of course.
Toyota likes to think that it effectively invented this concept with the Yaris Verso, but truth be told, other Japanese models like Mitsubishis Space Star and Suzukis Wagon R+ have been offering much the same sort of thing for longer. The Fusion however, represented the first real European attempt at this sector. Its a very good effort too as youd expect from something Fiesta-based and is reasonably priced from £10,145.
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Were looking at the 1.6-litre petrol version here, an engine which powers the £12,375 Fusion 3 variant, though you can also order it for £11,745 as a Fusion 2. If youre interested, the difference between the two trim levels boils down to alloy wheels, remote steering wheel-mounted controls for the CD stereo, front foglamps, a perimeter alarm, a loadspace retention net and a map-reading lamp. A luxury Fusion + can be ordered that includes in-car DVD entertainment for rear
seat passengers, bigger alloy wheels and a subtle styling kit.
It costs from £13,575. Despite appearances, the Fusion isnt really a go-anywhere vehicle and you cant have one with four-wheel drive. Built on the same front-driven underpinnings as the Fiesta, its rugged looks are purely for the urban jungle. The 1.
6-litre version were looking at here looks set to be a big seller, even if it does represent the apex of the Fusion range. Running head-on into lifestyle rivals such as the
Peugeot 206SW, the Fusion 1.6 brings to the party a 99bhp engine thats good enough to propel it to 60mph in 10.6 seconds en route to a top speed of 111mph.
Its a very willing powerplant, if a little vocal at the top end of the rev range and given that maximum power is generated at a nosebleed 6000rpm, it responds well to a heavy right foot. Driven in a more genteel manner, the Fusion 1.6 will return an average of 43mpg. Theres a 422 mile fuel tank range and emissions are an acceptable 157g/km.
"Whereas the Focus shouts thirtysomething, the Fusion is definitely twentysomething."
Anything based on a Fiesta chassis is guaranteed to be a sharp drive and the Fusion is no exception. The higher centre of gravity does give rise to a greater degree of lateral rock and roll over severe surface imperfections, but its still tightly nailed down and can corner with Ă©lan. The steering is surprisingly hefty but is a little dead either side of straight ahead, one of the few criticisms that can be levelled at a car that otherwise barely puts a foot wrong. 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.
6LX is in the same ballpark as the Fusion 1.6 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.
Maybe the Fusion is cleverer than we at first thought. In providing Fiesta style appeal for those that have grown out of a Fiesta yet arent prepared to accept a Focus, it opens a whole raft of possibilities. Product lines in different sizes become a reality. Think of the Fusion as a Fiesta in Extra Large size and youll not be too far from the point.
Marks and Spencer in automotive form.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Ford Fusion 1.6
PRICES: £11,745-£13,575 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 6
CO2 EMISSIONS: 157g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 10.6s / Max Speed 111mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 31mpg / (extra urban) 54.3mpg / (combined) 43mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 4020/1708/1503mm
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