Ford FUSION RANGE
What Exactly Is A
Ford Fusion? Andy Enright Goes In Search Of Answers
Purely in the interests of self amusement, I zeroed my stopwatch and set it running as soon as the Ford PR man started answering the question "What is the Ford Fusion all about?" How long would it take before that icky L-word lifestyle cropped up. I made it three seconds. Heres a car that attempts to span the gap between perception and reality.
We like to think of ourselves as sporty, active, dynamic and young at heart. In our imaginary promotional video, we throw the skis/surfboard/mountain bikes into the back of the Ford Fusion, smile an ice-white grin at the camera, check out our tan in the rear view and then pull away. Extreme. Every days a Saturday, the sun always shines and birds never unload on your bonnet.
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The reality, as
Ford and every other manufacturer expect us to forget, is slightly different. Its a world of screaming kids, garden centres, mother-in-law fetching and 3mph crawls to work. This is what the Fusion was designed for. It works better on the North Circular than it does at the North Face.
Despite having a front end bluffer than said section of the Eiger, the Fusion isnt really a go-anywhere vehicle. Built on the same front-wheel drive underpinnings as the Fiesta it is in some respects a latter day incarnation of the Matra Rancho and if you remember one of those, you really are an anorak. Suffice it to say that it supplied the go-anywhere looks without the need for the expensive go-anywhere hardware that would normally accompany them.
"It works better on the North Circular than it does at the North Face."
It takes a long memory to establish when Ford last launched a dud and the current Fiesta has received a warm press, tempered by the almost unreasonable levels of expectation that a new Ford generates a victim of the parent companys latter day reputation for excellence. The Fusion is a spin-off from the Fiesta theme, though youd be hard pushed to establish that from Fords big build up. If we suspend our inbuilt cynicism of the PR machine, what are we left with? Basically, the Fusion looks like a Fiesta on stilts with some clever packaging tricks up its sleeve. The rugged bumpers and
mini-4x4 stance of the original Frankfurt show car have been toned down into something far more conventional, the Fusion slotting into the supermini-MPV class quite nicely, despite Fords claims to the contrary.
Its a market that features purpose built designs like the
Toyota Yaris Verso, crossover designs like the
Suzuki Ignis,
Honda Jazz and
Daihatsu YRV and forthcoming entrants like Vauxhalls Corsa-based supermini-MPV. In short, its one of the hot sectors. Perhaps Ford are being slightly disingenuous when they claim theyve found a white space, a sub segment of the market that has yet to be identified by other manufacturers. Even if the Fusion does find a few footprints on its supposedly virgin terrain, it looks well equipped to stake its claim.
Four engine choices are offered, the popular 1.4-litre TDCi common rail turbodiesel that generates 67bhp, a more powerful 90bhp 1.6-litre TDCi, or a pair of 16v petrol units a 1.4-litre powerplant thats good for 79bhp or a 99bhp 1.
6-litre engine. Prices run between £10,145 and £14,475. Should you want to expend less effort in the city, a clutchless Durashift version is also available. Trim levels run between 1,2 and 3 although a luxury Fusion + can be ordered that includes in-car DVD entertainment for rear
seat passengers, bigger alloy wheels and a subtle styling kit.
In designing the Fusion for urban families, a number of key criteria had to be met. These elements included a higher driving position to give good all round visibility, body height and wheel designs optimised for ground clearance and ride comfort so that Fusion drivers can easily shrug off kerbs, speed humps and the worst urban potholes. So-called cubed-out architecture maximises seating space while the same philosophy maximises the luggage space by providing a squared-off rear header and a flat load floor. That 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. The high seating position gives a commanding view of the road ahead and theres a wonderful sense of airiness about the cabin.
As well as offering the usual split/fold rear seats, the Fusion also allows the front passenger seat and the rear seats to fold flat, although the operation isnt as slick as in some rivals. Even with the seats in an upright position, the boot is impressive with a standard luggage volume of some 337 litres. Should you need to slide luggage out from the rear, Ford have thoughtfully designed the Fusion with no rear loading lip. The elevated seating position also allows for extra stowage space under the passenger seats, whilst the fascia features a flip-top bin like the Galaxy whilst the main instruments are housed in a neat oval binnacle.
The Fusion isnt the great conceptual leap forward that Ford are claiming, but it nevertheless establishes itself pretty quickly as the default choice in the supermini-MPV sector. Certainly, the Fusion is sure to prove attractive to those families that have either grown out of a regular supermini or who find larger MPVs just too cumbersome. Until the Focus C-MAX arrived Ford had no MPV offering below the full-sized Galaxy and the Fusion was a belated but nonetheless welcome entry by Ford into one of the fastest growing market sectors. It may not be as innovative as it thinks it is, but its doubtless good enough to leapfrog the existing pack.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Ford Fusion range
PRICES: £10,145-£14,475 on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 4-6
CO2 EMISSIONS: 116-157g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.4 petrol] 0-60mph 13.7s / Max Speed 102mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.4 petrol] (combined) 43.7mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 4020/1708/1503mm
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