by Andy Zain
The Ford Fusion as a world car, at least from the Ford Motor Company’s perspective, has been trying to fill that role since 2006 in the Americas. There is a European version, also, which truly makes it an offering that’s known and appreciated in a goodly part of the planet. It made its debut in 2006, and is built in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico stamping and assembly plant.
It is at that plant where the sisters to the Fusion, the Mercury Milan and the Lincoln MKZ are also built, though the Ford is by far the more popular machine. All are built off the highly-esteemed CD3 platform, which is also shared with the Mazda6. First built in late 2005, the Fusion is the replacement in Latin America (except in Argentina) for the Ford Mondeo, which was well-liked all around.
It is also on the Fusion where Ford’s now-common ‘three-bar grille’ made its debut. That grille is now omnipresent throughout Ford’s vehicle lineup but was quite new when the Fusion rolled out dressed up in such finery. The Fusion itself falls between the smaller Focus and the larger Taurus in Ford’s vehicle mix and has been a top-selling sedan for Ford ever since.
The Fusion was introduced in three trim levels; S, SE and full-on SEL — that had all the bells and whistles. There are two engines offered, with the standard being an inline four-cylinder that puts out 160 horsepower, which is very nice, and a V6 powerplant that initially delivered 221 horses. The V6 can be had with the SE and SEL. A 5 speed manual or automatic transmission is available in S and SE models, while a 6 speed automatic comes with the SEL.
Over the last few years, Ford hasn’t rested on its laurels, continuing to evolve the Fusion. The company added all-wheel drive to the Fusion’s V6 trim packages in 2007, which is a much-appreciated feature in snowier climates. Even the Fusion S has features normally found only in higher-line vehicles.
Additionally, front-seat side airbags and also side curtain bags were made standard on all three trims, along with a new perimter anti-theft alarm system. Up until 2007, all had been optional. Ford also made available a DVD-based navigation setup, along with satellite radio.
Tire pressure monitoring and anti-lock brakes became standard equipment in 2008 to reflect consumer desires for even more safety features. The very popular Microsoft-designed SYNC system was also added to the Fusion’s already popular equipment list.
Ford Fusion has undergone a complete redesign for 2010, with the most exciting addition to the lineup being the gas-electric hybrid model that delivers a fine 155 horses along with 41 miles per gallon in city driving. Such fuel efficiency was considered impossible just a few short years ago. The new Fusion is bigger and better all around, too, with new standard features across all three trim levels.
Today’s Ford Fusion is quite an improvement in evolution from Ford models of even 10 years ago. Its twin attributes of value and true comfort and convenience are making it a force in the mid-size sedan segment, which has traditionally been dominated by certain foreign automakers.
About the Author:
Andy Zain is the admin of Ford Fusion Forums , a place where fans and owners can get the right information for tuning, customization and general discussions on anything about Ford Fusion. Get the information you need when you visit Ford Truck Forum