Ford’s new Fusion nothing like your average old sedan
Sound new strategy pays off for streamlined company
THE sub-premium sedan market is dead‚ or at least that has been the outlook from many quarters of the industry – but there seems to be a resurgence of sorts if cars such as the Ford Fusion on test here are anything to go by.
Since off-loading Mazda and streamlining its product portfolio‚ it is safe to say that Ford has a sound strategy in place to compete more meaningfully in the respective segments where it is playing. There are several new models on the way.
The Fusion sedan is arguably one of the most striking vehicles in the sedan segment‚ particularly with that prominent trapezoidal grille that had many musing about how close to an Aston Martin it looks.
On test here is the entry level 1.5litre Ecoboost in Trend specification and‚ aside from those puny 16-inch wheels‚ the rest of the package looks really good.
The interior in particular is a huge step forward for the brand and most of the materials used are of good quality relative to its competitors. Space was obviously top of mind when the model was designed and the Fusion has this in spades.
You can easily lounge in the rear quarters as there is an abundance of leg and headroom on offer. Boot space measures 453-litres in standard guise so you can pretty much cram a Figo in there if you like.
Ergonomics are also top-notch and I quite enjoyed the relatively easy-touse infotainment screen that offers voice commands and is easily paired with your smartphone.
There is also a great deal of standard equipment on offer. In fact you would have to pay in the region of R100 000 extra in a C-segment German sedan to match the Fusion’s equipment levels.
Then there is the 1.5-litre Ecoboost engine that does duty in both the Focus and Kuga and works a treat here. Offering 132kW and 240Nm through a six-speed automatic transmission‚ I was pleasantly surprised at how competent the engine is‚ while the gearbox worked in unison with the powerplant‚ doing its duties of keeping the engine in its optimal power band.
Average consumption was in the 8litre/100km mark and‚ while that might seem a bit high for the engine‚ it is more than acceptable when taking the size of the vehicle into account.
On the road the vehicle feels substantial‚ comfortable and well insulated from noise intrusion. The suspension in particular is worth a mention as it offers an excellent blend of comfort and dynamics.
There were some shortfalls‚ though — namely the boot operation on our test car which squeaked disconcertingly when opening. Also‚ the left gearbox paddle shift on the steering wheel was coming adrift‚ but I managed to clip the two plastic pieces back in place and it stayed that way right through the test tenure.
These bugbears aside‚ the model just about manages to impress on every account‚ which is something that will bode well for potential buyers shopping for a family sedan.
In the grand scheme of things you would be hard pressed to find better value elsewhere.