I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the 'Better than: Infiniti G25' - really? Is it just more features, or are the driving dunamics and fit and finish better?
Better than: Infiniti G25
But not as good as: Subaru WRX
GRM Bang For The Buck Index: 85.52
The Fusion was a hit when introduced for the 2006 model year. It was and still is a rebadged Mazda6, but while the Mazda received a platform update for 2009, the Ford marches on with a tweaked and facelifted version of how it was introduced.
Our tester came well equipped in an eye-catching Blue Flame Metallic paint, with coordinated blue dash inserts and interior accent lighting. Power comes from a a Duratec 3.5-liter V6 driving all four wheels through a manually shiftable six-speed automatic trans.
At this price, it comes with more features than our recent Infiniti G25 tester. Blind spot detection, rain-sensing wipers, and navigation. All those dollars don't buy you an upscale name, though.
I was shocked to see the weight figure on this car. It's nimble, tossable, and—dare I say it—fun. It's tight, eager to be bossed around. Kind of like a two-ton puppy. When flipped into manual mode, you can bounce the engine off the rev limiter as long as you'd care to—a rarity in today's ubiquitous manumatic cars.
The color is absolutely beautiful in person, but the interior was a bit controversial. My girlfriend described Ford's illuminated cup holders as "something out of a '90s rave party." I admit, with a bit of shame, that I liked the look—and the blue plastic cladding on the dashboard, too. It was all so boy-racer; unabashedly loud. I can't defend it aesthetically, but I like it nonetheless.
The Fusion is probably not on the radar of my GRM readers. It's not sexy or overly sporty. For the masses, though, it's a fine people-mover. The interiors are nice and comfortable, and I think the shape has aged well. Unless I lived in Colorado, I'd probably ditch the all-wheel drive. On our test car, at least, it turned one of today's best family car buys into a rather expensive purchase.
I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the 'Better than: Infiniti G25' - really? Is it just more features, or are the driving dunamics and fit and finish better?
The Fusion was a hit when introduced for the 2006 model year. It was and still is a rebadged Mazda6, but while the Mazda received a platform update for 2009, the Ford marches on with a tweaked and facelifted version of how it was introduced.
Our tester came well equipped in an eye-catching Blue Flame Metallic paint, with coordinated blue dash inserts and interior accent lighting. Power comes from a a Duratec 3.5-liter V6 driving all four wheels through a manually shiftable six-speed automatic trans.
At this price, it comes with more features than our recent Infiniti G25 tester. Blind spot detection, rain-sensing wipers, and navigation. All those dollars don't buy you an upscale name, though.
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