All-new sedan a formidable competitor to Accord and Camry

Until now, Ford has never built a sedan I’ve been impressed with. With the Fusion, Ford gets it right, offering the kind of stuff that makes for an excellent alternative to the top-selling foreign models that dominate the family-sedan market in the United States. The introduction of Fusion marks the end of the Ford Taurus that, over the years, got uglier and handed over the title of “best selling car in America” to Accord and Camry.

Built in Hermosillo, Mexico, the Fusion — and its siblings Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr — are derivatives of the highly praised Mazda6 sedan, sharing its platform and parts but not styling. Styling comes by way of the Ford 427 concept car previewed on the auto-show circuit in 2003. Thankfully, Ford designers completely ignored styling cues of the frumpy Ford Five Hundred, introduced last year.

Fusion is slotted in Ford’s lineup between the smaller Focus and larger Five Hundred. Its six inches shorter and one inch narrower than the Taurus it replaces.

The exterior features a distinctive three-bar chrome grille with an oversized Ford blue oval and large headlights that angle back up into the top edge of the front fender. Personally, I’m not all that enamored with the look of the headlights.

From the rear, Fusion has a high trunk line with clear lens and chrome tail lamps, a look found on the Nissan Altima. The license plate is set above the bumper; a wide chrome strip with another blue oval emblem completes the look.

The interior has a smooth, clean appearance that is tastefully executed. The low-gloss, soft-touch materials on the dashboard and door panels are a nice touch. There’s a covered compartment atop the dash, perfect for smaller items like change, CD case or note pad and pen. Good use of normally wasted space.

Gauges are small but easy to read, but would look better if they were backlit. My top of the line SEL Fusion came with high gloss piano black plastic trim on the dash and included a chrome-trimmed analog clock in the center stack. I liked the look, and was impressed with fit and finish that, too me, appears more upscale than either Camry or Accord.

Technically a five-passenger sedan, with three adults in the back seat, isn’t meant for long hauls. Driver room was adequate, even for this too-tall driver. Intruding door armrests and a wide center console narrow legroom. The trunk is huge but needs some kind or organizer or cargo net.

Fusion is available in three trim levels — S, SE and SEL — adding standard equipment as you move up. All Fusions are front-wheel-drive four-door sedans. An all-wheel-drive version will be available for 2007, with a hybrid gas/electric Fusion scheduled for 2008. An Accord hybrid is available now and a hybrid Camry will hit the market next fall.

Fusion comes standard with a 2.3-liter, 160-horsepower four-cylinder engine connected to a five-speed manual transmission. A five-speed automatic is optional. A 221-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 is available on SE and SEL Fusions. This is the same 3.0-liter engine used in the Five Hundred, but the horsepower has been increased. This engine comes with one transmission, a six-speed automatic with no manual shift option. Disappointing.

My SEL tester came with the V-6, and I found performance to be responsive and adequate for a week of city/highway driving. The ride is on the firm side, but comfortable. The seats helped minimize any harshness coming from the road.

The engine gets a little buzzy under heavy acceleration and the cabin is a little too noisy at highway speeds. But the car feels solid, agile and free of squeaks and rattles. Braking is excellent.

The steering, however, feels sluggish and heavy. Another complaint is the “too-wide” turning diameter that prohibits pulling into mall parking lot spaces in a single maneuver.

Compared to Camry and Accord, Fusion falls short in the area of safety equipment. While Accord offers standard side and side curtain airbags on 2006 models, they’ll cost you $595 on the Fusion. Antilock brakes will cost another $595 and traction control (only available on the SEL) costs an extra $95. Stability control is not available on any Fusion models.

With Fusion, Ford offers a surprisingly appealing car at a very affordable price. Fusion is the best vehicle Ford has introduced since the Mustang and the most competitive sedan domestic automakers have introduced in years. What remains to be seen is whether Fusion will attract those shopping for an Accord or Camry.