Ford’s power, fit and finish trump Toyota’s warhorse

The Detroit News 05/03/06

by Anita Lienert and Paul Lienert (Copyright 2006)

ANN ARBOR — When we decided to stage the definitive showdown between two of the top family sedans in North America, our choices quickly narrowed to the newest and most popular designs on the market: The 2006 Ford Fusion and the 2007 Toyota Camry.

The historic battle in this segment between Ford and Toyota, which dates back nearly two decades, has been so fierce that when the Taurus edged the Camry for the U.S. sales crown one year, Ford's public-relations department hired a marching band to trumpet that fact up and down Jefferson Avenue.

Our premise for this historic rematch was simple: If you're a family of modest means, with about $25,000 to spend on some new everyday wheels, which car offers the best value?

With the all-new Fusion supplanting the Taurus for model year 2006 and the long-lived Camry (the reigning sales champ) getting a major redesign for 2007, one of the two rivals is about ready to strike up the band once again.

The '06 Fusion starts at $17,795, including shipping. We tested a top-of-the-line Fusion SEL with lots of equipment and a sticker price of $25,650. The '07 Camry is priced from $18,850. We drove a midrange Camry LE with a modest number of extras and a bottom line of $24,266.

Exterior

Bold. In your face. And very, very American. The Fusion boasts a distinctive exterior that Ford designers like to refer to as go-Daddy — shorthand for hip and edgy. With its big chrome grille, flanked by wrapover headlamps, and other Ford family styling cues, Fusion has a brash and sporty personality that has struck a responsive chord with buyers since its debut last fall.

The redesigned Camry adopts precisely the opposite tack. In a dramatic stylistic departure from its bland predecessor, the '07 model takes a huge step upmarket. Now, the Camry looks an awful lot like a little Lexus, not a garden-variety family schlepper, with a new elegance and sophistication that the Fusion lacks.

Depending on your personal taste, this one's a toss-up.

Winner: Tie

Interior

Oddly enough, where the Toyota had the more luxurious exterior, Ford came up with a ritzier cabin.

The Camry LE was outfitted in a very subtle two-tone interior scheme, with cloth seats and not a lot of amenities. Considering that the base Camry starts at under $19,000, we were surprised that the midlevel LE model didn't seem that much fancier, especially considering the $24,000-plus sticker on our test vehicle.

Moreover, we were startled, and disappointed, by the less-than-sterling assembly quality on our test Camry, which was actually built in Japan, and not in Toyota's huge assembly plant in Georgetown, Ky. Regardless of location, there is no excuse for the poor trim fits we encountered inside our test vehicle — especially not in a segment that's as competitive as this, and certainly not with the golden reputation for quality that Toyota has enjoyed for so many years.

The Fusion, on the other hand, proved to be a pleasant surprise, with an upscale cabin upholstered in rich perforated leather, with handsome piano-black trim. The pieces fit together neatly (the Fusion is assembled in Mexico), and there were enough standard and optional features to give you the impression of driving a near-luxury vehicle.

Winner: Fusion

Ride & handling

Handling tends to be a fairly subjective issue, and it often takes a back seat to ride quality among family buyers. Both our test sedans displayed a very comfortable ride that should be quite acceptable to most shoppers in this segment.

When it comes to agility and maneuverability, however, the Fusion has a clear edge over the Camry. While most midsize family sedans feel neutral, if not a little soggy, in terms of handling, the Fusion is crisp and lively, sharing a delightful nimbleness with its cousin, the Mazda6 (both cars employ a common underbody). It's certainly no BMW, but enthusiasts will appreciate the more sporting flavor of the Ford over Toyota's middle-of-the-road approach.

Winner: Fusion

Powertrain

Between our two test vehicles, the Fusion was the clear winner in this department, by virtue of the fact that it offered two more cylinders, one more transmission gear and 63 more horsepower, for not much more money.

While a DOHC 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine is standard in the base model, our range-topping Fusion SEL was equipped with a responsive twin-cam 3.0-liter V-6 that delivers an ample 221 horsepower and comes mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

In comparison, our Camry LE was fitted with a very sturdy DOHC 2.4-liter I-4 and smooth-shifting five-speed automatic. The Toyota four-cylinder engine makes 158 horsepower — perfectly adequate for everyday driving, but nowhere near as quick and powerful as the Ford V-6.

Moreover, the Camry's fuel economy isn't much better than the Fusion's. The EPA ratings on our test Camry LE were 24 mpg in city driving and 33 on the highway; the Fusion SEL was rated at 21 and 29 — very respectable figures for a V-6 with automatic.

Winner: Fusion

Safety

You have to pay extra for most of the safety equipment on the Fusion, even the high-line SEL. Side air bags and side curtains are part of a $595 package; antilock brakes cost $595 and traction control adds $95.

Virtually all that gear comes standard on the Camry LE, including ABS, side air bags and curtains, plus a driver's knee air bag, which is something you'd expect to see on the more expensive Lexus models. Traction control comes bundled with stability control for an extra $650.

Winner: Camry

Summary

Considering the $1,384 price difference between our two test vehicles, the Fusion SLE seemed to offer so much more than the Camry LE, in terms of engine size and performance, as well as creature comforts and — most surprising of all — assembly quality.

Overall Winner: Ford Fusion . . .

Ford Fusion

2006 Ford Fusion All-new midsize sedan seems rock-solid. By John Rettie

Introduction

It's tough to imagine that a decade ago Ford sold the best selling car in the U.S. Back in the 1990s, sales of the Ford Taurus eclipsed those of the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

Then the market shifted to trucks and SUVs and it seemed like Ford abandoned the car market. Sales of the Ford Explorer skyrocketed. The Taurus slumped and was relegated to the rental car fleets. People who wanted a mid-size sedan bought Japanese cars.

Ford is now determined to regain its footing in the car market. The Ford Fusion just may be the right answer and just in the nick of time. In any case, Ford appears to have done its homework.

Based on the highly praised Mazda6 sedan, the Fusion is a rock solid entry at a decent price. It handles well, looks purposeful and delivers good value for the money.

Model Lineup

The 2006 Ford Fusion was launched with front-wheel drive, but an all-wheel-drive version will be available later in calendar year 2006. The mid-size, four-door sedan comes with the choice of two engines, three transmissions, and three trim levels.

All trim levels come standard with a 2.3-liter 160-horsepower four-cylinder Duratec engine coupled to a five-speed manual transmission. A four-speed automatic transmission is optional ($1,095).

The Fusion S ($17,345) comes standard with air conditioning, four-wheel disc brakes, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, power door locks with remote keyless entry, power windows and mirrors, AM/FM stereo with four speakers and a single CD/MP3 player.

The SE adds a six-way power driver seat, two additional speakers, redundant speed and audio controls on the steering wheel, dual illuminated mirrors in the sun visors and carbon fiber center stack applique.

The SEL adds fog lamps, 17-inch wheels, automatic temperature control, upgraded wood or piano black interior trim, premium six-disc in-dash CD/MP3 player, leather wrapped steering wheel and an analog clock.

A 3.0-liter V6 engine producing 221 horsepower coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission is available for the SE and SEL. (No manual transmission is offered with the V6.)

Leather seating is optional and a power moonroof is available.

Safety features include optional side curtain airbags for head protection in both roads, seat-mounted side-impact airbags for thorax protection for the front seats, anti-lock brakes (ABS) and traction control.

Walkaround

The Ford Fusion actually has presence, amazing in a segment where most cars blend in. Some people like the aggressive, angular look, some don't.

It starts with the large headlights that rise up into the top edge of the front fender, which features a crisp fold along the top edge that runs all the way back along the edge of the roof to the trunk. Three thick chrome bars across the grille also make the car look more upmarket than its pricing might suggest. The front bumper almost disappears as there are two chrome strips below it that match the ones on the grille.

The Fusion has a wide track, which makes it stand out on the freeway when viewed from behind. A high trunk line and large triangular taillight clusters with chrome trim give the rear end a classy look, not unlike some newer Cadillacs.

Overall, the Fusion is slightly smaller than the Taurus it replaces, but it has much the same dimensions as its competitors. Although the Fusion shares the same basic floorpan as the Mazda 6 its wheelbase is two inches longer and it is an inch or so wider. Ford also says it is a stiffer bodyshell than the Mazda6, which is good.

Interior Features

In keeping with its European influence, Ford has chosen to go with the soft touch for surface materials, which is expected in a luxury car but not in a mass-market car.

The dashboard is a straightforward design that runs horizontally across the car's width with just a binnacle above the instrument pod. It contains four small gauges that are easy to read as they are separated from each other rather than overlapping and the figures are in a large font. Decent sized control buttons for the radio and climate controls should please everyone.

The center stack is simple, but nothing to write home about. The car we drove had a dark charcoal interior so everything was finished in black. The optional two-tone interior, especially the dark stone and camel with faux wood trim looks more inviting.

A convenient storage bin on top of the dashboard features a large clamshell lid and it's big enough to hold a phone or small camera as well as maps and the like. The center console, door pockets, and front seatback pockets provide additional storage.

Rear-seat passengers will find a decent amount of leg room with nicely shaped front seatbacks that allow for plenty of foot space. Head and leg room measurements don't put the Fusion at the top of its class, but the back seat feels roomier than the numbers suggest.

The Fusion has a good-size trunk with a flat floor and low lift over. The scissor-type hinges avoid the annoyance of luggage being crushed by gooseneck hinges. All Fusion models include a 60/40 split rear seatback, which allows for a generous amount of pass-through space.

Driving Impressions

The Mazda6 and Ford Focus have established themselves as class-leading cars when it comes to handling. Ford openly admits that it's taken these traits from the two cars to make sure the Fusion inherits the same attributes. Judging by our all-too-brief test drive in a V6-powered Fusion SEL we can say they have succeeded.

On the road, the Ford Fusion feels bigger than it looks, but it handled curvy mountain roads above Hollywood with ease. The rack-and-pinion steering was precise with just the right amount of weight to make the driver feel connected to the road without being twitchy.

In the past, a car that handled well often came with a stiff ride. That's certainly not the case with the Fusion. Its long wheelbase and wide track puts the four wheels at the corners for good handling and a better ride. The front suspension is a short/long arm design while the rear wheels are anchored through a multi-link setup. Improved bushings and hydraulic engine mounts keep vibration and road noise to a minimum.

The 221-horsepower V6 engine provides enough power, although the Fusion will not likely be mistaken for a sports sedan. According to Ford's own tests the Fusion can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 8 seconds, a reasonable performance though not as quick as the V6 versions of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.

The six-speed automatic transmission is very smooth. Shift into Drive and it works well. However, drivers who want more control won't find it here. Shifting from D to L only locks out fifth and sixth gears. Also, there's no indicator showing the driver what gear it's in at any given moment and around town it's difficult to tell by feel.

The Fusion V6 manages 29 mpg on the highway, according to the EPA. That's quite respectable for a V6 and the four-cylinder model with the five-speed manual betters this figure by a couple of miles per gallon.

We have not yet had the opportunity to try a Fusion with a four-cylinder engine. Considering the improved performance, smoother six-speed automatic transmission and almost identical fuel consumption, the V6 model is probably the best value for most buyers. Because of this, Ford expects more than half of Fusion buyers will opt for the V6 models.

Summary

The new Ford Fusion combines the best features of a great European economy car with those a sporty Japanese sedan. The Fusion offers the sporty handling of the Mazda 6 and the value and comfort of the Ford Focus. Safety features are optional, however.

New Car Test Drive correspondent John Rettie filed this report from Hollywood, California.