INTRODUCTION AND INTERIOR

I drove the Ford Fusion V6 SEL with leather seats. Generally, I'm a fan of Ford products, but the Fusion just doesn't do it for me.

I usually only bring up other reviewers when they contrast my own opinion, but not in this case. I've read some editorial reviews that complained of the interior's facade of cheapness, but I didn't see what they were saying until I saw it in person; the pictures hide it well. The plastic dashboard, the vinyl steering wheel, and even the leather seats are slathered with a weird, rough texture of deep wrinkles. I guess it's supposed to make the interior feel softer and look more organic, but it just reminds me of the weathered, wrinkled flesh of the elderly, or possibly rock or bumpy concrete. Either way, yuck.

There are some high points, though. There are some smooth, glossy interior plastics as well, and the chrome interior door handles are a nice touch. The perforated leather panels in the seats don't look especially nice, but I suppose they do provide better ventilation than solid leather panels. Still, these little minutiae are like the fine detailing on the titanic; they just aren't enough to compensate for the ubiquitous grotesque textures. The Fusion has quite possibly the ugliest, most uninviting interior of any car I've reviewed to date, which is pretty sad considering that it's by far the most expensive car of that group.

The steering wheel controls are the most comprehensive of any I've seen. Not only can one operate the cruise control, alter radio volume, cycle through radio presets and modes, but one can also adjust the strength of the fan for the temperature control.

The interior space was a high point. Based on the extra leg and headroom there was for my 6 foot frame, I guestimate that someone up to 6 feet 6 inches tall could fit in this car in reasonable comfort. In the unlikely case that you're taller than that, you may have some problems.

STYLING

Other reviews I've read criticize the Fusion's styling, citing an appliance-like appearance. I disagree with this condemnation; I actually found the styling to be a high point for this car. The car is universally decorated with sharp, clean edges. The expensive 17 inch alloy wheels like those on my test car consist of glistening spokes that beautifully complement the Fusion's crisp body lines.

My favorite styling cue is the three-bar chrome grille, not to be confused with the three-blade Schick Fusion.  I read somewhere that Ford plans to use this grille as its trademark grille for the next 10 years, which seems like a good idea to me. You don't see as many chrome grilles now as you used to, which is a shame, since they really set off a front end.

ON THE ROAD

The Ford Fusion isn't obtrusively loud or rough, but it's not smooth or quiet enough to make you feel pampered with luxury when you drive it. The engine is always reasonably quiet unless you stomp on it; since the engine is a V-6 which is so much bigger and more potent than the 4-cylinders in the other cars I reviewed, it makes adequate power at lower, quieter rpm ranges. Still, this effect is not as pronounced as one might expect. At low speeds, requesting acceleration from a stop often drives the engine speed to around 3500 to 4500 rpm, at which point the engine calls attention to itself. When the engine speed approaches redline, it yells at a loud and unimpressive note.

On the highway, the road noise drowns out the engine noises at typical operating rpm ranges. During one long stretch of highway (not the entire highway trip), I heard an irritating, persistent whine. I don't know if that was something in the car or just an unfortunate characteristic of that particular road surface, but I just wanted it to stop. During the rest of the test drive, I concluded that there isn't much insulation between the Fusion driver and the road. When I hit a tar line or other major road imperfection on the highway, the sound was so pronounced that I almost checked the rearview to see what fell off of my test car.

As I stated earlier, the ride isn't the best, acting a little on the busy on the highway. I suspect that Ford was concentrating more on sharp handling with minimal body roll than a smooth, luxurious ride. It's not quite as busy as the Chevrolet Cobalt I reviewed, but it doesn't hold a candle to the glassy-smooth ride of the Chrysler PT Cruiser in my previous review.

Visibility leaves a little to be desired. The sill line curves upward as it goes to the rear of the car, which cuts out some of the lower portion of the driver's field of view around the rear. The view is still 360 degree panoramic, and only inordinately low objects could elude the driver's view. The most prominent effect of this is a feeling of being closed in and disconnected from the environment when surveying the surrounding traffic.

The Ford Fusion fares better on the performance end of the spectrum. The 221 horsepower V6 loudly but surely rockets the Fusion to as fast as 90 mph on an onramp from a dead stop…or, uh, so I would imagine…of course, that would be illegal, so I would never actually try such a thing…

Moving right along, the tires would squeal if I slammed on the brakes, but despite the broken traction, these brakes seemed to yield more stopping power than the mushier brakes in some of the other cars I drove. Using a little restraint on the pedal, a really prompt halt can be achieved.

I tested the handling by turning right from a 2-lane street (one lane each way) to the inside (farther) lane of a 4-lane street (two lanes each way). I live in America, where we drive on the right side of the road. When I went through at 20 mph, the car went through seamlessly. When I went through at 25 mph, the Fusion still took the turn with effective precision, but the tires screamed in protest the whole way. Body roll was well controlled, and the seats are shaped in such a way to provide nice lateral support during such maneuvers.

AWARDS

Not surprisingly, I couldn't find any awards for the Ford Fusion (although there may be some). This is at least partially because the Fusion is too new to have been recognized anything.

THE VERDICT

For my taste, the provocative styling just can't paper over Ford Fusion's mediocrity and general lack of refinement. Despite the difference in power, the much cheaper PT Cruiser was actually more enjoyable to drive, as were some of the other lower priced cars. I recommend this car only for those who want a sporty sedan with a 200+ horsepower V6, but don't want to pay thousands more for the equivalent Toyota Camry or Honda Accord. (Before deciding on the Fusion, test drive the Hyundai Sonata which is very similar in specs, features, and price; you may be pleasantly surprised.) However, drivers like me who desire a polished, luxurious car should look elsewhere.