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MM Condensed-Review: 2016 Ford Fusion
A Condensed Review of the 2016 Ford Fusion
http://www.ford.com/cars/fusion/?gnav=header-cars
IN A NUTSHELL: Arguably the best of Ford's American-market four-door sedans.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Chevrolet Malibu, Chrysler 200, Nissan Altima, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Mazda6, VW Passat, Subaru Legacy (unlike the others, the Legacy comes with standard AWD).
;
;
;
(TerraCotta Leather Package shown)
;
OVERVIEW:
While attending the recent 2016 Washington, D.C. Auto Show, I signed up for the Ford/Lincoln Test-Drive offers for pre-paid Mastercards like I do every year. I had especially wanted to sample the new Lincoln Continental (which, IMO, was one of the best displays at the show), but the limit on the test-drive offer was at the end of March. Just as with the recent Lincoln MKC in 2014 and MKX last year, the Continental won't be released until later in the year....so I pretty much had to use it on something else. Of course, I don't review or test-drive vehicles simply to get paid or compensated for it.........if I wanted to do that, I'd join the auto press as a journalist. I review simply for an in interest in vehicles as an enthusiast....and often (but not always), at the request of others. Still, it's nice to get that great cup of Starbucks French Roast or Christmas Blend each morning at company expense......I brew it myself at home, and it's a real enjoyment for me.
Anyhow, enough about me, my coffee, and the show. This article is not about that, but an auto review............ so let's get down to cars. With the Ford/Lincoln offer, I chose the latest 2016 Ford Fusion for several reasons.....its wide appeal to the public with good sales, its popularity in the auto press, its wide availability in stock, and the many Ford dealerships in my area (Lincolns are sold out of only a few of them.....the Lincoln brand does not have dedicated franchise-dealerships). I had also formerly sampled a same-generation Fusion Hybrid a few years ago (also from the show's test-drive Mastercard offer), and had been very impressed with its engineering and chassis......although the test-drive the dealer-reps allowed me on the road was not quite as long as I would have liked. Consumer Reports gives the Fusion an average to slightly-above-average rating, which is good enough for recommendation. So, since I had already written up a Fusion Hybrid, I chose a gas-engine model this time, to see how it would compare.
The original American-market mid-size Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan/Lincoln Zephyr Triplet 4-door sedans, based on the Euro-market Ford Mondeo, were introduced in the fall of 2005 as 2006 models, and, unlike many other American-branded vehicles of the time, developed a reputation for reliability...at one time, FWD versions were well-above-average in that department. Unlike most other mid-sized family sedans (the Subaru Legacy and MazdaSpeed6 turbos were two exceptions), the Ford triplets offered a useful AWD option for winter. The Lincoln Zephyr (later changed to MKZ), of course, offered the nicest interior and trim....but the Fusion was not exactly cheap inside, either.
A major refresh (not a true redesign) was launched in the fall of 2009 as a 2010 model, but, of course, Mercury folded soon after that, leaving only the Fusion and MKZ. The refresh also added a new Hybrid version. The true 2nd-generation model (which is still in production today) debuted in 2013. The Fusion line has expanded to eight different trim-models now......quite a choice, although still only in the four-door-sedan body style (hatchback and wagon versions, sadly, are confined to other non-American markets). Models come in S, SE, Hybrid S, Hybrid SE, Titanium, Hybrid Titanium, Energi SE, and Energi Titanium (the Energi versions, unlike Ford's smaller pure-electric Focus, are extended-range Hybrids). Base prices start at $22,110 for S models and run to $35,730 for the Energi Titanium. Depending on the trim-model, three different four-cylinder gas engines (2.5L non-turbo, 1.5L Ecoboost Turbo with or without auto-start/stop feature, and 2.0L Ecoboost Turbo), two different transmissions (Select-Shift 6-speed automatic or CVT Continuously Variable Transmission), and two different Hybrid gas/electric systems with a non-turbo 2.0L are offered. Some versions, of course, with the larger engines, also offer an AWD option. I'll refer the reader to Ford's web-site above for the details and specs, as this is a condensed-review and I'm not going to list them all here like I often do.
For the review, I chose a white FWD SE model, equipped with the 2.0L turbo four gas engine and a fair amount of options. I had had recent experience with the Chevrolet Malibu's 1.5L turbo four (same size as the 1.5L EcoBoost turbo four in the Fusion), and was not impressed with that engine. The 2.0L in my test car cost an extra $1000, but IMO was definitely worth the money...more on that later. (a non-turbo V6, IMO, would be better yet, but the upcoming CAFE gas-mileage rules are all but killing them in small-to-medium size vehicles). My test car also had some big manufacturer and dealer incentives....see the pricing below.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2016 Ford Fusion SE FWD
BASE PRICE: $24,170
OPTIONS:
SE Luxury Package: $2350
White Platinum Tri-Coat Paint: $595
2.0L EcoBoost Turbo Four Engine: $1000
Moonroof/Garage-Door Opener: $1095
SE Tech/MY TOUCH Package: $1195
Navigation Package: $795
18" Ebony Alloy Wheels: $595
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $875 (Reasonable for a car this size)
LIST PRICE BEFORE REBATES: $32,670
MANUFACTURER REBATES:
SYNC/Sound-System Discount: -$490
SE Tech Package Discount: -$610
Equipment Group Savings: -$300
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $31,270*
*This particular dealership advertised an Internet asking price on this car of $24,976, which is almost as low as the car's base price. If they will actually honor it in a deal, this car, IMO, would be quite a bargain.
DRIVETRAIN: FWD, Transverse-mounted 2.0L in-line turbo four, 240 HP @ 5500 RPM (Premium Fuel), 231 HP @ 5500 RPM (Regular Fuel), Torque 270 Ft-lbs. @ 3000 RPM, 6-speed Select-Shift automatic transmission.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 22 City, 33 Highway, 26 Combined (not bad for a non-hybrid/non-diesel car of this size and power).
EXTERIOR COLOR: White Platinum (Pearl) Tri-Coat.
INTERIOR: Charcoal Black Leather.
PLUSSES:
Sophisticated Germanic driving feel and road-manners.
Excellent handling.
Decent wind/road-noise control.
Well-engineered chassis.
Good power from the 2.0L Ecoboost four.
Generally solid body and sheet-metal construction.
Relatively good ride comfort with the 18" wheels.
Nice electronically-programable analog-display gauges.
Generally comfortable front and rear leather seats.
Handy convex side mirror-tips help prevent blind spots.
Generally easy-to-use/decipher controls/buttons (except for NAV screen).
Relatively nicely-finished cargo-area.
Ford's capless refueling system makes fill-ups easier.
MINUSES:
No more V6 engines for the Fusion.
Underhood layout on the 2.0L could be better for DIY'ers..
Mixed-Quality interior trim materials.
Some cheap-feeling interior plastic knobs.
Manual hood-prop instead of struts.
No body-side moldings for parking lot protection.
Bang-Your-Head rear entry/exit for tall persons.
Very tight rear headroom for tall persons under the moonroof.
Rear legroom can be tight, depending on where the front seats are set.
Brake pedal poorly-placed for large shoes/feet.
Video Screen quite complex.
EXTERIOR:
The exterior, of course is pretty much the same as the Fusion has been the last several years....no significant changes were made this year. The overall styling, with its sleekness an Aston-Martin-style grille has been a hit with many both in and out of the auto press...I find it handsome overall, but the droop-down rear roofline makes for head-banging entry/exit for tall persons, poor rear headroom, reduced visibility out the back, and a rather short trunk-lid opening. Except for the lightweight aluminum hood, the overall body and sheet-metal construction seems quite heavy and solid The doors, though not actually closing with a particularly solid thunk, are physically heavy enough in their construction to require some muscle to swing open and shut (you don't see that very often on today's vehicles). The paint jobs are very well done, almost to Lexus/Audi standards...the white pearl on my test-car cost an extra $595, as it does from a number of other auto manufacturers. The paint-color choice looked decent but, except for the pearl white, somewhat on the dull side....a nice dark greenish-gray color was available recently but seems to have been discontinued.
UNDERHOOD:
The lightweight aluminum hood does have a flimsy feel, but it at least makes the manual prop-rod that you have to fool with (instead of nice gas struts) somewhat less annoying. The transversely-mounted 2.0L turbo four fits in OK, but a huge plastic engine cover blocks almost all of the upper-engine components. There is only a small amount of room to reach side-components, below the cover. The battery is to the right-rear, uncovered, but is partially-buried under the protruding firewall-lid, and the rear-termnal is very hard to reach. That may (?) be a design-effort on the part of the car's engineers to get as much of the car's weight towards the middle as possible for good handling....more on that later. The dipsticks, filler-caps, and fluid-reservoirs, in contrast, are all out in the open, completely exposed, and very easy to reach.
INTERIOR:
Inside, the Fusion has a fairly nice interior overall, and uses some nice-grade materials in some places, though some cost-cutting can be seen in others....such as in the cheap-feeling rotary knobs, center-dash-plastic, and the typical Ford parts-bin flat-black El Cheapo plastic stalks and shift-paddes (those stalks and paddles are also used in most recent Lincolns, I might add). The ceiling and sun-visors have a nice-grade fabric, and the well-done steering wheel is comfortable to hold. The gauges are electrically-done in analog-type patterns, generally easy to read, and are programmable in different patterns, though the butt/adjacent secondary fuel and engine-temp gauges can be difficult to tell apart until you get used to them. The leather front seats are quite comfortable and well-padded (almost reminded me, but not quite, of the ones in my Verano). The rear seats are generally comfortable by rear-seat standards, but not as thickly-padded as the ones in the bigger brother Ford Taurus, which feel like they would support a freight-locomotive. Under the moonroof housing, headroom is OK in front, depending on where you have the seat-height set, but is very restricted for tall persons in back. Legroom, in back, can also be rather tight for tall persons......depending, again, on where the front seats are set. The overall control pattern with buttons and switches is not difficult, and fairly easy to use, but the video screen is very complex and requires a lot of touch-button work. Ford products have been criticized for this before, both in the auto press and with customers/owners, so perhaps this is not surprising. At least the lettering and icon-quality in the screen itself is of excellent clarity (more or less comparable, IMO, to a HD TV signal)...so the complexity is tempered somewhat. The stereo-sound quality in my test-car (which had the SYNC-sound system package in it) was excellent, though not quite to Mark Levinson standards.
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Open up the very solid-feeling trunk lid (the sharp rake of the roof line cuts deeply into the size of the lid itself), and one is greeted with a fairly sizable trunk, with a decent grade dark-gray carpet on the floor and a matching-color thin-fabric on the walls. Despite the smaller size of the trunk lid from the sharply-raked roof, most objects of a size normally carried in trunks can be easily loaded and unloaded under the lid. The 60/40 rear seats drop down for added cargo space, and the locks/hardware that holds them in place feel and sound tank-solid. Under the floor is the usual temporary-spare tire, but I don't formally list that as a complaint any more (though I still feel that cars should have real spares) because it simply does no good.....the auto companies are determined to use temporaries and other cheap substitutes like compressed-air-bottles instead of the real thing.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the 2.0L turbo four with a conventional side-column ignition key/switch (some versions use an engine start/stop button) and the engine settles into a smooth but not really silent idle. Still low-speed noise/vibration/harshness is not bad for a four, but you can tell it's not a (desired) V6. Power delivery is quite good though, and there's enough torque, at lower RPMs, to push you into the setback and safely cut into most spaces if needed (one more reason, IMO, not to get the wimpy base engines). Don't get me wrong.....I'm not considered an aggressive driver by any means, but a vehicle occasionally does need power to safely merge into or avoid traffic, or to climb hills, and, IMO, based on my recent experience with 1.5L turbo in the Malibu, the 1.4L turbo in the Buick Encore, and 1.6L turbo in the Ford Escape, those small engines simply don't deliver enough of it. The 6-speed Select-Shift transmission generally shifts smoothly and seamlessly (not all Ford automatics do)...to shift manually, pull the lever back into "S" and use the column shift-paddles (whose thin-plastic black cheapness spoils the otherwise nicely-done transmission LOL)
The chassis, however, DOES deliver. Much has been written in the auto press (and even Consumer Reports) about this car's Germanic qualities on the road. Believe it. This car, with the 18" wheels, tracks down the road with stability, responds instantly to the steering (by sedan standards), strongly resists body-roll, has at least some road-feel in the electric power steering (which is difficult to achieve), and just begs to be driven down a two-lane winding road. Ride comfort, despite the clearly sport-oriented underpinnings, is good considering that level of response, and road noise, on the particular set of tires that came with this car (I forget their brand) was generally well-controlled. Wind noise, perhaps from the solid heavy doors and seals, was also generally well-controlled. The brakes were effective, but one fly in the ointment was the mounting of the brake-pedal in a position that allowed my big circus-clown size-15 shoe to knock against it while taking my foot off the gas, going for the brake...that is a problem for me in some vehicles, though I'm used to it.
THE VERDICT:
Although the Opel-based Buick Regal GS might also qualify in this class, If you want an American-brand family sedan with BMW-grade road manners (or what at least passed for a BMW until recently)....then here's your machine, look no further. No, it doesn't have a BMW M or Mercedes AMG-grade engine, but the turbo 2.0L will at least get out of its own way if needed. This car is reasonably-priced (especially with factory/dealer incentives), reasonably reliable according to Consumer Reports, solidy-built in the sheet metal department, and, IMO, is a pleasure to drive. It will, of course, also take the family on errands or vacation (just make sure that your tall teenagers don't bang their heads in the back seat if you have a moonroof), and will do so giving decent gas mileage for a car of this type. Yes, it needs improvement in a few areas (the Ford-grade stalks/paddles are an insult) some other interior trim-plastics here and there could be improved, and the Ford SYNC/MYTOUCH system, while perhaps improved over earlier versions (like with the clear screen-icons/lettering), still IMO needs to be made simpler.
But, other than that, this is a nice car, and IMO money well-spent. With this car, except for the Taurus SHO, it's obvious why big-brother Taurus isn't selling except to cops and rentals....except for the Taurus's inviting rear-seat, this is as good or better a car at a lower price.
And, as always......Happy car-shopping.
MM
A Condensed Review of the 2016 Ford Fusion
http://www.ford.com/cars/fusion/?gnav=header-cars
IN A NUTSHELL: Arguably the best of Ford's American-market four-door sedans.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Chevrolet Malibu, Chrysler 200, Nissan Altima, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Mazda6, VW Passat, Subaru Legacy (unlike the others, the Legacy comes with standard AWD).
;
;
;
(TerraCotta Leather Package shown)
;
OVERVIEW:
While attending the recent 2016 Washington, D.C. Auto Show, I signed up for the Ford/Lincoln Test-Drive offers for pre-paid Mastercards like I do every year. I had especially wanted to sample the new Lincoln Continental (which, IMO, was one of the best displays at the show), but the limit on the test-drive offer was at the end of March. Just as with the recent Lincoln MKC in 2014 and MKX last year, the Continental won't be released until later in the year....so I pretty much had to use it on something else. Of course, I don't review or test-drive vehicles simply to get paid or compensated for it.........if I wanted to do that, I'd join the auto press as a journalist. I review simply for an in interest in vehicles as an enthusiast....and often (but not always), at the request of others. Still, it's nice to get that great cup of Starbucks French Roast or Christmas Blend each morning at company expense......I brew it myself at home, and it's a real enjoyment for me.
Anyhow, enough about me, my coffee, and the show. This article is not about that, but an auto review............ so let's get down to cars. With the Ford/Lincoln offer, I chose the latest 2016 Ford Fusion for several reasons.....its wide appeal to the public with good sales, its popularity in the auto press, its wide availability in stock, and the many Ford dealerships in my area (Lincolns are sold out of only a few of them.....the Lincoln brand does not have dedicated franchise-dealerships). I had also formerly sampled a same-generation Fusion Hybrid a few years ago (also from the show's test-drive Mastercard offer), and had been very impressed with its engineering and chassis......although the test-drive the dealer-reps allowed me on the road was not quite as long as I would have liked. Consumer Reports gives the Fusion an average to slightly-above-average rating, which is good enough for recommendation. So, since I had already written up a Fusion Hybrid, I chose a gas-engine model this time, to see how it would compare.
The original American-market mid-size Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan/Lincoln Zephyr Triplet 4-door sedans, based on the Euro-market Ford Mondeo, were introduced in the fall of 2005 as 2006 models, and, unlike many other American-branded vehicles of the time, developed a reputation for reliability...at one time, FWD versions were well-above-average in that department. Unlike most other mid-sized family sedans (the Subaru Legacy and MazdaSpeed6 turbos were two exceptions), the Ford triplets offered a useful AWD option for winter. The Lincoln Zephyr (later changed to MKZ), of course, offered the nicest interior and trim....but the Fusion was not exactly cheap inside, either.
A major refresh (not a true redesign) was launched in the fall of 2009 as a 2010 model, but, of course, Mercury folded soon after that, leaving only the Fusion and MKZ. The refresh also added a new Hybrid version. The true 2nd-generation model (which is still in production today) debuted in 2013. The Fusion line has expanded to eight different trim-models now......quite a choice, although still only in the four-door-sedan body style (hatchback and wagon versions, sadly, are confined to other non-American markets). Models come in S, SE, Hybrid S, Hybrid SE, Titanium, Hybrid Titanium, Energi SE, and Energi Titanium (the Energi versions, unlike Ford's smaller pure-electric Focus, are extended-range Hybrids). Base prices start at $22,110 for S models and run to $35,730 for the Energi Titanium. Depending on the trim-model, three different four-cylinder gas engines (2.5L non-turbo, 1.5L Ecoboost Turbo with or without auto-start/stop feature, and 2.0L Ecoboost Turbo), two different transmissions (Select-Shift 6-speed automatic or CVT Continuously Variable Transmission), and two different Hybrid gas/electric systems with a non-turbo 2.0L are offered. Some versions, of course, with the larger engines, also offer an AWD option. I'll refer the reader to Ford's web-site above for the details and specs, as this is a condensed-review and I'm not going to list them all here like I often do.
For the review, I chose a white FWD SE model, equipped with the 2.0L turbo four gas engine and a fair amount of options. I had had recent experience with the Chevrolet Malibu's 1.5L turbo four (same size as the 1.5L EcoBoost turbo four in the Fusion), and was not impressed with that engine. The 2.0L in my test car cost an extra $1000, but IMO was definitely worth the money...more on that later. (a non-turbo V6, IMO, would be better yet, but the upcoming CAFE gas-mileage rules are all but killing them in small-to-medium size vehicles). My test car also had some big manufacturer and dealer incentives....see the pricing below.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2016 Ford Fusion SE FWD
BASE PRICE: $24,170
OPTIONS:
SE Luxury Package: $2350
White Platinum Tri-Coat Paint: $595
2.0L EcoBoost Turbo Four Engine: $1000
Moonroof/Garage-Door Opener: $1095
SE Tech/MY TOUCH Package: $1195
Navigation Package: $795
18" Ebony Alloy Wheels: $595
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $875 (Reasonable for a car this size)
LIST PRICE BEFORE REBATES: $32,670
MANUFACTURER REBATES:
SYNC/Sound-System Discount: -$490
SE Tech Package Discount: -$610
Equipment Group Savings: -$300
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $31,270*
*This particular dealership advertised an Internet asking price on this car of $24,976, which is almost as low as the car's base price. If they will actually honor it in a deal, this car, IMO, would be quite a bargain.
DRIVETRAIN: FWD, Transverse-mounted 2.0L in-line turbo four, 240 HP @ 5500 RPM (Premium Fuel), 231 HP @ 5500 RPM (Regular Fuel), Torque 270 Ft-lbs. @ 3000 RPM, 6-speed Select-Shift automatic transmission.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 22 City, 33 Highway, 26 Combined (not bad for a non-hybrid/non-diesel car of this size and power).
EXTERIOR COLOR: White Platinum (Pearl) Tri-Coat.
INTERIOR: Charcoal Black Leather.
PLUSSES:
Sophisticated Germanic driving feel and road-manners.
Excellent handling.
Decent wind/road-noise control.
Well-engineered chassis.
Good power from the 2.0L Ecoboost four.
Generally solid body and sheet-metal construction.
Relatively good ride comfort with the 18" wheels.
Nice electronically-programable analog-display gauges.
Generally comfortable front and rear leather seats.
Handy convex side mirror-tips help prevent blind spots.
Generally easy-to-use/decipher controls/buttons (except for NAV screen).
Relatively nicely-finished cargo-area.
Ford's capless refueling system makes fill-ups easier.
MINUSES:
No more V6 engines for the Fusion.
Underhood layout on the 2.0L could be better for DIY'ers..
Mixed-Quality interior trim materials.
Some cheap-feeling interior plastic knobs.
Manual hood-prop instead of struts.
No body-side moldings for parking lot protection.
Bang-Your-Head rear entry/exit for tall persons.
Very tight rear headroom for tall persons under the moonroof.
Rear legroom can be tight, depending on where the front seats are set.
Brake pedal poorly-placed for large shoes/feet.
Video Screen quite complex.
EXTERIOR:
The exterior, of course is pretty much the same as the Fusion has been the last several years....no significant changes were made this year. The overall styling, with its sleekness an Aston-Martin-style grille has been a hit with many both in and out of the auto press...I find it handsome overall, but the droop-down rear roofline makes for head-banging entry/exit for tall persons, poor rear headroom, reduced visibility out the back, and a rather short trunk-lid opening. Except for the lightweight aluminum hood, the overall body and sheet-metal construction seems quite heavy and solid The doors, though not actually closing with a particularly solid thunk, are physically heavy enough in their construction to require some muscle to swing open and shut (you don't see that very often on today's vehicles). The paint jobs are very well done, almost to Lexus/Audi standards...the white pearl on my test-car cost an extra $595, as it does from a number of other auto manufacturers. The paint-color choice looked decent but, except for the pearl white, somewhat on the dull side....a nice dark greenish-gray color was available recently but seems to have been discontinued.
UNDERHOOD:
The lightweight aluminum hood does have a flimsy feel, but it at least makes the manual prop-rod that you have to fool with (instead of nice gas struts) somewhat less annoying. The transversely-mounted 2.0L turbo four fits in OK, but a huge plastic engine cover blocks almost all of the upper-engine components. There is only a small amount of room to reach side-components, below the cover. The battery is to the right-rear, uncovered, but is partially-buried under the protruding firewall-lid, and the rear-termnal is very hard to reach. That may (?) be a design-effort on the part of the car's engineers to get as much of the car's weight towards the middle as possible for good handling....more on that later. The dipsticks, filler-caps, and fluid-reservoirs, in contrast, are all out in the open, completely exposed, and very easy to reach.
INTERIOR:
Inside, the Fusion has a fairly nice interior overall, and uses some nice-grade materials in some places, though some cost-cutting can be seen in others....such as in the cheap-feeling rotary knobs, center-dash-plastic, and the typical Ford parts-bin flat-black El Cheapo plastic stalks and shift-paddes (those stalks and paddles are also used in most recent Lincolns, I might add). The ceiling and sun-visors have a nice-grade fabric, and the well-done steering wheel is comfortable to hold. The gauges are electrically-done in analog-type patterns, generally easy to read, and are programmable in different patterns, though the butt/adjacent secondary fuel and engine-temp gauges can be difficult to tell apart until you get used to them. The leather front seats are quite comfortable and well-padded (almost reminded me, but not quite, of the ones in my Verano). The rear seats are generally comfortable by rear-seat standards, but not as thickly-padded as the ones in the bigger brother Ford Taurus, which feel like they would support a freight-locomotive. Under the moonroof housing, headroom is OK in front, depending on where you have the seat-height set, but is very restricted for tall persons in back. Legroom, in back, can also be rather tight for tall persons......depending, again, on where the front seats are set. The overall control pattern with buttons and switches is not difficult, and fairly easy to use, but the video screen is very complex and requires a lot of touch-button work. Ford products have been criticized for this before, both in the auto press and with customers/owners, so perhaps this is not surprising. At least the lettering and icon-quality in the screen itself is of excellent clarity (more or less comparable, IMO, to a HD TV signal)...so the complexity is tempered somewhat. The stereo-sound quality in my test-car (which had the SYNC-sound system package in it) was excellent, though not quite to Mark Levinson standards.
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Open up the very solid-feeling trunk lid (the sharp rake of the roof line cuts deeply into the size of the lid itself), and one is greeted with a fairly sizable trunk, with a decent grade dark-gray carpet on the floor and a matching-color thin-fabric on the walls. Despite the smaller size of the trunk lid from the sharply-raked roof, most objects of a size normally carried in trunks can be easily loaded and unloaded under the lid. The 60/40 rear seats drop down for added cargo space, and the locks/hardware that holds them in place feel and sound tank-solid. Under the floor is the usual temporary-spare tire, but I don't formally list that as a complaint any more (though I still feel that cars should have real spares) because it simply does no good.....the auto companies are determined to use temporaries and other cheap substitutes like compressed-air-bottles instead of the real thing.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the 2.0L turbo four with a conventional side-column ignition key/switch (some versions use an engine start/stop button) and the engine settles into a smooth but not really silent idle. Still low-speed noise/vibration/harshness is not bad for a four, but you can tell it's not a (desired) V6. Power delivery is quite good though, and there's enough torque, at lower RPMs, to push you into the setback and safely cut into most spaces if needed (one more reason, IMO, not to get the wimpy base engines). Don't get me wrong.....I'm not considered an aggressive driver by any means, but a vehicle occasionally does need power to safely merge into or avoid traffic, or to climb hills, and, IMO, based on my recent experience with 1.5L turbo in the Malibu, the 1.4L turbo in the Buick Encore, and 1.6L turbo in the Ford Escape, those small engines simply don't deliver enough of it. The 6-speed Select-Shift transmission generally shifts smoothly and seamlessly (not all Ford automatics do)...to shift manually, pull the lever back into "S" and use the column shift-paddles (whose thin-plastic black cheapness spoils the otherwise nicely-done transmission LOL)
The chassis, however, DOES deliver. Much has been written in the auto press (and even Consumer Reports) about this car's Germanic qualities on the road. Believe it. This car, with the 18" wheels, tracks down the road with stability, responds instantly to the steering (by sedan standards), strongly resists body-roll, has at least some road-feel in the electric power steering (which is difficult to achieve), and just begs to be driven down a two-lane winding road. Ride comfort, despite the clearly sport-oriented underpinnings, is good considering that level of response, and road noise, on the particular set of tires that came with this car (I forget their brand) was generally well-controlled. Wind noise, perhaps from the solid heavy doors and seals, was also generally well-controlled. The brakes were effective, but one fly in the ointment was the mounting of the brake-pedal in a position that allowed my big circus-clown size-15 shoe to knock against it while taking my foot off the gas, going for the brake...that is a problem for me in some vehicles, though I'm used to it.
THE VERDICT:
Although the Opel-based Buick Regal GS might also qualify in this class, If you want an American-brand family sedan with BMW-grade road manners (or what at least passed for a BMW until recently)....then here's your machine, look no further. No, it doesn't have a BMW M or Mercedes AMG-grade engine, but the turbo 2.0L will at least get out of its own way if needed. This car is reasonably-priced (especially with factory/dealer incentives), reasonably reliable according to Consumer Reports, solidy-built in the sheet metal department, and, IMO, is a pleasure to drive. It will, of course, also take the family on errands or vacation (just make sure that your tall teenagers don't bang their heads in the back seat if you have a moonroof), and will do so giving decent gas mileage for a car of this type. Yes, it needs improvement in a few areas (the Ford-grade stalks/paddles are an insult) some other interior trim-plastics here and there could be improved, and the Ford SYNC/MYTOUCH system, while perhaps improved over earlier versions (like with the clear screen-icons/lettering), still IMO needs to be made simpler.
But, other than that, this is a nice car, and IMO money well-spent. With this car, except for the Taurus SHO, it's obvious why big-brother Taurus isn't selling except to cops and rentals....except for the Taurus's inviting rear-seat, this is as good or better a car at a lower price.
And, as always......Happy car-shopping.
MM
. I felt it would make more sense to post it here than start a new thread on it.
