2006 Ford Fusion sedan driving on a road, interior dashboard, an…

I I The usion. ' as it is such tasks With dogged resignation lts muzzled motor mutters, Where s the fire?" while the Fusrons engine eagerly snarls for more, Without shouting down the occupants (its tuned quieter than in the MazdaS) The top SEL model gets BBS/BORN Michelins that bite the road hard even when the tentacles of Hurricane Dennis are lashing it, and the suspension system delivers solid linear steering response. From Turnem to apex to am no midecurve corrections are needed, Disc brakes With optional ABS stop reassuringly though the pedal could be firmer. Base S and SE models get leinch footwear One complaint Although the Aisin Warner tranny offers six ratios, the driver can choose only between D" and L" In low mode, the transmission tends to stay in the lowest poss1ble gear and will perform downshis at inopportune times, like in the middle of a corner Le in drive," the transmission is overeager to select the highest posstble gear at all times bringing unwanted upshifts when lifting midecorner, followed by multiple downshifts seconds 68 OClOBFR 2005 MOTOR TREND.COM later when powering out of a turn A more extenswe gate is needed, or maybe a "sport" mode or adaptive shift logic that senses enthuSiastic drivtng and holds lower gears longer Reprogranirning the software could improve driveability Significantly. and we hope Ford is already at work on a fix. Another oversight: While Ford offers worldaclass pasSive safety gear, including optional curtain and side, impact airbags. stability control isri't avail- able on any Fusion, Pull off the tWisties and onto an Interstate, and the Fusion proves as pleasing to the ustered passengers as it's been to the ardent driver Extensive tuning in the acoustic Wind tunnel has hushed wind noise to below the level of the (also quite tolerable) tire sizzle and road noise Ford claims besteineclass interior sound levels, and passengers can indeed converse uSing their inSide veice" comfortably at 80 mph Package all the above in an aggressive and distinctive wrapper. and the Fusion begins to look like a tempting midsize ster 9' passengers sedan. Hang Windowsticker priCing on it that starts below that of a Hyundai Sonata ($17,995) and maintains a price gap of a thousand dollars or more relative to the Japanese blueechippers all the way up the price ladder, and Ford would seem to have earned itself a tasteetest from even the most discerning midsizeesedan connOisseurs Bon appetit.l I intuit VEHIflE mom $21,360 Front engine, FWD, ENGINE 3.0 l/ZZI lip/205 mm DDHL Zd-valve V- WNEELBASE Aim in LEtlTHJ WIDTH XHEIGHT 199:? 722i 553i orso MPH 8.5 set (mm est) m tiiV/iiwv run min 211,. ONSALEIMM. turrentlv