By Jane Driver, Correspondent
I put off test-driving a car this month because the weather has been so iffy. I enjoy testing the capacity of the brakes, the handling of suspensions, and the grip of tires; I don’t want to wreck a car I’m test-driving.
Our central Illinois winter keeps dragging on, and I have deadlines to meet, so I decided to test Ford’s Fusion. Don Lane, my salesman (actually my second salesman after the first realized he had to meet some clients at Circuit City for Landmark’s car sale going on there), said Ford looks at Fusion as a vanguard for the company. They offer four trim lines – S, SE, SEL, and Sport. The Ford Fusion Hybrid is based upon the SEL.
To improve my mood, I decided to drive the Sport edition, in Sangria Red metallic with a top stitched charcoal-leather interior. Insert the key and the dashboard emerges out of the darkness in brilliant blue-white lights with bright red needles. I felt like I had gone back to the future.
The center console’s display is larger than most I’ve seen, but thankfully, not lit in the same manner as the dashboard. The optional navigation system is a touch screen, which is handy, but I had a hard time moving from the navigation system to the radio display. Equipped with Sirius, the radio showed the song name and artist. Bluetooth is an option too. Below the display is a multitude of buttons, not all of them abundantly clear as to their function. For example, neither of us was able to find a button that changed the display to radio; I finally pushed somewhere on the display and changed it.
At night this car must fairly glow with the dashboard lights and display, not to mention the red-lighted cup holders. “So you can see where to put down your cup in the dark,” Don said.
The driver’s seat was European-styled – firm, but with a little give on the seat. I increased my lumbar support using a dial along the left edge of the seat. It was a bit awkward to turn but doable. It didn’t take long to adjust my seat as I am accustomed – no sign of the hood, and a wide perspective out the front windshield.
For the first time, my salesman told me the “usual” route to take a test drive. I followed his instructions, but would have much preferred a different route. We drove south on Route 4 towards Chatham, turning around near Piper Glen.
I was impressed with the Fusion’s acceleration and grip on the road, which was exceptionally wet. I didn’t hear much road noise, but there was an odd, repetitive, slight, thumping sound, as if the tires were going over small, evenly spaced bumps. It could actually have been the road, but I was never sure.
With the Fusion’s raised back end, it was difficult for me, a short person, to see the road behind us using the rear view mirror. However, this model came with the rear view camera and rear obstacle alert sensing system. While I still can’t get over the fact I don’t have to turn around with these electronic devices, they can make looking out the rear window moot. I prefer to turn around while I back rather than relying completely on the technology.
While I didn’t ever see it in action, this model came with a blind spot sensing system, protecting you from not looking over your shoulder for objects out of view.
Some have complimented the Fusion on the spaciousness of its back seat. I found there to be adequate leg room, but thought it would be an uncomfortable long-distance ride for a full-sized adult in the back due to the ceiling height. St. Louis would be fine, but Chicago might be a stretch. Support for the back seats was adequate, but the seat was short, leaving even my short legs hanging off the edge.
The trunk is very spacious in width and depth. The opening is 40 inches across while the interior is a maximum of 49 inches. A set or two of golf clubs should fit in the back.
The futuristic ambience, top-stitched leather seating and steering wheel, and lower profile of the sport model could be taken as more masculine, but I did not feel uncomfortable or out of place. Men and women would feel equally at home.
Ford put a lot of thought into the design of this car when it first came out, and according to the literature and Don, has improved many of its initial shortcomings, extending Ford’s emphasis that the Fusion points the way to their future.
Notables: Futuristic dashboard, good acceleration, firm seating, a profusion of buttons, futuristic dashboard, high back end
Priced as driven: $31,675.
Mileage: 18 city/27 highway
Note: The hybrid, which sells at a premium, gets 41 city and 36 highway, accounting for the use of the electric motor at speeds less than 47 miles per hour. My salesman says the gas powered models sell as well as the hybrid.
Jane Driver is a freelance writer from Springfield.
