Car Test
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R0318 | |
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March 2003 |
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| Ford Fusion | ||
| Printer Friendly Page | Featured model: 3 1.6 | |
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Nowadays, buyers of smaller hatchbacks are spoilt for choice. Conventional superminis (of which the Fiesta is a classic example) are now challenged not only by elongated estate versions, such as the Skoda Fabia, but also by taller hatchbacks with an MPV-style stance. Most remain faithful to folding but non-removable back seats and are about four metres long, but they manage to find more interior space and offer easier access, thanks to their taller build.
The Fusion is Ford’s attempt to capture a significant slice of this market. It certainly gets off to a good start. Compared with Fiesta, it offers more room for rear passengers and an extra 2.4cu ft luggage (with no load sill). It also boasts a loftier ‘in command’ driving position from a seat that supports well, despite the absence of lumbar adjustment. There’s no problem when parking because of the body’s ‘cubed out architecture’, as Ford puts it, with a large glass area giving unobstructed all-round vision – optional rear parking sensors aren’t essential. We think that women, in particular, will like the driving position. Ford has been a bit mean with oddments spaces, but there’s a flip-top storage compartment high in the facia, and the passenger’s seat cushion can be raised to reveal a commodious hidey-hole. The backrest also folds forward to give a firm, flat surface, as well as providing extra long stowage. There’s nothing clever – Meriva or Jazz style – about the back seats. Folding the 60/40 divided cushions and backrests simply gives a stepped, but usefully long load deck which is nicely trimmed, even under the seats. (Throughout the cabin, however, hard plastic panelling prevails.) Rear access is gained through the high-lifting tailgate and loading is simplified by the low floor. All this results in a spacious yet still compact small car that’s just 10cm longer than Fiesta and costs about £1000 more. The Fusion’s higher-set seats not only make it easier to make a dignified entry and exit, but also result in good rear legroom and thigh support. Indeed, it’s a comfortable back seat and no hardship if you have to sit in the centre. Headroom all round is generous, too. Unchanged 1.4-litre Fiesta engines (both petrol and diesel) work hard to cope with the Fusion’s extra weight and bluffer shape – even before you fill the additional space inside. This 1.6-litre, however, is a heroic performer. It actually feels (and sounds) rather sporty – quick off the mark and with a rev-happy willingness up through the slick-shifting gearbox. It’s equally happy to potter the lanes, though, or give easy-going, economical 70mph cruising. Firm suspension and alert steering continue the Fusion’s somewhat incongruously sporty theme, except that the taller build gives it more cornering tilt if you’re pressing on; ‘Like a Fiesta on high heels’, commented one of our team. It’s a pity the ride isn’t a bit more supple. Even on reasonable smooth roads the car fidgets, and its fretfulness develops a harsher edge over secondary surfaces. The brakes feel fine in ordinary use, but demand really heavy footwork to give their best stop; at least it ensures against skidding if you don’t pay extra for ABS. |
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