Speaking of most Western-made cars, only a lazy driver does not note the discrepancy between their characteristics and the quality of long-suffering Russian roads, thus, deliberately emphasizing the unsuitability of "bourgeois" cars for our realities. Well, we will probably not be able to cope with the primordially Russian troubles soon, but we want to drive good cars now!
Therefore, it is especially valuable when a high-quality and inexpensive car appears in the car market that easily overcomes pits, puddles, potholes and other road vicissitudes, such as Ford Fusion, as if created for Russians.
Meet Ford Fusion - Urban Activity Vehicle.
The American Ford Fusion, developed by the European branch of the Ford Motor Company in Germany, and assembled there, is one of the most bought cars of the Ford brand in Russia, second only to the Ford Focus. The model got its name (Fusion means "fusion, symbiosis") not for the sake of a word of mouth. The designers, assembling cars on the Ford Fiesta platform (fifth generation), quite successfully combined the business properties of a "parquet" SUV and a compact hatchback, so appreciated in our open spaces by both family people and amateurs-travelers. The creators themselves position their creation as UAV - an active city car.
The main qualities of the Ford Fusion hatchback: high ground clearance, which is of particular importance for urban and suburban off-road trips (and in the Russian provinces it is sometimes impossible to distinguish one from the other), a reliable level of safety and a comfortable roomy interior, combined with an affordable price, is a really good alloy.
To date, Ford Fusion is well-equipped (and even the basic version includes 15-inch alloy wheels with 195/60 R15 tires, electric power steering, ABS with EBD, 4 airbags and 2 curtains of safety and many other "goodies") you can buy less than 600 thousand rubles. Ford Fusion is just the case when a decent car, being in the same price range with similar models of this class, has much more advantages.
Despite the fact that the Fusion has a one-size-fits-all base with the Ford Fiesta (5th), the technical similarity of the car ends there. This compact van has:
- Large dimensions in all respects. So, the length and height of the models differ within 100 mm, the width of the Fusion has increased by almost 40 mm. Any specialist in the auto industry understands that the extra millimeters have automatically transferred a new car to the middle class.
- Ford Fusion has increased ground clearance (200 mm). Despite this innovation, Ford Fusion has turned out to be quite stable. It was possible to realize this due to its rather compact size. Good maneuverability has been preserved behind the machine.
- Stiffer suspension. The suspension of the Ford Fusion is much stiffer than the base Fiesta. Of course, as a result of this, the technique makes itself felt on road irregularities, but rolls and turns, even at high speeds, do not bother the car at all.
- Optimal body glazing. Compared to the Fiesta, visibility has improved by 7%.
- Additional body strengthening. The front of the car is reinforced with McPherson, and the back with a reliable beam, which once again makes Ford workers suspect of "fitting" cars for Russian consumers.
As for the interior of the cabin, it practically does not differ from the “fifth Ford Fiesta”. In principle, the creators of the car can be understood: there is no point in changing a rather comfortable development to a more expensive one, making the car inaccessible due to a couple of additional cupholders or pockets. Although, according to the owners of Fusion, it would be nice to add a top handle on the first passenger door. They decided to “forget” about it, as in the base model.
The hallmark of the exterior of the Ford Fusion is the powerful bumpers and moldings on the sides of the car, they make this hatchback-compact van somewhat like an SUV. Compared to the “original” Fiesta, the car has significantly improved in design. The high seating position of the car, which, by the way, is quite compact in appearance, allows the driver to feel confident on the road: a good view is an important factor in successful driving on unfamiliar roads or on country trips.
Of course, design alone does not turn a conventional front-wheel drive hatchback into an SUV, but for a city car, four-wheel drive, which significantly increases the cost of the design, is not needed.
The designers from Ford decided to keep the optics style in the manner of the most popular models of the concern: for example, the headlights are clearly copied from the Connect model. Among the innovations is a stylish rectangular grille that clearly attracts attention.
Many drivers note, as a huge plus, the spacious luggage compartment of the Ford Fusion - with a volume of more than 330 liters, inherent in minivans. Considering that all the seats in the car have a folding configuration, allowing in a matter of minutes to turn the interior into a sleeping place sufficient to accommodate an entire family, it becomes clear that the car was created for family trips over long distances.
Specifications Ford Fusion.
Fusion retained Fiesta's 1.4 / 1.6 L (80/100 hp) Duratec 16-valve power units with an aluminum crankcase. The engine is quite economical. The declared fuel consumption is less than 7 liters / 100 km. In Russia, a modification with a gasoline engine is available, while in Europe you can buy a diesel version of Ford Fusion.
Five-speed manual and automatic transmissions are aggregated with the motor, however, the "robot" is possible only in version 1.4. Based on the reviews of car owners, we can note the good quality of the boxes: smooth running, the ability to shift without using the clutch, automatic operation.
According to testers from the test drive, Ford Fusion behaves reliably and confidently at low speeds, calmly overcoming all obstacles. From the comments - somewhat sluggish acceleration at low revs. If you increase them to 3500, the “take-off” is much freer. A similar hitch is felt on emergency overtaking, numerous sharp turns.
This behavior of the engine inherited from the Ford Fiesta is understandable: due to the increase in size, the weight of the Fusion has also changed. In addition, the engines "adjusted" to the environmental standards of Euro-4, limiting the opening of the throttle, thereby reducing the content of CO2 in the exhaust gases. In principle, speed and acceleration are not as important for a city car as agility, environmental friendliness or functionality. Therefore, these characteristics and fell into one of the last places.
Also, some stress at high speed is caused by windage, which appears to be due to the high body.
In all other respects, the Ford Fusion has good performance. As the testers indicated, the car has a "light character": excellent handling, good maneuverability, including sharp turns, tenacity. The presence of the exchange rate stability mode makes it easier to drive.
Safety.
When creating Ford Fusion for family people, the designers of Ford paid great attention to safety. According to the test results, out of a possible 5 points, Fusion received 4, and even then the "unselected" score was a problem with the safety of pedestrians, and had nothing to do with the driver and passengers.
Ford Fusion Prices in 2012 they start from ~ 510 thousand rubles (for the “basic” configuration of the Core - a 1.4-liter 80-horsepower engine with a 5-speed “mechanics”, where of the “convenience” only front airbags, power steering, ABS and central locking ). The cost of a compact van Ford Fusion in the Elegance 1.6 + 4АКПП package (here, in addition to the "base", there is also: air conditioning, side "pillows", "tumanki", front power windows, power accessories for mirrors, an audio system with CD) can exceed 640 thousand rubles (especially if you go to replenish it a little).
