A New breed of car!. Review on Ford Fusion

Hi all you car crazy people like me!

I bought a Ford Fusion 1 week ago and wanted to drive it around real good before writing a review about it. Now that i've zipped around town and also around the countryside, i'll share what my experience has been.

We had a Hyundai Santro since 5 years and after 75000 kms, it was showing signs of aging! Hence, we were on the lookout for a new car and ruled out Ikon, Accent etc as low seating cars are just not for us. That's when I saw the ad for fusion (anything karega!) and decided to see what can it karega.

The Ford Fusion is being positioned as a city SUV, a unique concept in itself. The first thing that strikes you on seeing the car is it's spaciousness. Leg space, shoulder space, head space and boot space are unmatched by normal cars. The ground clearance too is great- The ad says it is more than even some full fledged SUV's- which i've not yet researched, so, won't comment about.

From the outside, it is a pretty long car (Longer even than an Ikon) and has tubeless tyres as standard fittings! The Fusion has excellent head and tail lighting and an aerial. Now, onto the inside- The seating is extremely comfortable and the rear seat can easily hold 3 people. The boot is too much! A whole family can pack up and leave to wherever. Ford has even given a picnic umbrella free! Air conditioning is very effective and even in this sultry climate, an AC speed of 2 is sufficient (total speeds are 4). The tachometer, odometer and fuel gauge are digital and top speed as shown on the speedometer is 220!! I've taken it upto 120 only yet. Internally adjustable rear view mirrors and rear wipers are standard features. The best part is the completely flexible seating- the rear seat can fold in to give a huge boot or can be totally folded down so someone can sleep full length!

Now, into the engine, the engine is 1600 cc and the pick up is simply phenomenal. 5 speed gear box is manual and shifts a little uncomfortably, though I guess we'll get used to it with time. Power steering is standard option as so are power windows and central locking. The car we bought is standard Fusion and there is another variant- Fusion + in which the primary difference is alloy wheels and body coloured bumpers etc., which I felt did not justify the price increase of over 60000/-!

The Fusion handles beautifully and braking is very effective thanks to disc brakes on front wheels. Mileage in the city is 13 and on highways, goes up to 15.

The on-road price is a little high. It is priced at 7.12 lakhs, but we got it at 6.62, a cool 50000/- off, due to various corporate tie ups, etc. This price I felt is worth the car, but the actual on-road price is atleast 60-70000 too much.Ensure that you bargain with the dealer before buying.

This is a great all-round car- zip around the city- parking is too easy! or take it on a long drive- which is very very comfortable, thanks to tubeless tyres (no worry about a puncture) and great handling, speed and braking. Get a good audio system- the company gives 4 speakers free- and Anything Karega!! Great job, FORD!

As I use this car more, i'm sure i'll find more pros and also a few cons, which i'll keep you guys updated.