LONG-TERM WRAP
Ford Fusion TDCi Titanium AT
Johannesburg - Our time with our long-term Ford Fusion is coming to an end and it will be sad to see it go.
For nearly six months and close to 12 000km, the 2-litre diesel-engined car has run faultlessly, returning an incredible (for a large car) average fuel consumption of 7.2 litres per 100km.
While economy has been one of the standout features of the car, the engine’s torque has also allowed effortless cruising and overtaking on long journeys.
That wodge of grunt should not be underestimated when you consider travelling on our overcrowded and under-intelligent roads, where single-lane stretches can be a nightmare as you wait for oncoming traffic to disappear. In the Fusion, you can nip out and pass one or even two cars and then zip back into the lane without the prospect of a head-on collision. That’s very reassuring.
That sense of effortlessness permeates the entire Fusion experience, which really is relaxed motoring at its finest.
TUNED FOR COMFORT
For a start, the suspension is tuned more for comfort than white-knuckle handling, so the ride is absorbent and, coupled with the supportive and well-upholstered seats, makes the cabin a pleasant place to be indeed - even on potholed roads or on gravel stretches, both of which were encountered during the test period.
Interestingly, early on in the test, we picked up a piece of jagged metal in the sidewall of one of the rear tyres. Because our Fusion is a pre-production model, it seems it was fitted with tyres of an odd, hard-to-come-by size. This necessitated Ford’s technical team collecting the car and replacing all four tyres.
That in itself was interesting because the new ones were immediately noticeable: they were of a lower profile than the originals. In our office parking garage, we now notice an occasional slight scraping of the Ford’s belly on some of the ramps, something that wasn’t there before. Surprisingly, though, the lower-profile tyres have made little difference to the excellent ride quality,
Steering is nicely weighted and the power assistance offers the best blend of ease at parking speeds and more tightness at higher velocities. The leather-clad wheel itself is a tactile treat, and equipped with a number of remote-control buttons.
INFORMATION OVERLOAD
One of our initial fears at the beginning of the test was that we would be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information presented in the Fusion’s instrument panel in front of the driver and in the “infotainment” centre screen. Just some of the functions they show: speed, revs, engine temperature, range to empty, gear position, lane departure warning, collision warning, outside temperature, fuel consumption, average speed, radio, CD and auxiliary music input settings, climate-control settings, Bluetooth hands-free settings and operation, cruise-control setting and adjustments, stop-start function, park distance radar function, assorted warning lights, elapsed time and even economy driving prompts.
It sounds like a lot and it is - however, it doesn’t take long to get used to.
The ergonomics are, therefore, good - although not quite up to the standards of benchmark brands such as Audi.
As a long-distance cruiser, the Fusion (in diesel form at least) is nigh-perfect because there is plenty of legroom in the back, the climate control keeps things cool (and we have used the car in temperatures of about 40ºC in the Kruger National Park) and there is a big boot.
It’s a great family and executive car; whether prospective customers will realise that it is serious competition for the three luxury German brands or simply succumb to the “it’s just a Ford” stereotype remains to be seen.
Dismissing this car as “just a Ford” would be a mistake. - Saturday Star
FACTS
Ford Fusion TDCi Titanium AT
Engine: 2-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel
Gearbox: Six-speed Automatic
Power: 132kW @ 3500rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2000-2500rpm
0-100km/h (claimed): 8.6 seconds
Top speed (claimed): 225km/h
Consumption (tested): 7.2 litres per 100km
Price: R449 900
Warranty: Four-year/120 000km
Service plan: Five-year/90 000km
FORD VS ITS RIVALS:
Ford Fusion TDCi Titanium AT - 132kW/400Nm - R449 900.
Audi A4 2.0TDI SE AT - 130kW/380Nm - R447 500
BMW 320d AT - 140kW/400Nm – R490 900
Jaguar XE 20d Pure - 132kW/430Nm - R534 800
Mercedes-Benz C220d AT - 125kW/400Nm – R500 500
Volkswagen Passat 2.0TDI AT - 103kW/320Nm – R401 700
Volvo S60 D4 Momentum AT - 140kW/400Nm – R473 600
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