Hi.. I read about the New Fusion in the papers last week and saw it in one of the Auto shows on TV... decided to check out the new car this weekend in the showroom.
Aahhh.. at first glance it looked quite different from the ’old’ Fusion... the Headlamps & grille are new. Heard it’s the same used in Europe. Well, looks are pretty much subjective; I thought it looks cool... the wide bumpers; amber indicator lamps on the headlamps... a kinda toughie look to the car !
Having seen the ’old’ Fusion; the interiors in the ’New’ Fusion is a welcome change. Biege and grey gives it a very plush appearance.. matching the seat fabric and the door trims is a nice touch. The Sales guy at the showroom had a very fancy name for it- Avocado. (whatever) Thankfully they have not tampered with the space and the cubby holes inside the car; Infact they have added a couple more (1 above the glove box and a slot for coins above the audio slot) But hey! only a 5 buck coin fits in; guess its been designed keeping the UK pound in mind. They have knocked off the power socket in the rear; but I wouldn’t crib too much since I drive the car myself and cannot work on my laptop while driving the car anyways. But if you have a driver; make sure you buy a long cable and connect to the front socket. (I seek advice on where I can purchase an in-car laptop charger; write in pl.) The rear seats retain the 60:40 split and all the other flexibility. Guys with dogs pl. note. You will not get poo-poo on the new seats.
The dash is has a soft rubbery feel to it. The instrument cluster is new and it has a digital clock; a distance-to-empty meter. Infact its the same as you see on the Fiesta. Overall would give full marks to Ford in redoing the interiors.
The surprise comes with some small features they have added. Approach lights for one; the parking lights come on when you unlock the car with the remote key. Very helpful when I have to search for my car in the R Adlabs parking lot after the late night show. The wiper has a new 6 speed intermittent control and infact the rear wiper comes on if you engage the reverse gear (with front wipers on). The Sales person told me about the battery saver which switches off the interior lights 30 mins after you take off the keys.
The high seating is the biggest draw for this car. Feels like you are sitting on a chair; you dont get that sunk-in feeling. The high ground clearance (198 mm) is especially nice when you have to traverse ’world-class’ Indian roads. (Ask me; how I manage my 26 kms drive every morning)
Well, I expected the Diesel engine this year! But what-the-heck, the 1.6 sure is peppy! She rolls when you push the throttle on highways. Sure the Fusion is not too frugal when it comes to fuel effeciency; but hey; with it 101 PS power & 146 Nm torque you are the king of the road. The Fusion is an awesome car to drive! I am surely dissapointed that Audio is not standard with the car and the dealership tells me that there is no ABS option; only 1 variant now.
And now to the most important thing - the price. At 5.69 lakhs; the New Fusion is a decent deal. A clean 50-60 k drop from the earlier price point. Considering the new looks, interiors and the goodies bundled in; its a very neat deal I would say!
-PKay