Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan: Interior
kurtamaxxxguy
Member Posts: 1,798
Thnx for clear post on this. Also, Torsen is very expensive and currently only useable with longitutinal engines.
Getting back to the Fusion;
How are folks finding the seats in the various Fusion models?
Some Fords, like Focus, have been roundly criticised for seat bottoms that are too short in the back. A brief sit in a showroom doesn't really tell anything - anyone here had a Fusion on a really long trip? How did it do?
Getting back to the Fusion;
How are folks finding the seats in the various Fusion models?
Some Fords, like Focus, have been roundly criticised for seat bottoms that are too short in the back. A brief sit in a showroom doesn't really tell anything - anyone here had a Fusion on a really long trip? How did it do?
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The recline is not the easiest to adjust though
Mark.
That's another one of the benefits of having Volvo in the Ford family. Volvo's seats have led the industry in comfort, adjustability and orthopedic correctness for decades. Good to see some of that expertise showing up in Fords, which used to have some of the worst seats in the business.
I personally think leather looks more attractive than cloth (at least for the first year or so). Yet, I much prefer cloth for car interiors.
Leather is more breathable than vinyl, but it's silly to argue that it's as breathable as cloth - no matter how "fine" it is. If you doubt me, stroll around in leather pants for a few hours (don't ask). And while I have leather furniture in the house and I rather enjoy it, I don't want it in the cars. Of course, the inside of the house remains at a constant 70 - the cars... not so much.
Maintenance is a concern too. The argument is often made that leather requires less care, but that too is false. Perhaps it's easier to do a quickie clean-up if you dump a mocha shake on a leather car seat, but that same seat will crack and split after a few years of summer sun without a lot of conditioner. That said, I have seen 25 year old cars with 100K on the clock and velour seats that still look new. I have never seen a 25 year old car with leather that looks new.
I'm actually flummoxed by the number of people with leather in their cars that have told me they don't much care for it. In America though, it's so commonly associated with "luxury", it's a must-have item for a lot of folks. Plus, it's a relatively cheap luxury nowadays: on many Ford models for instance, it's a free or low-cost option. 25 years ago, opting for leather could add 10% or more to the cost of a new car. Now the guy a lane over driving the Focus or Elantra might be sitting on leather.
It's interesting that in Europe, where the open display of wealth is more a vice than a virtue, even luxury cars are available with cloth interiors. Before someone jumps on me for that statement, let me add that's not the reason EVERYONE here chooses leather over cloth, but I fear that's the reason a lot of folks do (e.g., the Joneses).
On a different note, not too long ago I was at a dealership where the salesman was attempting to talk me into a car on his lot that was exactly what I wanted EXCEPT it had leather. Of course, he wanted to know why I was insistent about having cloth so I told him that I liked the grip of cloth in turns. He replied that his wife preferred leather for just the opposite reason - she could easily slide in and out of the seat without wrinkling her skirt. Perhaps that would've been a good point, but I don't wear skirts nor do I intend to anytime in the future.
Thank God it's a free country. My vote is for cloth.
I pretty much agree with all of that. I would agree that leather, when new or well cared, for does look better.
Some leather seating is so heavily coated that it really is pretty much the same as vinyl. My wife's parents have a Crown Vic from a few years back that is like this...very slick and heavily coated leather. It really more like the leather substrate has been laminated with a vinyl type material.
Other leather I have sat on (Maxima, Honda Pilot, VW) was much nicer and would be something I could tolerate, if I had too...but I'd still not choose it over cloth.
That many take leather strictly for the looks is made clear by the fact that most buyers will even take vinyl ("leatherette") over cloth.
Fusion or Edge
It is called a fusion though
HTH
Lumbar not electric, no lumbar or electric for side passenger. No heat in back. Leather could be higher quality. The recline is the most annoying part though.
Personally I don't use the lumbar but other drivers of my car have and wish it were electric. I also don't mind that it isn't all electric or heated. But these are things to be pointed out.
While I did not drive both of the cars (only an '08 Sonata), I've spoken with some other drivers. Most will agree that Sonata is quieter and feels more refined (especially when idle). The 2009 Sonata interior is just gorgeous with blue backlighting and high-quality material, has excellent prices, and is a bit bigger in all dimensions. The Fusion's interior is nowhere as good. Dated gauges, radio and climate controls, everything old school, low mounted, and not easy accessible.
I am a little skeptical about the upcoming 2010 Fusion's interior. I assume it will be similar to most new Fords, (Flex and Lincoln MKS comes to mind). While better quality materials, the design is not eye catching, and IMO, Ford has the worst interior designs in class.
Compared with the Sonata, the Fusion definitely handles better, especially on curvy roads. It has better steering, and to some people (me excluded) better exterior appearance.
But as someone stated above, you won't go wrong with wither one. Good luck in your choice, and happy driving!!
I have seen the Black Cloth with Red Stitching/Trim that is standard with the SAP and love it! I currently have a 2006 Mazda3 with black interior and the middle section of the seats is black/red checks- I'm a UGA grad, so red and black are my colors!
Is the cloth seat fabric the same for SE and SEL models with the Sport Appearance Package? I'm also curious how the Charcoal Black cloth looks in the standard SE model (without SAP). I'll wait for the 2010 model to arrive at dealers, so I can get the best deal on an '09. If I can't get a model with the SAP/cloth, I'll probably go for a regular SE model. The standard SEL isn't an option because I don't care for the Piano Black Dash/Center Stack trim at all!
great for up here in new england.