this is funny. i have had that same thought after taking a look at a few new fusions. with todays technology, you would think they would have thought of that. they can put the wipers almost but not quite under the hood, but not the windshield washers (nipples)
the milan web site has been up, probably about the same amount of time as the ford fusion web site. but far more easier to navigate than the fusion site.
it may be a while before you see a 4 cylinder 5 speed manual tranny at any dealer. i have seen 4 fusions and 1 milan, and they were all top of the line sel's. if you want a 4 cylinder 5 speed sooner, you will probably have to order it.
Unless the nozzles are heated as in some VW's, mounting them under the hood would render them useless in snow country. Your wiper is constantly pushing snow into that area could eventually freeze.
Maybe you who don't like those exposed washer "nipples" on the hood would be more happy if they were blinged up with chrome! Ah, a new business for the aftermarket, "blinged" washer nozzles!
Actually, putting the nozzles on top of the hood is the best functional place for them. I have had cars with them mounted at the plastic cowl and they do tend to get packed in with ice and snow at times. I have also had cars with them mounted on the wiper arms themselves. These work OK, however after time, the flexible hoses from the cowl to the wiper arm will crack and have to be replaced. Not a big deal, but still it is just another wear item.
There, this subject is all washed up and should be wiped out, I believe.
Had the opportunity to test a Milan Premier V6 last night. I found it to be quiet with excellent driving dynamics and steering. Interior materials better than any Ford product I've seen in a long time. Much more fun and enjoyable to drive than the 500. Show stoppers, at this point, were - loud, sluggish engine and short seat cushions. I'm going to wait for the new Camry and Saturn Aura before I make any changes. There's a lot of tough competition out there.
I just saw photos of the 2007 Sonota dash - they have revised the center stack and console, so it is much nicer now. It is very interesting that Hyundia made such a significant revision to a one year old model. I wonder how long it will take Ford to revise the Fusion to include the missing features? Three years?
That sounds great about the seat cushion. I hate all the cars with stubby seats too! Ford is one of the few car companies that seems to put deep enough seats in their cars. I am really glad to hear that they continue to do this.
Last autos show I sat in very few cars that had adequately deep seats. One good thing about this is it quickly narrows down the list of acceptable cars.
I have been informed that the photo I saw of the revised Sonata may be a 2008 model, or a Korean model. Whatever, even if the Koreans can not update a car in one model year, giant Ford should be able to do so.
I wonder how long it will take Ford to revise the Fusion to include the missing features? Three years?
That depends on what you consider "missing". The Mazda6 has some things that the Fusion doesn't which makes me believe they could add them for JOB2 of MY06 if they wanted to. I'm sure they're paying close attention to what people are asking for right now. This car is too important to them to just let it run through without tweaks here and there.
First let me say I have recently driven these cars: 2006 Sonata LX, 2006 Accord EX 4cy, 2006 Impala 3.5 & 5.3, 2005 Camry 4 & 6 cy, 2006 Charger 3.5, 2006 Montego.
Milan Bottom Line - Good car overall but only if you are DEAF.
Good stuff Milan is a nicely styled inside and outside. Controls are laid out good, not excellent. V6 and transmission work well. Engine noise was acceptable during hard acceleration. Tranny shifted smoothly. Driver seat was fine, rear seat was comfortable. Tilt and telescopic wheel works well.
Problems - Cabin noise over rough road surfaces is very bad, worse than Accord. This is a deal braker for me. The Milan unseats the Accord as the noisiest car. Ford should go ask Hyundai how they made their car quiet.
- Front passanger seat is angled up at the front, similar to a deep bucket seat. Noticibley different from the drivers seat. Not comfortable for me. - No glove box light, no folding mirrors, no rear reading lamps - I looked at the undercarriage, very inconsistent coverage of rust proofing/sound insulation. - Fan & temp controls on steering wheel are stupid. The idea of an automatic A/C unit is so you do not have to adjust anything. Dumb. dumb, dumb. Way too many controls on steering wheel. You will end up looking at the wheel to see which button to push. - High end audio unit (6 cd) sounds muddy, not worth the added cost.
I did not mention how well the suspension does on the twisties because we have no twisties where I live, only crappy roads which would eat the Milan alive.
If I were going to get the Mercury Milan. I would get the 4 banger premium with the 5 speed stick. it comes with ABS standard and the 6 speaker sound system standard.
Edmunds, we all know the Milan is the sister of the Fusion. But, can you show Mercury a little love and at least drive the thing and give us your take on the car please
Since allot of people are determined to say that the Mercury Milan is an EXACT clone of the Fusion, It is NOT !!!!!!!. The only thing the Milan shares with the Fusion and Zephyr is it's doors
Using the Edmunds "Compare Vehicles" function, it appears that the interior of the Milan is less than an inch smaller in most dimensions (such as front headroom and shoulder room) than the larger Montego, and is quoted with more than an inch greater front legroom. Has anyone driven both vehicles back-to-back? I'm a tall driver (6'5") and am wondering if these spec differences might lead me to consider this attractive mid-size instead of the full-size Montego.
If the CD player on the Fusion is the same as on the Freestyle, I wouldn't go for the 6 CD changer because of all the problems with it. I have the single CD player and no problems.
As far as front seat room goes I'd almost give the Milan or Fusion the edge, I say almost because unlike the Montego, the seats in the Milan are lower and less chair like, otherwise th Milan has slightly more legroom, and quite a bit more foot room, the seats are a bit tighter though, not really tight and over bolstered like an Accord's but supportive. The real difference is in the rear seating, the Montego has much more rear seat legroom and hip and shoulder room than the Fusion or Milan, and of course the trunk is much larger on the Montego. The Milan also lacks the fold flat front passenger seat of the Montego. Now the smaller car is peppier, and has a more sporting ride, but if you need to regularly haul passengers or lots of stuff, and don't have an SUV or truck as a 2nd vehicle, I'd say the Montego is a more compelling choice. If you do have another vehicle for those purposes, the Milan would be more fun to drive. At any rate at 6' 5" you should be able to get comfortable in either car as long as you skip the moonroof option. I'm about 6' 3" and my head hit the head liner with the moonroof on both cars if put the seats to their highest position. Ford seem to be using a very bulky cassette for their moonroof package which probably holds down cost but also seriously compromises interior headroom for taller drivers.
I just don't understand what Ford is thinking. They are clearly marketing this car to a younger demographic. Just check out the brochure pics of Fusions in front of trendy nightclubs, surprise concerts, etc. The punch line is that satellite radio is available as a dealer-installed accessory in the Crown Vic but not the Fusion. For heaven's sake, the Impala now comes with a aux jack for your Ipod. Can anyone from Ford comment?
Ford obviously believes Crown Victoria buyers want satellite radio more than Fusion buyers. Their actions show that plainly. They thought about AUX inputs for the Fusion, but weren't sure, so they elected to skip it and added mp3 CD playback. To play mp3s in a Fusion, you will need to burn them to CDRs first or else get an FM radio transmitter. The last options are to get external speakers for you ipod or put an satellite radio boombox in the back seat. Elegant.
They're launching a brand new car on a brand new platform and they like to limit the number of things that can go wrong. Either that or they just didn't have time to put it in.
If it's available from the dealer - what's the difference?
I have a hard time believing that a Crown Vic buyer would be more likely to listen to Sirius satellite radio than your average Fusion customer. Call it a gut feeling, but I bet your average Crown Vic buyer would be more interested in listening to an AM radio broadcast where one can hear an informative discussion on the new Medicare prescription benefit, rather than pay for a subscription to hear advice from Howard Stern on how to score at funerals. On the other hand, I bet your average Crown Vic buyer goes to more funerals than your average Fusion driver. As for post #2109, as far as I can tell, satellite is not available as a dealer accessory.
For all you thirty somethings, give or take a decade, (non police officers, non fleet drivers) that bought a Crown Vic, I apologize to all three of you in advance.
I spend 2-1/2 hours a day in my car and there is nothing worth listening to on AM or FM. I'm ready to buy; but no satellite radio is a deal breaker for me, especially when It's available on a Honda
Let me say this concerning the quietness of the Milan. On a flat and smooth road, the Milan is pretty quiet. On a washboard type concrete road, the Milan produces a good amount of tire thrum. If you only drive on nice smooth asphalt, you will think this car is the cat's meow. This is why some reviews really do not tell you the whole story.
As far as seat comfort, only you can decide. I personally thought the Milan's drivers seat was fine, but the passenger seat was oddly positioned. I also thought the backseat of the Milan was better than the Montego.
The review said: "The deeply bucketed front seats were especially cozy, more of an "in" seat than an "on" seat."
I said: - Front passenger seat is angled up at the front, similar to a deep bucket seat. Noticeably different from the drivers seat.
I think if you read the review carefully, you will find they liked the look of the car the most. The Milan is a very good car, but I expect a Mercury to be much quieter.
When I said, Finally somebody did a review on the 2006 Mercury Milan. I wasn't attacking you. I've seen about 5-12 reviews of the Fusion. I've only seen 1 review of the Milan and that's it so far. C & D, Edmunds, Motortrend etc either don't have access to the car or don't care becuase it's a "clone" to them. I said I respect your opinion because most people go off the deep end about a car and never even drive it.
As far as the road noise, It sounds like to me, from what you and the review said. the majority of the noise is coming from the tires. If that is the case, you can easily fix some of the noise by changing the rubber to something better. Now if the noise was coming from wind noise or from the engine compartment I'd be a little worried.
Also, as far as the review talking about the seats. The way I took it is that they seem to be very comfortable. It seems that you sit "in" the seats and sink down instead of sitting "on(top)" of the seats and floating along.
And in conclusion, The article stated
"The Mercury Milan is a thoroughly nice family car given the confines of its very friendly price. From the waterfall grille up front to the brushed metallic trim all over the interior, this is a Ford platform upgraded to Mercury status, with more standard equipment and more soul than the Ford version. "
It seems that you and the writers of the review were pretty impressed by the car. That's all that matters. Now if they said well the only thing the Milan has going for it is looks and not much else. The car lacks feel, soul etc. I'd be worried. Not everybody likes certain cars drives and feels. like I said " to each it's own" I'll tell you this much, I've always loved how the Milan looked over the Fusion. The more reviews from writers and people like you driving the car is only making me more curious to drive the car.
Just to let you know, ABS is part of an option package, I think it's called the safety package. I really think that Ford is dropping the ball, AGAIN, with some of the stuff they are not including as standard equipment, such as ABS, Stability control, and a pet peeve of mine, you have to use a metal rod to hold up the hood, there isn't a hydraulic rod to keep the hood open, and a few other "standard items" that were on older model Ford/LM cars. It amazes me that the more advanced they try to become, they still cheapen the overall vehicle with crap like this. And I've driven Ford products for almost 40 years, so I have a bit of experience with these cars.
But there are a lot of people out there who simply don't want ABS. They either don't think it works or they don't want to pay for it.
It's a stand alone option so you aren't forced to buy an option package you don't want. Only problem I see is some dealers won't order it on the base models for inventory.
Ford is just now rolling out Sirius to various models. Most should have it by next year and it is a dealer installed option on some vehicles - not sure if the Fusion/Milan/Zephyr is included but since it uses the same type of radio as the other new Ford cars (500/Mustang at least) I'd bet it's either available now or will be shortly.
But there are a lot of people out there who simply don't want ABS. They either don't think it works or they don't want to pay for it.
Count me as one of 'em. Just build me a car that steers, handles, shifts and brakes well and I'll take care of the rest. On slick winter surfaces, my non-ABS car with premo winter snows stops much better than any ABS-equipped car with standard OEM all-seasons on the road. Credit Ford for making this unneeded and, in my opinion, undesirable feature optional.
As far as satellite radio, it certainly should be at least optional. That said, I currently have XM satellite and can tell you, unless you're out in Mud Butte, satellite can't hold a candle to local broadcasting (the music stations on XM stink unless you're into rap, top 40 or champagne music). And if there are lots of trees in your part of the country that get close to road (like within 15 ft. or so), good luck with the reception. For a third of my commute reception drops in and out constantly. I only keep mine because I need CNBC in the car for the morning drive. Maybe things will improve in a few weeks after all the leaves fall off the trees...
ABS is STANDARD on the Premium models if it's that important to you. The only thing that your paying for with the "Safety package" on the Premium model is side and curtain airbags. Second why do you need Stability control on a car when it already handles good in the first place ?? Who are you racing to be throwing a car around like that ??? All that stuff does is make the car more expensive anyway. It's nothing more than one more thing that can go wrong on the car and wear out.
Remember back in the 90's when Lincoln had the continental with that self lowering shocks once it hit 55 or 60. I saw one a couple of years ago. The car was so cock eyed and off center it was pathetic (the shocks had worn out). I'd love to see how all that electronic wizardry last in the Hyundai.
The Hydraulic hood rods ?!?!? Ok your really getting desperate. Uhhh the object of the game is "NOT" to open the hood. To use that as a knock against the car that's really really really really petty. I don't think anybody in America is going to go. Oh I love the car but the hood doesn't have hydraulic rod's to keep the hood open. That's needles cost cutting. I don't want the car.
As per Ford Motor Company's list of "OPTIONAL" equipment for the Fusion, ABS is NOT standard on any model. All the things that I'm talking about were standard on previous models, pal. Like both front seats being power, power lumbar, and ABS on late '90's Sables/Taurus. It seems that the more Ford progresses, the more they make items optional, so they can charge more money. Even all my Taurus' and Sable's had more then just "D" and "L" on the shifter. What's the deal with that? They give you a 6 speed tranny, and you can't use the tranny in a manual mode to help out in different situations. And where did it say I was going to "throw" the car around? It has been proven that ABS prevents more accidents then cars without. Just because you'd be happy with a car similar to the one that Fred Flintstone drove, there are many people who want options, or even better, standard features that improve the car and their chances for not getting killed. :P
Point of clarification: ABS is NOT standard on the Fusion but IS standard on the Milan Premier.
I don't know why people think that if something is standard that they don't have to pay for it. It doesn't matter whether something is an option or standard - YOU"RE PAYING FOR IT. They would just raise the base price to cover it. TANSTAAFL.
The cost is less when they are included in every car. Many dealers won't keep cars in stock with ABS except fully loaded models so they can have a more attractive window sticker. They will order them with things that people can see at a glance instead.
ABS is kind of expected now and some buyers won't even think to check the window sticker and won't notice that their Fusion doesn't have it until they've already purchased the car. There was a time when rear window defrosters used to be optional on most domestic cars.
Second why do you need Stability control on a car when it already handles good in the first place ??
Thank you! I keep asking the same question. I don't see the need for it in a car, SUV's yes, but not cars. Especially cars that handle exceptionally well already.
Furthermore, everytime I read a review of a Toyota/Lexus car in MT they always complain a lot about the electronic nannies. Even when off they are too obtrusive and take away from the driving experience and Toyota isn't the only one guilty of this but they came to mind first. Let ME drive the car.
Stability control has been PROVEN to reduce single vehicle car accidents by 34% (SUV 67%) Stability control does things you could never do, and knows things are wrong way before you do. And for the few times you want to have fun there is a switch to turn it off.
I'm aware of what's been proven but I myself don't care for it in a car and that's what I was stating. I don't push my car to the limits often, but I do drive it spiritedly all the time, and therefore don't want to have to pay for it standard or not. Those who do push their cars to the limits will probably want it. I'm just glad Mazda allows me to defeat the TC in my Mazda6 because even it gets in the way sometimes.
As for the switch, if what that switch does could be standardized I'd say put it in all cars. That's not the case because some manufacturers choose to keep some of the nannies on even when you flip the switch to "Off" while others don't. People who want it all the way off, say for track use, are the same people that need it to be on during daily driving.
I've been in two accidents in my life. Both were single car, both were my fault, and both would have happened with or without traction control because I slid once on gravel and road salt and the other time on ice. I was going too fast for what I couldn't see on the road, not too fast to handle the curve, in the former and hit black ice on a steep downhill horseshoe bend at a low speed. There's now a 17 year old chain link fence and a 9 year old stone retaining wall three feet from the white line on the road in those locations. And no, I still don't want stability control in my car.
test drove a Milan at lunch today. Mostly stoppped in to look at the styling compared to the Fusion, but the sales person wanted to take a ride (ended up being a 10 mile loop, a real good work out). Anyway, the rear looks nice, but I didn't care too much for th egrill. It would look better if it wasn't silver IMO.
This was my first time getting one up to highway speed (even hit 70!) Overall, I was impressed. It has plenty of pep (I drove a 4 cyl. 5 speed), and a nice ride. Excellent handling, and road noise was modest. Accelerated well.
One quibble, which I expected, is that the gearing is still a bit short. 70 was ~2,900 RPM. Better than my current ride (a tC), but buzzier than an Accord. If they could know 3-400 RPMs off it at 70 it would make for a quiter cruise, with better MPG and still plenty of passing power.
FWIW the X-Plan prices are now back up on FordDirect.com for all of you who qualify. I was specifically eyeing up a loaded Fusion SEL with a sticker of $26,150. X-Plan price is $24,120, and $23,620 when you subtract the $500 rebate. Not too shabby.
Now if it only had AWD this year I'd start working on my wife to replace our Escape.
Interestingly enough, a friend of mine has the Mazda 6 with the 3.0/manual and his runs close to 3K at 70 too. It's a pretty smooth engine, but the economy stinks - even for a sixer. I too wish Ford/Mazda would be a little less aggressive on the gearing for their stick models. It's like they're still gearing 'em for $1.50 gas.
I can vouch for the 6. IIRC 5th gear puts you at about 2600 RPM at 70 MPH. That is a little high but the engine is very quiet at that setting and it's just below the point that the VVT opens the valves so climbing hills with the cruise on isn't a big production. I actually had to constantly shift back to 4th on a lot of hills in our old VTEC Civic. It got to the point where I didn't use the cruise until we reached a flatter part of the country. Beats getting run over by an 18 wheeler. :surprise:
First, does anyone really think a rebadged Mazda 6 will dethrone the Camry as the top selling mid size car. The Fusion/Milan should be compared to the next gen. Camry which will hit the market in about 5 to 6 months. The new Camry will have a 3.5L V6 ( most likely) with close to 260 hp and a six speed automatic tranny. It will also get a new inline 4 with close to 180 Hp. An all new Accord will also make its debut about a year after the Camry. GM also thought that the new Malibu would cut into CamCord sales :P . Guess that didn't pan out. While the Fusion is a decent car it is by no means class leading. I don't think Toyota has too much to worry about.
ABS does things which are physically impossible for a human to do, and it should be standard and mandatory - I don't want some heap without ABS wrecking into my car because the owner / dealer did not order the car with it. Anyone who thinks that they can stop a car without ABS better, or even close to as good as, one with it is either misinformed or arrogant.
As for XM radio, I thoroughly enjoy the excellent quality, and the opportunity to hear a much wider variety of music than the FM stations in southern CA play. I had never heard XM radio before I bought my new Malibu Maxx. It, and the good sound system, are a real treat. I listened to FM a few times, since buying that car, but the quality is so poor, and the commercials so annoying, that I have completely abandoned FM. I don't see why Ford left the option off of the brand new Fusion, Milan,and Zephyr.
Don't make the mistake of looking at sales by nameplate and not platform. The car maker's profits are derived from the total sales of the platform. For example, the Fusion, Milan and Zerphyr are one platform and compete against other platforms, such as the one on which the Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6, Saab 9-3, and upcoming Saturn Aura, are built.
The Fusion can't really compete with the current or new Camry for refinement and reliability and resale, but they can compete on purchase price. By the time the new Camry comes out, there will be bigger rebates on the Fusion and the new Camry will sell for sticker price of a much higher MSRP for at least a short period of time after introduction. Many will decide that the Fusion is worth it if they get a large enough discount.
Who said the camry will have a 6 speed auto? No Toyota FWD products have a six speed and I havent heard of one being released. The Fusion can compete based on price and styling. IF people only cared about the most hp they wouldnt be buying Camrys in the first place since the Accord, Altima and Grand Prix GTP/GXP are all faster for similar money.
I looked at one today and overall I thought it was nice for the money but I dont think the interior is the quantum leap forward the press is making it out to be. I am not crazy about the gauges or the center stack design. The leather seemed nice, as was the stitching, but the door panels seemed like they came from an econo-car. I had a chance to check out some 2006 Malibus afterward and Chevy has added some much needed brightwork to the gauges, shifter area and controls. I think Ford should've done the same thing for the Fusion. I also agree that omitting XM radio makes no sense because it's available on all comparable Gm cars and the Accord. Not sure about the Camry or Sonata. The Fusion has price and style on it's side. ON the negative side, the mileage isnt great considering it's advanced trannys, it lacks several features that have been on the competition for a year or more (stability, XM, remote start) and the interior is a little dull.
In short, I would rather have a Fusion V6 than a Camry four banger or a Sonata V6.
"I looked at one today and overall I thought it was nice for the money but I dont think the interior is the quantum leap forward the press is making it out to be"
Which color interior? IMO the charcoal black looks stunning and is as good as any Accord interior with the exception of the stereo. The lighter colors without the piano black trim don't look quite as good, but I think it's in the ballpark with all it's competitors.
And let's give Ford credit - it's WAY better than any interior they've done before.
Ford won't be offering XM. Ford is a Sirius partner. But if Ford were serious about satellite radio, it would be available NOW for the Five Hundred/Montego and the Fusion/Milan/Zephyr. That it isn't speaks volumes, sadly.
Aftermarket units for either XM or Sirius are widely available, and have the added plus of not costing anywhere near what an automaker would charge. The displays on the PNPs (Plug N Plays), are MUCH larger than factory units...
Comments
You might see a few out at first, since they aren't building the AT version yet.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Unless the nozzles are heated as in some VW's, mounting them under the hood would render them useless in snow country. Your wiper is constantly pushing snow into that area could eventually freeze.
Actually, putting the nozzles on top of the hood is the best functional place for them. I have had cars with them mounted at the plastic cowl and they do tend to get packed in with ice and snow at times. I have also had cars with them mounted on the wiper arms themselves. These work OK, however after time, the flexible hoses from the cowl to the wiper arm will crack and have to be replaced. Not a big deal, but still it is just another wear item.
There, this subject is all washed up and should be wiped out, I believe.
Last autos show I sat in very few cars that had adequately deep seats. One good thing about this is it quickly narrows down the list of acceptable cars.
That depends on what you consider "missing". The Mazda6 has some things that the Fusion doesn't which makes me believe they could add them for JOB2 of MY06 if they wanted to. I'm sure they're paying close attention to what people are asking for right now. This car is too important to them to just let it run through without tweaks here and there.
Milan Bottom Line - Good car overall but only if you are DEAF.
Good stuff
Milan is a nicely styled inside and outside. Controls are laid out good, not excellent. V6 and transmission work well. Engine noise was acceptable during hard acceleration. Tranny shifted smoothly. Driver seat was fine, rear seat was comfortable. Tilt and telescopic wheel works well.
Problems
- Cabin noise over rough road surfaces is very bad, worse than Accord. This is a deal braker for me. The Milan unseats the Accord as the noisiest car. Ford should go ask Hyundai how they made their car quiet.
- Front passanger seat is angled up at the front, similar to a deep bucket seat. Noticibley different from the drivers seat. Not comfortable for me.
- No glove box light, no folding mirrors, no rear reading lamps
- I looked at the undercarriage, very inconsistent coverage of rust proofing/sound insulation.
- Fan & temp controls on steering wheel are stupid. The idea of an automatic A/C unit is so you do not have to adjust anything. Dumb. dumb, dumb. Way too many controls on steering wheel. You will end up looking at the wheel to see which button to push.
- High end audio unit (6 cd) sounds muddy, not worth the added cost.
I did not mention how well the suspension does on the twisties because we have no twisties where I live, only crappy roads which would eat the Milan alive.
However, Finally somebody did a review on the 2006 Mercury Milan and it got glowing reviews.
Mercury Milan complete review
If I were going to get the Mercury Milan. I would get the 4 banger premium with the 5 speed stick. it comes with ABS standard and the 6 speaker sound system standard.
Edmunds, we all know the Milan is the sister of the Fusion. But, can you show Mercury a little love and at least drive the thing and give us your take on the car please
Mercury Milan
"The doors are the only shared body panels between the Milan, Fusion, Mazda 6, and the upcoming Lincoln Zephyr".
They thought about AUX inputs for the Fusion, but weren't sure, so they elected to skip it and added mp3 CD playback. To play mp3s in a Fusion, you will need to burn them to CDRs first or else get an FM radio transmitter.
The last options are to get external speakers for you ipod or put an satellite radio boombox in the back seat.
Elegant.
If it's available from the dealer - what's the difference?
For all you thirty somethings, give or take a decade, (non police officers, non fleet drivers) that bought a Crown Vic, I apologize to all three of you in advance.
http://www.newcartestdrive.com/printversion-review.cfm?Vehicle=2006_Mercury_Milan&ReviewID- - =1798
Let me say this concerning the quietness of the Milan. On a flat and smooth road, the Milan is pretty quiet. On a washboard type concrete road, the Milan produces a good amount of tire thrum. If you only drive on nice smooth asphalt, you will think this car is the cat's meow. This is why some reviews really do not tell you the whole story.
As far as seat comfort, only you can decide. I personally thought the Milan's drivers seat was fine, but the passenger seat was oddly positioned. I also thought the backseat of the Milan was better than the Montego.
The review said:
"The deeply bucketed front seats were especially cozy, more of an "in" seat than an "on" seat."
I said:
- Front passenger seat is angled up at the front, similar to a deep bucket seat. Noticeably different from the drivers seat.
I think if you read the review carefully, you will find they liked the look of the car the most. The Milan is a very good car, but I expect a Mercury to be much quieter.
I said I respect your opinion because most people go off the deep end about a car and never even drive it.
As far as the road noise, It sounds like to me, from what you and the review said. the majority of the noise is coming from the tires. If that is the case, you can easily fix some of the noise by changing the rubber to something better. Now if the noise was coming from wind noise or from the engine compartment I'd be a little worried.
Also, as far as the review talking about the seats. The way I took it is that they seem to be very comfortable. It seems that you sit "in" the seats and sink down instead of sitting "on(top)" of the seats and floating along.
And in conclusion, The article stated
"The Mercury Milan is a thoroughly nice family car given the confines of its very friendly price. From the waterfall grille up front to the brushed metallic trim all over the interior, this is a Ford platform upgraded to Mercury status, with more standard equipment and more soul than the Ford version. "
It seems that you and the writers of the review were pretty impressed by the car. That's all that matters. Now if they said well the only thing the Milan has going for it is looks and not much else. The car lacks feel, soul etc. I'd be worried. Not everybody likes certain cars drives and feels. like I said " to each it's own"
I'll tell you this much, I've always loved how the Milan looked over the Fusion. The more reviews from writers and people like you driving the car is only making me more curious to drive the car.
It's a stand alone option so you aren't forced to buy an option package you don't want. Only problem I see is some dealers won't order it on the base models for inventory.
http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0506/07/01-205439.htm
Count me as one of 'em. Just build me a car that steers, handles, shifts and brakes well and I'll take care of the rest. On slick winter surfaces, my non-ABS car with premo winter snows stops much better than any ABS-equipped car with standard OEM all-seasons on the road. Credit Ford for making this unneeded and, in my opinion, undesirable feature optional.
As far as satellite radio, it certainly should be at least optional. That said, I currently have XM satellite and can tell you, unless you're out in Mud Butte, satellite can't hold a candle to local broadcasting (the music stations on XM stink unless you're into rap, top 40 or champagne music). And if there are lots of trees in your part of the country that get close to road (like within 15 ft. or so), good luck with the reception. For a third of my commute reception drops in and out constantly. I only keep mine because I need CNBC in the car for the morning drive. Maybe things will improve in a few weeks after all the leaves fall off the trees...
Remember back in the 90's when Lincoln had the continental with that self lowering shocks once it hit 55 or 60. I saw one a couple of years ago. The car was so cock eyed and off center it was pathetic (the shocks had worn out). I'd love to see how all that electronic wizardry last in the Hyundai.
The Hydraulic hood rods ?!?!? Ok your really getting desperate. Uhhh the object of the game is "NOT" to open the hood. To use that as a knock against the car that's really really really really petty. I don't think anybody in America is going to go. Oh I love the car but the hood doesn't have hydraulic rod's to keep the hood open. That's needles cost cutting. I don't want the car.
I don't know why people think that if something is standard that they don't have to pay for it. It doesn't matter whether something is an option or standard - YOU"RE PAYING FOR IT. They would just raise the base price to cover it. TANSTAAFL.
ABS is kind of expected now and some buyers won't even think to check the window sticker and won't notice that their Fusion doesn't have it until they've already purchased the car. There was a time when rear window defrosters used to be optional on most domestic cars.
I have heard a lot of people complain about having to pay for ABS when they didn't want it.
I think GM tried to make ABS standard and had to rescind that decision due to customer complaints.
The cost difference is negligible.
Thank you! I keep asking the same question. I don't see the need for it in a car, SUV's yes, but not cars. Especially cars that handle exceptionally well already.
Furthermore, everytime I read a review of a Toyota/Lexus car in MT they always complain a lot about the electronic nannies. Even when off they are too obtrusive and take away from the driving experience and Toyota isn't the only one guilty of this but they came to mind first. Let ME drive the car.
As for the switch, if what that switch does could be standardized I'd say put it in all cars. That's not the case because some manufacturers choose to keep some of the nannies on even when you flip the switch to "Off" while others don't. People who want it all the way off, say for track use, are the same people that need it to be on during daily driving.
I've been in two accidents in my life. Both were single car, both were my fault, and both would have happened with or without traction control because I slid once on gravel and road salt and the other time on ice. I was going too fast for what I couldn't see on the road, not too fast to handle the curve, in the former and hit black ice on a steep downhill horseshoe bend at a low speed. There's now a 17 year old chain link fence and a 9 year old stone retaining wall three feet from the white line on the road in those locations. And no, I still don't want stability control in my car.
This was my first time getting one up to highway speed (even hit 70!) Overall, I was impressed. It has plenty of pep (I drove a 4 cyl. 5 speed), and a nice ride. Excellent handling, and road noise was modest. Accelerated well.
One quibble, which I expected, is that the gearing is still a bit short. 70 was ~2,900 RPM. Better than my current ride (a tC), but buzzier than an Accord. If they could know 3-400 RPMs off it at 70 it would make for a quiter cruise, with better MPG and still plenty of passing power.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Now if it only had AWD this year I'd start working on my wife to replace our Escape.
As for XM radio, I thoroughly enjoy the excellent quality, and the opportunity to hear a much wider variety of music than the FM stations in southern CA play. I had never heard XM radio before I bought my new Malibu Maxx. It, and the good sound system, are a real treat. I listened to FM a few times, since buying that car, but the quality is so poor, and the commercials so annoying, that I have completely abandoned FM. I don't see why Ford left the option off of the brand new Fusion, Milan,and Zephyr.
Don't make the mistake of looking at sales by nameplate and not platform. The car maker's profits are derived from the total sales of the platform. For example, the Fusion, Milan and Zerphyr are one platform and compete against other platforms, such as the one on which the Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6, Saab 9-3, and upcoming Saturn Aura, are built.
Many will decide that the Fusion is worth it if they get a large enough discount.
You obviously haven't read the reviews which state that it does compare favorably with both Camry and Accord.
75% of CamCord sales are 4 cylinder models - most buyers don't care about HP.
I looked at one today and overall I thought it was nice for the money but I dont think the interior is the quantum leap forward the press is making it out to be. I am not crazy about the gauges or the center stack design. The leather seemed nice, as was the stitching, but the door panels seemed like they came from an econo-car. I had a chance to check out some 2006 Malibus afterward and Chevy has added some much needed brightwork to the gauges, shifter area and controls. I think Ford should've done the same thing for the Fusion. I also agree that omitting XM radio makes no sense because it's available on all comparable Gm cars and the Accord. Not sure about the Camry or Sonata. The Fusion has price and style on it's side. ON the negative side, the mileage isnt great considering it's advanced trannys, it lacks several features that have been on the competition for a year or more (stability, XM, remote start) and the interior is a little dull.
In short, I would rather have a Fusion V6 than a Camry four banger or a Sonata V6.
Which color interior? IMO the charcoal black looks stunning and is as good as any Accord interior with the exception of the stereo. The lighter colors without the piano black trim don't look quite as good, but I think it's in the ballpark with all it's competitors.
And let's give Ford credit - it's WAY better than any interior they've done before.
Aftermarket units for either XM or Sirius are widely available, and have the added plus of not costing anywhere near what an automaker would charge. The displays on the PNPs (Plug N Plays), are MUCH larger than factory units...