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I tell people I always feel empty (MT) after reading that rag.
Mark.
If you want a stick other than an S, you better order it.
on athe TV show Wheel of Fortune last night. She couldn't remember the name.
Anyone see that episode? Was it a Fusion?
Car and driver are complete Honda sluts, They have 3 Hondas (1 Honda, 2 Acuras') on there 10 best list.
1. Accord (ok I can see)
2. Acura TSX (a weak maybe)
3. Acura RL (I really don't know about that one)
What kind of chance do you think the Fusion had to beat out the Accord ? UHUHHH None. Unless the car was complete total perfection. Remember this is the same C and D while on a national TV review of the Ford 500 called it a "Bloated Taurus", oh how professional and unbiased, yeah I really value their opinion.
I'm even starting to question Edmunds. In a recent econo car comparison test.
Econo Car comparison test
Let's just say, something about this campro just doesn't sit well with me. Here are a few things that got me in this comparo
1. All the top 3 finalist were imports, The Mazda 3 is very deserving (but a damn Kia)
2. None of the domestic contenders finished above 4th.
3. Out of a field of 7 cars the Ford Focus was the only one that wasn't equipped with ABS (even thought they are an available option). What a shock it had the longest stopping distance of the field.
4. In their recap of the 4th place Ford Focus . Edmunds makes reference to the cars recalls (it had 2-4 years ago)
Focus recap
sorta reinforcing the idea (The Ford Focus is cheap fun to drive junk)
5. The one thing that got me the most. They pick a Kia Spectra over the Ford Focus that made Car and Drivers 10 best 5 years in a row.
Uh, when was the last time a Kia did not finish "DEAD LAST" in a JD Power and Associates dependability/reliability survey ? Let me get this straight, they use 2-3 year old recalls that the Focus had to slam the Focus. But complete ignored the fact that the Kia they selected ahead of it is a million times worst. Clearly you can see what kind of Kool-aid Edmunds. com is drinking.
Look at our favorite car, the Hyundai Sonata. This car is such a knock off of the Camcord I really don't consider it a new car, I consider it a redesign. Hyundai used the Honda body and the Camry interior. The trunk is straight off the Accord. When you walk up from behind it you think it's a Honda until you see the Hyundai symbol on the trunk lid. The only thing new on the car is the powertrains. Yet Edmunds loves the car, they can't stop talking about it. I wonder if Ford had done the same thing (a Fusion clone of the Camcord) what would they say. The Sonata even beat the Camcord it a comparo Test
So really there is no point in even waiting for Edmunds to do a Mid-size family sedan comparo I already know who's going to win. So Mschmal when it comes to the automotive press doing reviews and comparo of the cars. In this day and age I just go Uh huh ok I see, take it for a grain of salt and keep moving. Then i'll take some of the information they present and make my own determination. Because if it was up to the press it's pretty obvious what the press thinks. To me MT is just like all other magazines they are all the same, drinking the same Kool-aid (if you know what I mean)
Sorry for the long rant
Another rambling thought..just keep in mind the big money corporate brainwashing of the buying public...by the way I sell LIncolns now...and I know they are pricy...but at least these cars are exciting...the Town Car floats on air drive...now thats the way a $50,000 Acura RL wish it could drive...and you can get a Town Car for for $33500...and I'd much rather drive a Town Car than a Maxima in the same price range...and check the new Zephyr out its beautifully articulated design deserves a WOW...IMO.
IIRC they said the same thing about the new Mustang's interior. Or at least someone big like them did. Give me a break!
FWIW I am a subscriber to MT and do like the mag. I just don't use it to make purchases. The seat of my pants does that for me.
Actually, when I did a search on Ford's website, I found several SE's with manual trans in my area. There were no manual SELs, though. If I want an SEL manual, I'm sure I will have to order.
Amazingly, the Mercury dealer near me has two Milans with manual. I was shocked at that. I test drove one of them and was quite pleased, but I like the looks of the Fusion more. The 4-cylinder does have plenty of power with the manual as long as you don't mind revving it a little. 0-60 in the Mazda6 with 5-speed manual is in the mid-8 second range, so I'd expect about 9.0 in the Fusion. When the automatic does become available with the 4 in the Fusion, hopefully it won't take over 10.0 to do 0-60. Then again, anyone who buys the auto/4 combination probably isn't that concerned with performance stats.
The Focus with ABS is really tough to find in my experience. I'm not sure why dealers don't order more of them, perhaps to keep the price down?
Also, the Focus is a very old design compared to most other cars in the class. It's now in it's seventh year which is an eternity in car years. For it to place fourth shows that it was a helluva design to start with if it can still place in the top half all these years later.
Maybe the Fusion will take the spot on CD's Ten Best list that was occupied for several years by the Focus? I hope so!
1. All the top 3 finalist were imports, The Mazda 3 is very deserving (but a damn Kia)
I couldn't believe where they placed the Spectra. I've driven almost every car in the test (except the Suzuki Daewoo). I actually think the Cobalt deserved much better than the sixth place slot. I'd bump the Kia and Hyundai to the back of the pack and slide Focus into third and Cobalt into fourth place. I'm not sure what I'd think about the Suzuki, but I seriously don't think I'd like it.
The Focus with ABS is really tough to find in my experience. I'm not sure why dealers don't order more of them, perhaps to keep the price down?
In the San Francisco bay area, ABS and side bags turn up once in a while on loaded SES Focii, but they usually have sunroofs, premium sound, and automatics as well.
I found ONE "S" trim ZX3 with options limited to ABS, side airbags (combo), and aircon; when it came in on a dealer trade, its build date was October (I was buying in May). It was probably a special order, and languished on a lot for a good part of the year.
In a related vein, I finally found a Scion xA with side curtains...but at the dealer it was gone, they had a customer who wanted one without, just a save a few hundred bucks, so they had dealer traded out the xA with side curtains.
People will pay for convenience before they will pay for safety. Safety is the LAST option they add....
Yes, that's very true. Almost nobody in America has a Focus with ABS (the exception being the ST, ABS is standard). However, you missed my entire point. The reason for me bringing that up about the test was not really about the Focus ABS or not ABS. It was really more about the test being setup unfairly. You can not have a fair comparo test and everybody in the test has a certain feature and one car doesn't. Then turn around and use that handicap against the car, that's not right.
For example let's say somebody did a test of 7 more econo cars. But all the cars had 2.3 liter engines with MTX, except one. Which has a smaller less powerful, fuel efficient engine with ATX. Then, the magazine slams the car with a smaller engine for not being fast enough. Don't you see what's wrong with this? Also, you forgot one thing, the Mazda 3 was the most expensive car in the test, not the Focus. So, Edmunds should have put the ABS option on the car. Or overlooked the fact the Focus wasn't equipped with ABS. Not handicap the car, then use the handicap against the car.
In short what I'm saying is, that they set the Focus up to fail. That was the entire point of me bring up the comparo test. The lack of ABS on one car, which just so happens to be the Ford Focus, sounds very suspect to me. I have to question the integrity of that test. It shows the kind of steps the press will go through to make the public see things "THEIR WAY" (Imports rule) Which by it's very definition, is wrong !!!
"They think Ford has a generic interior design and said they couldn't tell if they were in an F-150 or Fusion"
Ironically, they loved the F-150 interior, therefore I don't see their hypocritical statement stick. It's one of those "damn if you do, damn if you don't" senarios. The best thing to do is email them and make yourself heard.
theman,
Your assessment is correct. I actually have a mantra, any publication that recommends a VW, or Kia for that matter, I distrust. Yes, while they test the vehicle they are having fun, touching buttons, like a kid at a candy store. BUT they aren't around for the ownership experience, whining about how they had to take it 5+ times for warranty work.
Not sure if it was MT or C&D, but many years ago they have a long-term fleet, an Audi A4. They have over 10 warranty repairs, even the transmission DIED! Yet they recommended this vehicle and turned a blind eye towards how unreliable it was.
And it's moments like this that I discredit the journalist.... In again...E-mail them about their bias.
By far the best looking interior in the Fusion is the black. The "piano black" trim in place of the woodgrain on the SEL is awesome looking. I'd encourage you to take a look at one with this interior if you like black interior at all.
The Tungsten exterior is my favorite color for the Fusion. Good choice. Another thought about the light stone interior- do you want a silvery/gray exterior AND a gray interior?
To play devil's advocate, though, what if they weren't able to obtain a Focus with the ABS? It's certainly plausable based on the lack of them on dealer lots.
Not to defend Chevrolet, but in that Edmunds test where the it placed 6th out of 7, it was the only car without power windows or locks, cruise control and other usual convenience items. Then they complained about it in the review! I've driven a few as rental cars and they all had power everything. It wasn't to keep the price down either, the Cobalt was thousands less than several cars in the test.
Sounds like the two domestics were set up to fail, whether by the ones doing the test or their manufacturer's oversights for not providing them with comprehensively equipped vehicles. Who knows?
"Yes, while they test the vehicle they are having fun, touching buttons, like a kid at a candy store. BUT they aren't around for the ownership experience, whining about how they had to take it 5+ times for warranty work. "
Exactly - they take it for a day or two and give it back.
I am looking at the Lincoln Zephyr to lease for a couple of different reasons. 1. I like to change cars every couple of years and I get the bug for a new car after about 18 months, and 2. I currently own a Nissan Murano which is a great vehicle, but the service is some of the worst I have ever experienced at the dealerships. I also own a Mitsubishi and get much better service there for a vehicle that cost a little more than half of the Murano. My Local Lincoln Mercury dealership is one of the tops in the country for sales and service so I am hoping they should be able to equal expectations when it comes to service. Now if I can just convince the wife!!
One thing you folks might want to do if you are seriously considering the black in the Fusion/Milan though: take a spin in one after dusk. These cars have very limited interior illumination and that problem is exacerbated by the black interior.
I think the medium light stone is nice although I would have preferred darker seats. But I like the fact that the dash and steering wheel and center stack are black.
I bet the manual Milan will be gone in a year. Hopefully the Fusion will have the manual with the V6 in a year or less, too. Not to mention a manual shift gate for the automatic.
I was glad to see one (out of probably a hundred or so I looked at) 4-cylinder SE with the 5-speed automatic transmission. It appears they've finally started making these. I this will help boost sales, not that they need any help at the moment.
I wonder if the V6 or the 4 will end up being the volume seller?
I thought that was unusual.
His Ford dealership has one 4cyl/5speed Automatic,(thats right)
3 SE's and 5 SEL's (Fusions).
The volume seller will be the V6, unless some catastrophy occurs with oil and everyone decides to run to a 4 cylinder, but the company forecasts the V6 to be the majority take. The V6 is priced at the competitors 4 cylinders, so it's something most consumers will take advantage of.
1. Tail end. Top to bottom it appears huge. The tail lights are massive and set high in the rear deck and with nothing distinquishable underneath, the back of the car looks like a big barn door.
2. Dash center stack. It protrudes out from the dash and there is WAY too much metal. It doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the dash. Needs some wood to tone it down and integrate it with the rest of the dash.
3. Gauge cluster. White on black - how boring. It wouldn't be such a big deal had I not seen photos of the prototype with the light cluster background and "square-ish" dials. Looked so much better and was actually different than everyone else. How daring!
4. Chrome sideview mirrors. The shiny chrome draws your attention to them and breaks up the silhouette of the profile. They should be painted body color to blend in and go un-noticed.
5. No protective side molding. Why would I pay $30K for a new car only to have the sides dented and dinged up in 2 months. I've owned cars without side molding and got fed up with people banging the sides up when they open their car doors. I won't buy another car without some sort of protection.
6. Low profile tires. They look too "short" and cause the car to sit close to the ground giving it a sort of fat, tubby look.
7. That stupid hood prop rod. I expect this on a Yugo but, not a Lincoln!
8. Overall styling. It just didn't flow, integrate or excite. If you walked by it in a parking lot, you wouldn't even notice it. The Milan is better looking.
In closing, IMO the Zephyr offers nothing that says "buy me." It's merely average at best.
How about AWD for 2007 and a Hybrid model for 2008 plus a 270 hp ST fusion next year?
How about 5 and 6 speed automatics when the competition only has 4 and 5 speeds?
You won't see these vehicles languish like the old models. Ford has finally figured out how to compete (stop dumping fleet vehicles, hybrids, AWD, more models). They're not 100% there but they're getting close.
It's not clear if the AWD fusion will get the 3.5L engine. There is a rumored Fusion ST270 performance model but no word on whether that will be AWD or FWD.
http://www.leftlanenews.com/?p=243
Damn, this thing has like more bling than an Escalade or 300!!
Mark
"If 221 hp doesn't seem like enough to achieve orbital escape velocity, consider that 10 years ago, the corporation's workhorse 4.0-liter V6 produced a mere 140 hp"
Somehow I'm thinking the slogan "More power than a 1995 base model Ford Taurus" isn't going to be terribly convincing. Maybe Dell Computer could use the same logic in their advertising: "This thing will SMOKE the computer you had 10 years ago!" :P
I'm not saying that the Zephyr isn't a nice car; but something is fishy about this review, even if it is a first drive. We'll see if the full test is a little more even handed.
"If 221 hp doesn't seem like enough to achieve orbital escape velocity, consider that 10 years ago, the corporation's workhorse 4.0-liter V6 produced a mere 140 hp"
Somehow I'm thinking the slogan "More power than a 1995 base model Ford Taurus" isn't going to be terribly convincing. Maybe Dell Computer could use the same logic in their advertising: "This thing will SMOKE the computer you had 10 years ago!" :P
I'm not saying that the Zephyr isn't a nice car; but something is fishy about this review, even if it is a first drive. We'll see if the full test is a little more even handed.
Here are some questions for you. Why is it, that it seems fishy just because they loved a Lincoln ? Why does it sound like a brochure to you ? Would it sound like it was written by the Toyota marketing department if they said the same thing about a Lexus ? To be honest with you I'm probably the most surprised person in the US. That Edmunds didn't trash the Zephyr to be honest with you. Maybe the Zephyr is just one hell of a car, that's all there is to it.
I haven't been able to find MPG ratings for the Fusion 4cyl/auto. The 4cyl/manual only gets 2mpg better on highway than the V6/6-speed auto. The 4cyl/auto will probably be very close to the V6 figures, which would negate any fuel economy benefit of buying the 4.
TMV fluctuates, rebates come and go, so it could change anytime. The MSRP of the Focus is too high, in my opinion, even though it's a great deal once you apply rebates and discounts.
Any way you cut it, a Focus is better than a Kia.
Vehicle Description VIN 3FAHP07Z46R 114732
FUSION 2006 FUSION SE I4
2.3L I4 ENGINE
5-SPEED AUTO TRANSMISSION Exterior
BLACK CLEARCOAT
Interior
MEDIUM LIGHT STONE LEATHER SEATING
Standard Equipment INCLUDED AT NO EXTRA CHARGE
EXTERIOR
. CHROME GRILLE
. 16" STEEL WHEELS
. P205/60R16 TIRES
. POWER MIRRORS - BODY COLOR
. SPD DEPENDNT INTRVAL WIPER
INTERIOR
. A/C CLIMATE CONTROL
. POWER WINDOWS & LOCKS
. 1-TOUCH DOWN DRIVER WINDOW
. AM/FM SINGLE CD/MP3, 6SPKR
. ACCESSORY TURN-OFF DELAY
. STR WHEEL W/SPEED & AUDIO
. 6-WAY PWR DRV. SEAT W/LUMB
. MESSAGE CENTER
. MAP POCKETS- DRIVER & PASS
. DUAL ILLUM VANITY MIRRORS
. CENTER DOME W/ MAP LIGHTS
. 60/40 REAR SEAT W/
SPRING ASSISTED FOLD
. STORAGE BIN - DASH
. CENTER CONSOLE W/STORAGE
. 6 CUP/BOTTLEHOLDERS
FUNCTIONAL
. POWER STEERING
. 4-WHEEL DISC BRAKES
. TILT/TELESCOPE WHEEL
. POWER POINTS (2)
SAFETY/SECURITY
. INTEGRATED KEY FOB
. PERSONAL SAFETY SYSTEM
. SIDE IMPACT PROTECTION SYS
. LATCH CHILD SAFETY SYSTEM
. BATTERY SAVER FEATURE
. SECURILOCK PASS ANTI THEFT
. ILLUMINATED ENTRY
. EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE
WARRANTY
. 3 YR/36,000 MILES
. 24 HR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE
Price Information MSRP
STANDARD VEHICLE PRICE $17,900
Key Standard Equipment
ORDER CODE 110A
Optional Equipment
2006 MODEL YEAR
BLACK CLEARCOAT
MED LT STONE LEATHER SEATING
.2.3L I4 ENGINE
5-SPEED AUTO TRANSMISSION 825
.P205/60R16 ALL SEASON TIRES
SAFETY & SECURITY PACKAGE 595
.SIDE AIR CURTAIN
.DRIVER/PASSENGER AIR BAG
.ANTI-THEFT PERIMETER ALARM
SE SPORT PACKAGE 395
.AM/FM/MP3 6 CDX PLAYER W/CLOC
.ALUMINUM WHEELS 16 X 6.5
LEATHER SEATING 895
FRONT LICENSE PLATE BRACKET
__________
TOTAL VEHICLE & OPTIONS 20,610
DESTINATION & DELIVERY 650
TOTAL MSRP $21,260.00
Disclaimer: Option pricing will be blank for any item that is priced as 0 or "No Charge".
This vehicle qualifies
for auto insurance discounts,
call 1-866-367-3131 or visit
www.fordautoinsurance.com
for availability in your state.
Estimated Annual Fuel Cost:$1,221 CITY MPG
24
HIGHWAY MPG
32 Vehicle Engine Information
2006 FUSION 2.3L 4V DOHC I4, (F.F.S.) FUEL INJECTION, CATALYST,5-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Actual mileage will vary with options, driving conditions, driving habits and vehicle's condition. Results reported to EPA indicate that the majority of vehicles with these estimates will achieve between 20 and 28 mpg in the city and between 27 and 37 mpg on the highway.
For Comparison Shopping all vehicles classified as MIDSIZE have been issued mileage ratings from 10 to 60 mpg city and 14 to 51 mpg highway.
HIGHWAY MPG 32
Vehicle Engine Information 2006 FUSION 2.3L 4V DOHC I4, (F.F.S.) FUEL INJECTION, CATALYST,5-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
So the automatic is actually one mpg better than the manual, thats surprising. I know that in many cases automatic now gets the same mileage, but I think this is the first time I have heard of one getting better.
And the 4 with auto is 3 mpg better than the V6, despite the 5 speed transmission.
What happened to the days when getting the manual transmission meant saving money on the purchase price, saving gas and getting better acceleration? At least the manual is still more fun to drive (especially since the Fusion lacks a manual shift function for the automatic).
Note some people still say "5 speed" when they really mean a manual transmission. All I4 fusions and milans are 5 speeds whether they're automatics or manuals.
MILAN: Even better, classier design, the perfect Country Club version of the Fusion.
ZEPHYR: Ok, this one disappoints me. I like the Navigator-ish dash design, but this car feels like Lincoln on a budget. Why no plasma instrumentation like the Navigator/Aviator? Every Lincoln should have that as a trademark. The Design is the Design, you like it or you don't, but a prop rod for the hood may pass in the Fusion and the Milan, but in the Lincoln, this is unforgiveable. It tells you what this car really is - and it's not a Lincoln.
Also, many manufacturer's program a "shift skip" into their transmissions, and/or they'll also program for an engine to start off on 2nd gear, depending upon the pressure placed on the accelerator, which is another trick to extract more fuel efficiency... not something you can do with a manual.
CVT's (Continiously Variable Transmissions) is the next generation of peak transmission efficiency providing for the engine to run constantly at it's peak performance level, relative to the load and pressure placed upon the pedal. This, plus less parts at the cost of more complexity and limited torque loads, allow for better fuel economy as well, to be extracted from particular engines.
Next generations after CVT's, are IVT (Infinite Variable Transmission) such as "Torotrak" (www.Torotrak.com), which are still in the developmental stage. Which doesn't have the torque load/weight limitations as CVT's.