2007 Ford Fusion Review

The mid-size car segment has traditionally been uninspiring, filled with family-friendly people movers marketed by safety features and typified by conservative looks. Ford hoped to buck this trend when they introduced the Fusion in 2006 by designing the car with an eye toward styling and a fun driving experience.

Based on the Mazda6 platform, Ford claims they've improved the 2007 Fusion by making it even stiffer, 2.1 inches wider, and lengthening the wheelbase by 2.1 inches. This means the Fusion maintains the Mazda6's road manners, but adds valuable interior passenger room.

The base 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine, sourced from Mazda, puts out 160 hp, and achieves an EPA rating of 23 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway when paired with the five-speed manual transmission. Ford's 3.0-liter V6 is available for those looking for enhanced performance. It produces 221 hp, and comes standard with a six-speed automatic.

The base S trim remains unchanged from last year, with features like four-wheel disc brakes, power mirrors, locks, and windows, cruise control, air conditioning, and a CD player standard. The SE trim adds aluminum wheels, fog lamps, power front seats, a fold-flat front passenger seat, and a standard 6-disc CD changer for $925. SEL trim is $1,090 more than the mid-grade SE trim and includes 17" aluminum wheels, automatic headlights, automatic climate control, and an electrochromic rearview mirror. Leather seats for $895 and a DVD-based navigation system for $1,895 are available on both SE and SEL trims.
The Ford Fusion adds an all-wheel-drive configuration for 2007, available in both SE and SEL trims with the V6 engine. Front seat side-impact and curtain air bags became standard as did an auxiliary audio input jack. Optional equipment was expanded to include Sirius satellite radio and a DVD-based navigation. Base prices rose about $300 overall from the 2006 model year. see less