Ford Fusion
The Ford Fusion was introduced in 2005 where in North America it replaced the Taurus as Ford's entry into mid-size car market, the Taurus in now a full-size. The Fusion has consistently been considered one of the top cars in it's class and the 2010 model was named Motor Trends Car of the Year. The Fusion is a major part of Ford's attempt to win back market share by introducing new models. Ford, who were on the verge of going out of business, in large part because there were serious questions about the quality of their products have made a serious effort to introduce new products of a higher standard. The Fusion has been a major success in this.
Ford has done a major update of the Fusion for the 2010 model, in addition to new styling they have significantly upgraded the power train. The new power train options are the same as those available on Ford's Escape and include a 2.5 litre I4 V6 that produces 175 horsepower and a 3.0 litre Duratec V6 that produce 240 horsepower. The sport version comes with a 3.5 litre Duratec engine producing 263 horsepower. All Fusion models come with Ford's new 6 speed 6F transmission. In order to improve fuel efficiency the engines include and aggressive deceleration fuel cutoff feature. In redesigning the interior the Fusion comes with a new centre console and Ford's Ice Blue illumination system as well as an optional navigation system with an eight inch screen.
Starting from 2009 the Fusion has been available as a hybrid and the 2010 Fusion hybrid won North American Car of the Year. According to EPA estimates the Fusion gets better fuel mileage than any other mid-size hybrid in it's class. The Fusion hybrid is rated at 41mpg for city driving and it is possible to get 700 miles on just one tank of gas. The Fusion has been ranked as one of the Top Green Cars by the publishers of the Kelley Blue Book.
The Ford Fusion is also one of the safest cars on the road, having been given a top safety pick rating by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. The car performs well in both front and side impact crash testing and comes with all the standard safety features. The Fusion has front and side airbags as well as anti-lock brakes and crumple zones that are now expected safety features on any car. There have however been issues with unintended accelerations due to floor mat issues on the Fusion, this is currently being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Ford is banking on the Fusion to help it to establish a reputation for producing quality cars and to win back some of the market share that they have lost. So far they are off to a good start as the Fusion has been very well received and is generally considered to be one of the top cars in it's class. There is still a long way to go in order for Ford to return to being a profitable manufacturer but they are off to a good start.