Full Pic Added: A Very Different Upscale 2013 Ford Fusion

[93JC]

Me.

You don't NEED it, you just WANT it.

[Payman]

You don't NEED it, you just WANT it.

Need = 300 hp. Want = 500 hp.

[93JC]

Whatever.

[hounddog]

Wow. I really like that, inside and out.

What happened?

You used to be funny, but now you are more like "Fun Bobby" without the alcohol. 

[hounddog]

This.

I think I could have puppies in this car. 

[r0tor]

It looks like a rapide mated with a lancer... But turned out pretty well

[SVT666]

I can't help but notice Cougs' conspicuous absence from this thread.

[GoCougs]

As with many of Ford's recent efforts; Taurus, Focus, Explorer, Flex; trying too hard with the (sacrificial) styling.

[Madman]

As with many of Ford's recent efforts; Taurus, Focus, Explorer, Flex; trying too hard with the (sacrificial) styling.

[2o6]

As with many of Ford's recent efforts; Taurus, Focus, Explorer, Flex; trying too hard with the (sacrificial) styling.

You've been inside?

[CALL_911]

As with many of Ford's recent efforts; Taurus, Focus, Explorer, Flex; trying too hard with the (sacrificial) styling.

Sacrificial?

[SVT666]

As with many of Ford's recent efforts; Taurus, Focus, Explorer, Flex; trying too hard with the (sacrificial) styling.

Oh look who it is, and right on time....late.  He didn't disappoint either.  He brought his usual anti-Ford BS with him.

[Eye of the Tiger]

D'awwwwwww..... he so cute.

I require an SVT Fusion with manual transes and RWD. Wait... Falcon.

[mzziaz]

Promising, but the front styling is bordering on being too agressive for a mundane midsizer.

I thought the new front on the Peugeot 407 was awesome at first too, but boy that car aged fast. 

[Atomic]

Huge step down from the current model.  It's about as ugly as the current Sonata.

maybe not intended, but you make another great point, raza. many think the 2013 honda accord coupe look too much like the current generation coupe. yet when copy-cat styling of the sonata (as one example) occurs, there are probably the same numbers of critics not pleased with this approach to redesigning a new vehicle. i have a love-hate feeling of the next generation after time to really study it and still appreciate honda for making a honda look like honda".

[FoMoJo]

Fusion wins best production design award

The new Ford Fusion and the Lexus LF-LC took honors as the best production and best concept cars in the annual Eyes on Design Awards at the 2012 North American International Auto Show.

On the other hand, the Lexus LF-LC looks like a pretty nifty concept design...

[565]

Wait seriously only 4 bangers?  What fail. 

I thought this turbo 4 nonsense in family sedans would have been dead and buried after the mess Hyundai made of their Sonata turbo, combining the acceleration of a Camry Hybrid and the fuel economy of the Camry V6, what win.  After the cluster fuck that is the ecoboost Explorer I thought Ford would have learned from their mistake.

Plus I find it ironic that everyone is so gah gah over what is clearly a slightly updated MK4 Ford Mondeo, a car that's been sold around the world for half a decade.  The car was exciting when it was new 5 years ago.  It's only exciting to us now because Ford's been screwing their domestic market over, just like they had been with the Focus until the reunification.  Like I said before, it's like Ford's been out to an expensive dinner with their mistress (foreign market), and brings the half chewed left overs back to the doting wife (domestic market), and instead of being rightfully angry, she is exclaiming how wonderful husband Ford is, it's sickeningly pathetic.

Well the joke is going to be on Ford in the end, because if the new Focus proved anything, it's that in trying to combine their world and domestic markets, Ford has managed to make cars too European for the Americans, and too cheapified for the Europeans.

[ifcar]

I thought this turbo 4 nonsense in family sedans would have been dead and buried after the mess Hyundai made of their Sonata turbo, combining the acceleration of a Camry Hybrid and the fuel economy of the Camry V6, what win.

Ummmm....what?

[2o6]

Wait seriously only 4 bangers?  What fail. 

I thought this turbo 4 nonsense in family sedans would have been dead and buried after the mess Hyundai made of their Sonata turbo, combining the acceleration of a Camry Hybrid and the fuel economy of the Camry V6, what win.  After the cluster fuck that is the ecoboost Explorer I thought Ford would have learned from their mistake.

Plus I find it ironic that everyone is so gah gah over what is clearly a slightly updated MK4 Ford Mondeo, a car that's been sold around the world for half a decade.  The car was exciting when it was new 5 years ago.  It's only exciting to us now because Ford's been screwing their domestic market over, just like they had been with the Focus until the reunification.  Like I said before, it's like Ford's been out to an expensive dinner with their mistress (foreign market), and brings the half chewed left overs back to the doting wife (domestic market), and instead of being rightfully angry, she is exclaiming how wonderful husband Ford is, it's sickeningly pathetic.

Well the joke is going to be on Ford in the end, because if the new Focus proved anything, it's that in trying to combine their world and domestic markets, Ford has managed to make cars too European for the Americans, and too cheapified for the Europeans.

And it's still doing well in both markets.

[565]

Ummmm....what?

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1112_2011_hyundai_sonata_se_vs_2012_toyota_camry_se_vs_2012_volkswagen_passat_vr6_sel_comparison/specs.html

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1112_2011_hyundai_sonata_hybrid_vs_2012_toyota_camry_hybrid_vs_2012_volkswagen_passat_tdi_comparison/specs.html

Sonata 2.0T:  23.3 mpg, 91.5 mph trap speed
Camry V6:  24.7 mpg, 100.6 mph trap speed
Camry Hybrid: 36.9mpg, 91.5 mph trap speed

I was being generous, the 2.0T has WORSE fuel economy than the Camry V6, and accelerates like the Camry Hybrid.

[565]

And it's still doing well in both markets.

And the Taurus did very well against the Camcords back in 1996, when it was complete shit.  Look at it it's sales now.  If you screw up a mainstream car, you don't pay for it immediately because the momentum of consumers continue buying, you pay for it hard down the line.

[2o6]

And the Taurus did very well against the Camcords back in 1996, when it was complete shit.  Look at it it's sales now.  If you screw up a mainstream car, you don't pay for it immediately because the momentum of consumers continue buying, you pay for it hard down the line.

And the focus (or any Ford on sale) is by no means a bad car.




That sentence is more valid for Honda.

[Raza]

Wait seriously only 4 bangers?  What fail. 

I thought this turbo 4 nonsense in family sedans would have been dead and buried after the mess Hyundai made of their Sonata turbo, combining the acceleration of a Camry Hybrid and the fuel economy of the Camry V6, what win.  After the cluster fuck that is the ecoboost Explorer I thought Ford would have learned from their mistake.

Plus I find it ironic that everyone is so gah gah over what is clearly a slightly updated MK4 Ford Mondeo, a car that's been sold around the world for half a decade.  The car was exciting when it was new 5 years ago.  It's only exciting to us now because Ford's been screwing their domestic market over, just like they had been with the Focus until the reunification.  Like I said before, it's like Ford's been out to an expensive dinner with their mistress (foreign market), and brings the half chewed left overs back to the doting wife (domestic market), and instead of being rightfully angry, she is exclaiming how wonderful husband Ford is, it's sickeningly pathetic.

Well the joke is going to be on Ford in the end, because if the new Focus proved anything, it's that in trying to combine their world and domestic markets, Ford has managed to make cars too European for the Americans, and too cheapified for the Europeans.

Yeah, one bit player's ugly car with a bad engine definitely should dictate what everyone else does in the market.  And 0-60 in 6.2 seconds to 60 isn't exactly slow.  And it's certainly not the 8+ seconds it takes a Camry hybrid to get to 60, which is, we should note, pretty damn quick for a hybrid.  It wasn't that long ago that 6 and a bit seconds to 60 was the hallmark of a car with a V8, not a four cylinder.  Seriously, sometimes you guys forget how much progress we've made.  A few years ago, V8 luxury sedans were doing 0-60 in 6.5 seconds, with a cost of 2-3 times as much as a new Sonata.  And, 10 seconds to 60 in a hybrid was unheard of, let alone rare.  6.2 to 60 and 33mpg highway shouldn't disappoint anyone buying a fucking midsize sedan.  That's what we're talking about.  Midsize family sedans.  Not sports cars.  Not luxury cars.  Run-of-the-mill, for-the-masses transportation

Personally, I don't know what your beef with Ford is, but you can't seem to make up your mind about why you hate them.  First, you compare them to a cheating husband, saying they've been ignoring the domestic market by selling us shit cars for years (yet, still they were good enough to avoid having to be bailed out with taxpayer money), and you then criticize them for not doing that with the new Focus.  So they can't win in your book.  Sell a world car, it's not bad enough for us or good enough for the Europeans.  Sell two different, market-focused vehicles, and they're rapists in your eyes. 

Did someone in the Ford family run over your dog?  And then back up over it?  Then cook it and not let you have any?

[2o6]

IIRC, the new Malibu is four-cylinder only upon introduction, too.

[565]

Yeah, one bit player's ugly car with a bad engine definitely should dictate what everyone else does in the market.  And 0-60 in 6.2 seconds to 60 isn't exactly slow.  And it's certainly not the 8+ seconds it takes a Camry hybrid to get to 60, which is, we should note, pretty damn quick for a hybrid.  It wasn't that long ago that 6 and a bit seconds to 60 was the hallmark of a car with a V8, not a four cylinder.  Seriously, sometimes you guys forget how much progress we've made.  A few years ago, V8 luxury sedans were doing 0-60 in 6.5 seconds, with a cost of 2-3 times as much as a new Sonata.  And, 10 seconds to 60 in a hybrid was unheard of, let alone rare.  6.2 to 60 and 33mpg highway shouldn't disappoint anyone buying a fucking midsize sedan.  That's what we're talking about.  Midsize family sedans.  Not sports cars.  Not luxury cars.  Run-of-the-mill, for-the-masses transportation

Personally, I don't know what your beef with Ford is, but you can't seem to make up your mind about why you hate them.  First, you compare them to a cheating husband, saying they've been ignoring the domestic market by selling us shit cars for years (yet, still they were good enough to avoid having to be bailed out with taxpayer money), and you then criticize them for not doing that with the new Focus.  So they can't win in your book.  Sell a world car, it's not bad enough for us or good enough for the Europeans.  Sell two different, market-focused vehicles, and they're rapists in your eyes. 

Did someone in the Ford family run over your dog?  And then back up over it?  Then cook it and not let you have any?

Go read those comparo tests, the Sonata turbo runs pretty much exactly on par with the hybrid Camry while getting worse mpg than the Camry V6.  Numbers don't lie.

Maybe Ford will do better, but considering the eco-boost Explorer is one of the worst reviewed cars in recent history, I'm not holding out much hope. 

The Ford fan boyism on this site is overwhelming.  Everyone is exclaiming how amazing this "new" Fusion is, when it's just a refreshed MK4 Mondeo.  I think a lot of the fanboyism comes from Ford not having to get bailed out, but it was at the cost of selling Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover, all the brands that were worth something.  Recently Ford's pulled blinds over people's eyes with edgy styling to cover up the fact that their cars aren't actually that well packaged and designed these days.  Everything built off the Taurus platform now has full size exteriors with midsize interiors.  The last good mainstream Ford was probably the Flex.  Besides the Mustangs and F series, I can't think of a Ford I would actually consider buying, especially as Lincoln is now their sole upscale brand, and is a joke.

And I've got nothing against Ford selling a world car, it's just that they didn't execute the Focus very well.

[Madman]

Wait seriously only 4 bangers?  What fail.  

I thought this turbo 4 nonsense in family sedans would have been dead and buried after the mess Hyundai made of their Sonata turbo, combining the acceleration of a Camry Hybrid and the fuel economy of the Camry V6, what win.  After the cluster fuck that is the ecoboost Explorer I thought Ford would have learned from their mistake.

Plus I find it ironic that everyone is so gah gah over what is clearly a slightly updated MK4 Ford Mondeo, a car that's been sold around the world for half a decade.  The car was exciting when it was new 5 years ago.  It's only exciting to us now because Ford's been screwing their domestic market over, just like they had been with the Focus until the reunification.  Like I said before, it's like Ford's been out to an expensive dinner with their mistress (foreign market), and brings the half chewed left overs back to the doting wife (domestic market), and instead of being rightfully angry, she is exclaiming how wonderful husband Ford is, it's sickeningly pathetic.

Well the joke is going to be on Ford in the end, because if the new Focus proved anything, it's that in trying to combine their world and domestic markets, Ford has managed to make cars too European for the Americans, and too cheapified for the Europeans.

Your screed is so full of wrong I don't know where to begin!

I was going to pick apart each of your points but I see Raza has already done an excellent job of doing so.

So which member of the Ford family ran over your dog, anyway?  I bet it was Henry II.  According to Iacocca, he was a real bastard. 

[ifcar]

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1112_2011_hyundai_sonata_se_vs_2012_toyota_camry_se_vs_2012_volkswagen_passat_vr6_sel_comparison/specs.html

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1112_2011_hyundai_sonata_hybrid_vs_2012_toyota_camry_hybrid_vs_2012_volkswagen_passat_tdi_comparison/specs.html

Sonata 2.0T:  23.3 mpg, 91.5 mph trap speed
Camry V6:  24.7 mpg, 100.6 mph trap speed
Camry Hybrid: 36.9mpg, 91.5 mph trap speed

I was being generous, the 2.0T has WORSE fuel economy than the Camry V6, and accelerates like the Camry Hybrid.

So because one car with a turbo in one review's acceleration track testing (which isn't in line with most others), the entire concept of a small turbocharged engine to deliver power when you want it and fuel economy when you don't doesn't work. Got it.

[565]

So because one car with a turbo in one review's acceleration track testing (which isn't in line with most others), the entire concept of a small turbocharged engine to deliver power when you want it and fuel economy when you don't doesn't work. Got it.

Find me a current example where it does work in a mainstream bread and butter Camcord type sedan.  One example is pretty relevant if it's pretty much the only one.

[SVT666]

Find me a current example where it does work in a mainstream bread and butter Camcord type sedan.  One example is pretty relevant if it's pretty much the only one.

The majority of all midsizers sold are naturally aspirated 4 cylinders.  I think the new Fusion will do fine.

[hounddog]

So because one car with a turbo in one review's acceleration track testing (which isn't in line with most others), the entire concept of a small turbocharged engine to deliver power when you want it and fuel economy when you don't doesn't work. Got it.

Yes, +2.3l

I had a small four cylinder turbo; 200 hp, 250lb.ft.  0-60 in about 6.5 seconds (if I remember correctly) and ran the quarter in about 15.

The best part?  30mpg highway 22 city with 3.75:1 gearing.

Yeah, there is no way a small turbo four banger could ever be useful.