Winning combination: Ford Fusion mixes performance with comfort and affordable price

In many respects it is appropriate that Ford name its new 2006 midsize car "Fusion," for it was 100 years ago that Albert Einstein published his famous equation that changed the world: E=mc^2. It would not be until 1932 that the first nuclear reaction in a laboratory would demonstrate the accuracy of Einstein's equation, and now we know that through fusion, our sun and stars fuse hydrogen into helium, liberating enormous quantities of energy. Today in a modern, efficient plant in Hermosillo, Mexico, workers fuse steel, aluminum, plastic, rubber and other compounds into America's newest car.

The publicity in advance of the Fusion's introduction has been positive, and so it was with great anticipation that I showed up at my local Ford dealer to take their new car out for a 24-hour test drive. Ford pretty much got out of the highly competitive mid-size car fray about 10 years ago when its best-selling Taurus outgrew the segment. Toyota and Honda have been the segment leaders ever since, and Ford was forced to be satisfied as the maker of trucks and SUVs. But as car sales dwindled, so did corporate profits. Ford -- and GM and Chrysler, for that matter -- have been searching for a remedy to the Japanese invasion, and it looks like Ford has found one, with a little help from, would you believe it, Mazda, its Japanese partner?

Ford owns a 25 percent stake in Mazda, producer of the Mazda6, widely regarded as one of the best-driving sedans for the money. "It's got soul," an auto enthusiast will tell you, and soul is what is missing in many of today's sterilized, homogenized, pasteurized auto assembly lines. Soulless robots build today's economy cars for the most part, so that's no surprise.

Starting with a proven platform, Ford set about making it even better. The Mazda6 already had four-wheel multilink suspension, standard four-wheel disc brakes and a rigid chassis. But Ford improved the rigidity by 10 percent in bending and torsion, which equals Toyota Camry's specs. Ford chose to continue using the 6's 2.3-liter four-cylinder and 3.0-liter V-6 powerplants, but tweaked the variable cams and intake manifolds a bit to enhance torque. And Ford gave its V-6 Fusions a new six-speed automatic transmission which further enhances performance. All-wheel drive will be an option next year, and a hybrid-powered Fusion might arrive the following year.

To compete with the Honda Accord and Camry, Ford stretched the 6's wheelbase 2.1 inches and added 1.3 inches of shoulder width and 0.7 inches of headroom. Side-glass was tilted out at the top to create even more interior room, and front seats were elevated for abundant foot-room under the seats. A sharply dropping hood affords excellent visibility and a feeling of openness, but alas, most dimensions still measure less than those of an Accord or Camry. Still, there's plenty of room for four reasonably-sized adults to travel in quiet, near-luxury comfort.

Speaking of quiet, I can't recommend the Fusion to those of you who don't scan your instruments. This car is so quiet that it's nearly impossible to judge your speed on sound alone. I tried to follow one of my co-testers (who shall remain nameless) driving the Fusion on the interstate, and gave up. When I caught up to her at our destination she admitted that she was doing 100 mph, although she thought she was driving the speed limit! Ford claims the Fusion is the quietest car in its class.

Nor can you judge your speed based on how the Fusion feels on bumps or curves. On country winding roads it acts like it's riding on rails. There's no body roll, no squalling tires in the curves. The engine pulls aggressively; the transmission shifts intelligently; the brakes perform like a two-ton anchor; the steering is precise; the car is balanced so that it goes where you point it. Ford got this car right.

Standard tilt/telescope steering and seat-height adjustment allows any driver to find a comfortable position. My car's leather seats had full power adjustments for the driver, including lumbar. The controls were logical and well placed, except for the turn signal stalk, which seemed to be at an odd high angle. Fit and finish seemed to equal Honda's and Toyota's. The trunk is a commendable 15.8 cubic feet, and is easy to load and access, thanks to articulating hidden hinges and rear seatbacks that fold flat when needed.

My well-optioned Fusion had an MSRP of $24,540, which included $900 leather seating, $600 anti-lock brakes, $300 heated front seats, and a $400 premium package. Ford intends to beat Accord and Camry prices model for model, and will offer an entry-level Fusion to compete with the new Hyundai Sonata. Will a little luck the new Fusion will start a chain reaction that will breath new life into the American midsize segment.

Steve Robertson of Robertson's Creative Photography is a car enthusiast and former staff writer/photographer for the Southeast Missourian. Contact him at sjr1@robertsonsphotography.com.