Rather than let the Fusion expire on the proverbial vine, Ford is rolling-out updates to the midsize, Gillette-faced sedan that racked-up 149,552 sales last year (up 4.9 percent from '06). The Fusion's 2.3-liter four-cylinder workhorse is headed for a condo in Florida. The new four-pot: a 2.5-liter I4 mated to a six-speed automatic (booya!). No word if a manual will still be available, but the magic 8 ball says "don't get your hopes up." Meanwhile, Ford was raising dealers' expectations, promising best-in-class fuel economy for Ye Olde Fusion. That'd be north of 32 mpg highway. Power also rises from 160 to 170 horsepower (the unrevealed torque curve will really tell the story of the bump in displacement). Ford also announced they're preparing a more powerful V6 mill for the Mariner and Escape SUVs, most likely a version of the corporate 3.5-liter V6. If true, the Fusion and Milan would also probably upgrade to the new V6 (although this was not announced at the dealer event).
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There seems to be confusion as to whether this refresh will be a 2009 or a 2010. The 09s go into production next month. To me this refresh is make or break. Ford’s recent redesigns have added needed equipment, but cheaped out the interiors – Focus, Escape. They can’t afford to cheap out the Fusion interior…
Really? I thought it was assumed this would be an 09 MY rollout, even though it won’t be on the first built cars. The same way they did it with the AWD Fusions, where the it came later in its model year.
In terms of the interior, I think the opposite will happen with the Fusion interior – it’s going to get better. Here’s why: it is already pretty decent. The interiors in the Focus and especially the Escape were not good, and they didn’t have anything great to build on. For the Focus especially, they needed to keep it cheap as salt. I’d anticipate a nice interior refresh when they get around to it. Does the Fusion offer SYNC yet?
Justin Berkowitz:
Does the Fusion offer SYNC yet?
Yes. These days it’s SYNC or… sink.
If Ford were to revamp the Fusion in a timely manner and outfit it with new powerful and efficient powertrains, they could actually have a winner in this class. With its production in Mexico, I dare say it could even be profitable. However, I wonder who would buy an MKZ if the Fusion could be had with the 3.5L and AWD for $10K less.
I think the Fusion is a decent car, but I can’t stand the grill or headlights. The entire car already looks dated. Lets hope they don’t do to it like they did with the Focus and keep the same thing going for 10 years.
I really enjoyed the Fusion (although it was not as “cool” or “hip” as I had hoped in January 2006). Excellent fuel economy, nice interior room, etc. However, the ’06 SE version lacked a thermometer. A THERMOMETER! How much would that have cost Ford? The cloth seats, seemingly made of some previously-unknown material, were a cat-hair magnet (Cat –> clothes –> Fusion) that required a lint brush to remove.
Can’t wait to see the new ones. Needs coupe and convertible versions.
@detroit1701:
You’re right, I also was a tad let down by its emphasis being on comfort rather than sport … but I guess that’s what the Mazda6 is meant for.
I very nearly bought a Milan V6 a few years ago; not sure why I didn’t pull the trigger.
As for coupe and convertible versions, it’s not gonna happen for the Fusion ever. They cost too much to develop, result in blunted performance (especially the convertible) and sales are horrendous. Coupe buyers tend to be very fickle. That’s why there are so few coupes on the market nowadays.
I’m ready to buy one. Wagon, please, or deal’s off. Stop making us go to Euro marques (or Subaru) for wagons.
Prederably with diesel, but I’m not holding out much hope for that in the near term.
Made in Mexico = not on my shopping list. If one buys a Ford (or Chevy, for that matter), being made in the USA is one of the main selling points.
Take that away, and why not just get an Ohio-built Accord, Alabama-built Sonata, or Tennesse-built Altima? Thankfully, the Malibu is still built on the correct side of the border.
Ford, GM, and Chrysler push their “Americanness” while at the same time sending more and more production to the third world.
30% US/Canadian parts on the Fusion? Terrible. The Mazda6 is built in the U.S. for Chrissakes!
@ash78:
Ford’s not going to throw you a bone on the wagon front either. They’ve already got the Taurus X and upcoming Flex. Even though those are much larger 7-seat crossovers, that taps them out.
@ Justin Berkowitz
I realized that, from a marketing POV. I’m just waiting for the “real” shift to smaller cars, rather than this slow SUV withdrawal thing we’re going through right now. I know a few mpg better makes a difference to many people, but it still bugs me.
Same goes for Camry, Accord, Altima, etc. Even if wagons only make up 10% of total model sales, that’s still a bigger number than many lower-selling models altogether.
I wonder who would buy an MKZ if the Fusion could be had with the 3.5L and AWD for $10K less.
Not many people ie. only the Lincoln faithful.
The Fusion is already a decent car for the money. This refresh (especially with a bump in base power with a 6 speed auto to sweeten the deal) will only take the Fusion higher in the market. But somehow I doubt Ford will really invest putting the corporate 3.5 pot in the Fusion without hurting MKZ sales.
Someone on TTAC on some other post made a good point about vehicles being “brands” unto themselves. This is especially true in Europe. For instance, the “Focus” and the “Astra” come in a variety of different flavors: sedan, hatch, convertible, coupe, performance version, wagon, full range of diesel/petrol engines, optionless to fully optioned, etc. You can get a basic version for maybe 15K euros, or a luxury edition for 30K euros.
The 2000 Focus brought that idea to the US: SVT, hatch, wagon, sedan, etc. Now, the idea has been completely abandoned.
Instead of offering a “Fusion” brand, the CD3 platform gives you the following options:
(1) Fusion/Milan 4/6 cylinder
(2) MKZ 6 cylinder
(3) Mazda6 4 / 6
(4) Mazda6Speed
(5) Mazda6 Wagon
(6) Edge
(7) CX-9
So on the platform, you have similar options as the Euro “brand unto itself” idea. However, the vehicles are scattered across different brands.
The article also states a move away from the current 3 bar grill…will be interested to see what the next iteration looks like—-although the leaked new Taurus photo likely gives us a preview.
As far as the MKZ—its selling OK right now. My sense is that the new / refreshed MKZ will likely to differentiate from the Fusion on engine (it will likely get the ecoboost before the Fusion) and tech features. I have also read that the sheet metal will be better differentiated from the Fusion—I hope this is the case. While the MKZ provides a decent value in the absolute—it cannot be taken seriously with sheet metal so close to the Fusion; If Ford really wants to re-build the Lincoln brand…this is a must do (along with many other ideas that Sajeev has outlined many times over)
I have a 4cyl 5-speed manual Fusion. The gearing is really weird, it is totally NOT geared for performance. I have to practically red-line it in first gear to reach 2,000 RPM in second (a slight exaggeration but not by much). Why it doesn’t have a close gear ratio for spirited driving is beyond me, because who would buy a 5-speed if not an enthusiast?
Why it doesn’t have a close gear ratio for spirited driving is beyond me, because who would buy a 5-speed if not an enthusiast?
I think most people who buy the base engine and the manual transmission are doing so mainly for economic reasons (purchase price and fuel economy). So Ford’s gearing of the 5-speed for economy is not surprising.
Ford has previously mentioned that the refreshed Fusions would get stability control, which is not available at all on the ’08 models, but it wasn’t mentioned in the article. I think that stability control is a must-have to compete against the 4 cyl Malibu and CamCord.
I think Ford should stop trying to market a whole division (Mercury) to women. This strikes me as dumb and is likely based the overestimation of the influence that women have on the auto market (ie. the studies that show women influence something like 75 – 80% of car purchases).
Make Mercury the sport performance division. Make a Milan with the 2.3l Turbo engine with ~ 240 hp and upgraded suspension. Same for other products under the Mercury banner.
The 2009 Fusion begins production in about a month with ESC. It will be carryover except for a few tweaks. It will be replaced with the 2010 Fusion that goes on sale in January 2009. Job1 is December right now.
The new car will have the 2.5 and either the 3.0 PIP (240 hp, 20/30 mpg rating) or the 3.5 – it’s not clear. The buzz is that the manual will be six-speed as well, but it is not clear if it is offered on the V6. This car will also be completely redone inside and out. The interior should be more like the Flex. Some of the engineers on the project (before started really cracking down on leaks) said that the interior was “amazing.”
The MKZ will be moving up to the Lincoln 3.7 at some point – probably with the 2010 MY changover, but maybe for the 2010.5 model? It’s not exactly clear, but it will be differentiated again. Who would buy a $45k Lexus ES350 when you can get the Camry for $10k less? Turns out about 75,000 people. That’s exactly what Ford is shooting for.
Recap: 2009 CD3’s are in production in about a month. 2010 CD3’s are in production in December 2008 for a January 2009 launch. We will likely see them in LA.
The 2010 Fusion will have a 2.5 with a six-speed auto and six-speed manual. The V6 may start out a 3.0 PIP but will eventually become a 3.5. Not clear if there is a manual. There are rumors of a sport model with manual. The MKZ may start out 3.5 and will eventually become 3.7. The hybrids based on the updated 2.5 will launch around this time as well. MKZ will look more like the MKS. The Fusion will start pulling towards Ford’s new global design language set to proliferate around 2012 or so.
Any questions?
The reason for the confusion about whether the redesign would be a 2009 or 2010 is due there being no concept or pre-production models at any of the car shows. The car show season is over for the big ones until next January, so I have read in some places that the redesign will be called a 2010 and that the 09 will be a short model year.
What buyers look for a dependable car, starts every mornng sans Ether, boost or tow truck.
Good fuel economy, reas priced, durable, not Detroit tin worm n short few yrs.
Ford used to be able to do that but long forgotten and their suckers fnally wake up.
Hope s not too late to but some good products back on the shelf. Is also a little bit late, reason most domestic dealers are jumping ships to import brand.
Ford had hired the right guy Farley from their Nemesis. But cannot be sellng the sizzle not the good steak for too much longer.
No dfference than a new restaurant just opened up everybody will give her a try. And why some rest will continue to grow and while some will be folded in a few mths?
Thanks, Ford, for warning Fusion shoppers that they should wait a few months for the ’09 model so they can have ESC (like the competition has had for a couple of years) and, better yet, wait until the 2010 model comes out if you want a competitive four cylinder engine and six-speed transmission. We would have been kicking ourselves for buying an ’08 that’s inferior on performance, safety, economy and trim quality.
Dearborn, you once used the slogan “Ford has a better idea.” It could still be a good line, but it would need to be updated to “Ford has a better idea but it’s being kept on the shelf.”
Oh, and Detroit1701 — omitting a heat gauge was cheap of Ford. Just goes to show it’s time for a revival of the Boyce Moto Meter!
I think you will have to go to the new Mazda 6 for the manual tranny. And that will be out this summer. I believe it’s a 2.4 L. Don’t know if it’s a Ford engine like the Dura-puke in the last 6-cylinder Mazda 6. Hopefully not. Hopefully it’s a stroked and tuned 2.3 from the current gen Mazda engines. Same deal, though, more performance, better mileage in the new 6. Wagon? My dealer says yes, but that’s probably just to get me back on the lot.
The Fusion would make an interesting plug in hybrid Volt killer would it not?
Why are they too scared to be first to market with the plug in Escape?
100% absolutely agreed on the previous “Made in Mexico” point. Heck, Ford might as well make ’em in China and save some REAL money.
Mainly, though, Fusion is essentially just a list of “what you can’t get that Honda/Nissan/Toyota has had for years.” The bugger for me is a “six-way power seat.” For crying out freaking loud. I guess it’s like a stupid thermometer — when was the last time you saw even a feaking COROLLA without one? A decade ago?
Ford, it’s very simple: Just COMPETE. Or choose to remain second-rate, even if it may be in what you consider to be “insignificant details.” Those details might well be the tiny little things that help people remember that your car is made in Mexico.