Can the domestics build a decent car? My week with the Ford Fusion SE
There's been a lot of debate from readers in the comments section of this blog about whether domestics get a bad rap or whether they really do produce bad cars. I just spent a week test driving a Ford Fusion SE, a base model with a manual transmission, and thought it was time to chime in.
In the case of the Fusion, I think Ford gets a bad rap. I was quite fond of the Ford Fusion -- the stick-shift added some interest to the driving experience and the engine, which is buzzy and loves to rev, makes it behave more like a compact sedan than a big family car. (To me, that's a good thing.) And I couldn't complain about the mileage; I averaged well over 26 MPG in mostly city driving, including an enthusiastic run on my favorite twisty road. How did the Fusion do? Well enough that you can judge it by the same standards as a sports sedan, though not so well that you'd mistake it for one. Add a set of summer tires and some performance shock absorbers, though, and I bet the $22,000 Fusion I drove could send a few German cars home with their tails between their legs. A few months back I drove a California-spec low-emissions (PZEV) Fusion with a four-cylinder engine and automatic transmission, and liked it just as much. The Fusion is, in my opionion, a very good car.
About.com Cars test driver Colin Hefferon recently test drove the V6-powered Ford Fusion SEL, and I have to say that aside from his assessment of all-wheel-drive -- he's not a fan, but I am -- I agree with what he had to say. Check out his review and feel free to click the "comments" link below with your own thoughts on the Ford Fusion. -- Aaron Gold
Related articles:
Domestics we've liked:
...and some we haven't:Photo © Colin Hefferon
Comments
Quite a few years ago, I believe it was the Lincoln who advertised that they were quieter than a Mercedes Benz. My comment at the time was “I wonder who’ll be quieter at 100,000 miles. My boss had a Mercedes with 120,000 and you couldn’t ask for a quieter car nor a better car in every way. The Japanese have taught the world that they can build long lasting cars. I have an Accord with 206,000 miles. Let’s see if the Ford Fusion can last half that long. I doubt it.
For what it’s worth, my sister-in-law has a Ford Aerostar with a quarter-million-plus on the clock.. and they don’t take particularly good care of it.
When looking for a new car, Nobody is excluded. But once you find one that you like the body style, and get it outfitted with the options you want, FORD is almost always over priced. So why buy an overpriced Fusion, when you can have an Accord, Camry, Altima with all the same equipment ? American Auto makers need to do a MUCH BETTER JOB in meeting the markets desires. Until they build all their vehicles like their best sellers, they will lose market shares to the Japanese, Koreans, and Europeans.
What would concern me is the last and only Ford I owned was awesome for all of a year…I thought it was the best car I had owned… and then it was one thing after another ending with a broken suspension and the drivers seat releasing from the floor. So first impressions haven’t meant much to me ever since. I now look at how the brand and model looks in the used car lot after 3 years. I get real suspicious if one and two year old cars that were not lease items start showing up. Every look at the interior a a two year old Saturn…it is falling and showing wear everywhere.
Rented a 2006 Ford Fusion, 6cyl. on Vancouver Island last summer. Overall not bad in terms of interior space, trunk size. However, it just doesn’t match up to my Camry 2004,LE6; lacks the pep of my Camry, not as quiet on the road, larger turning circle. It’s an improvement for a Ford but at the same time the Camry keeps on improving so the gap remains in quality remains.
It is good to read good reviews of American made cars. The tough competition like in the 70’s makes us work harder to improve quality. I have two questions: The car you tested ran for $22,000. Was the Fusion so good that you would buy it over, say a Camry at the same price or maybe a couple thousand dollars less? And do you give it 4 stars like the other two reviewers?
Mike H –
Difficult to say, as I don’t know that I’d buy either — were I looking at a mid-size car I’d be more likely to buy a Nissan Altima (review coming soon), Subaru Legacy or Mazda 6. I like the Nissan for its 4 cyl/CVT powertrain, the Legacy for its wagon body style and the Mazda ’cause it’s available as a hatchback as well as a wagon.
Our star rating system has changed since Colin wrote the review, but I’d give the Fusion 3.5 stars — average in its class, plus an extra half-star because I really liked it (see What the Guide Rating stars mean). – Aaron
I think American automakers can make a car as good as the overseas automakers.
That being said, when the American makers have confidence in their products,maybe that will spill over into the marketplace.
Look at the major improvements the Japanese have made in the last 20 years,while our guys have remained stagnant.
The overseas warranties have soared and ours have only increased a little ,and that was only to appease the American buyers.
By the way, try to get any kind of performance under your so-called warranty.
When our guys build a truly competitive car,I’m sure the people will buy it.
I remember an executive with General Motors making a statement that they need to make more profitable cars. No idiot, you need to make cars that people want. There is a difference.
A pale imitation of a Camry, Accord, Mazda6, etc. Ford can probably build a better quality car but for some reason it refuses to do so.
The American auto makers due to a number of reasons primary being failure to control costs will at best produce mediocre products. Yes there will be a few exceptions but overall they cannot compete with the Japanese, Koreans and I hate to think what is going to happen when the Chinese really get in the game.
Case in point read the latest Popular Mechanics test of full size pickups. The Japanese ate our lunch, case closed.
I think this could also be a case of comparing apples and oranges. One of the biggest reasons that an American-made car is so expensive, compared to an equivalent car built elsewhere is cost-to-build ratios. Unions have made it almost prohibitively expensive to build and sell a car, not to mention cost of living, etc. in the US. I do think another reason, in the same arena, is the way U.S. makers can’t seem to get anything done without having meetings and middle managers upon middle managers. Give me an exec who makes one million dollars a year AND makes his company a profit, over one who makes 25 million a year, makes a profit and is “retired/fired” after three years with a enormous pension of $250-million any day. It’s obvious to me if more money was put into the car and design, than to the people who push papers and make TV appearances, that American cars could easily be on the same footing as anybody else. By the way - I currently drive an Acura RSX which is a great car, My Acura’s only problem has been a faulty radio. Car before that - a Toyota Corolla - had a few issues, but all taken care of through the warranty. My car before that was a “Chevy” Metro - major problems with the air conditioning that never really got resolved. Then Before that, I had a Honda Passport, which admittedly was actually an Isuzu Rodeo, but it had tons of problems - the least bad was peeling paint. The car before that, my vehicle was a Ford Mustang, which was built very well & only had one problem - an armrest. It was replaced and never had a single squeak or other problem for 50,000+ miles. Before that, a Geo Metro - never a single problem and before that a Dodge Daytona Turbo, that needed an engine replacement, because I was young and stupid and never changed the oil once in 30,000 miles. Other than that, not a single problem. Of all these cars - some domestic and some foreign, they all had their pluses and minuses. What I’m trying to say - and all of you should know this already, is that the car market changes, but usually for the better. Chevy Silverado just got Truck of the Year from Motor Trend, and Toyota Camry got Car of the Year - does that mean that Americans make the best trucks and Japanese the best cars? This year, maybe. Next year - who knows? Keep an open mind.
I’d say the best thing to do is look at the results of something like the JD Power surveys to see the big picture: http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pressrelease.asp?ID=2006133. It pretty much tells the whole story.
Domestics had their chance way back when the Japanese first started to invade the US market. It’s too late now to try to compete with cars the Americans have learned to like and buy.
Aaron,
I like your choices for mid-size cars. I have been driving a mini-cooper for three years. It’s been a great, fun little car. Sometimes when I travel to my daughters sports events, I do long for more space and an automatic transmission though. Will look forward to reading the Altima review. Everyone seems to give the Legacy high marks for relability and safety. I like the looks of the Mazda6. The only negative I have read is the Mazda6 does poorly in the side-impact crash test. Maybe the new models have improved? What about the Subaru Forester? Would you rank it up there with the Legacy? When I do make a change I will seriously consider these cars. Thanks again!
Mike H.
The last domestic car that I bought was a new 1991 Ford Bronco XL. I never had a speck of trouble with it, and it was hell on wheels offroad. I traded it in for a Volvo in 1997, and I literally lost my shirt on it’s value. I bought a 1997 Corolla and sold it within 5 minutes of putting the for sale sign on it. It had 100,000 miles on it, and gave me no trouble beyond the usual tire and battery replacement. I got $50 less than the asking price, and that was from an Indian fella, who are notorious hagglers. I also owned a Mazda Millenia which was a dog, but very reliable. I now own a Highlander 4WD whjich seems to be quite a fine vehicle so far. My wife traded in her 2002 Honda Odyssey which was having electrical problems…..there was always something a little quirky with the electrical system and for a front wheel drive it was dead lousy in the snow. Otherwise, great power and roominess for a minivan. She drives a 4WD Toyota Matrix now and it’s like a snowplow……low on power though. So, as you can see, we’ve gone primarily Japanese although I like what I’ve read regarding the Lincoln MZK and the Mercury Milano. If only the American car companies could trash the unions and compete with their non union foreign counterparts. After all, much of the equipment is made off shore and simply assembled in the US.