Preview: Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr

Available in three trim levels, S, SE, and SEL, the Ford Fusion will start at $17,995, making it the least expensive of this trio. A lot of features are standard, and are found on all of the sedans in the Ford/Lincoln/Mercury lineup. First, the engines: There is a 2.3-liter inline four-cylinder that’s standard on the both the Fusion and Milan. In both it puts out 160 hp and 156 lb-ft of torque. There’s also a V-6 3.0-liter available on the SE trim level and the Premier arrays of the Milan, and it’s the only engine choice on the Zephyr. The V-6 produces 221 hp and 205 lb-ft of torque across the board. In addition the Fusion can be equipped with either the standard 5-speed manual or optional 5-speed automatic tranny, with the V-6 getting a 6-speed automatic. What makes the Fusion a standout is its ride and handling characteristics. A multi-link rear suspension setup (also standard in both Milan and Zephyr) allows the Fusion to handle better than most of the competitors in this extremely crowded mid-size sedan segment (Camry, Accord, Altima, and others). All the sedans seat five passengers, offer MP3 playback-capable audio systems, and tilt and telescoping steering wheels. The Fusion’s warranty is a 3-year/36,000-mile program.