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Posts Tagged ‘2010 Ford Fusion SEL’

How’s your memory? Do you remember the time before SUVs? Back then, «car» likely meant sedan, and most likely it was mid-sized. From its introduction in the mid-1980s, the Ford Taurus was the class benchmark.

And then from the early 90s, it seemed that Ford, like its domestic competitors, was more of a truck company that made cars as a sideline. The Explorer was the franchise, and on the car side the Taurus was dethroned by import-brand competitors. When it came time for a third-generation Taurus, the car was noticeably larger an debuted under a new name, 500, although that nameplate was short-lived and quickly reverted to the familiar Taurus.

If Ford seemed more than a little confused with placement of its one-time star, such was not the case when the Fusion debuted for model year 2006. It was aimed directly at the Japanese-branded competition, with an economical four-cylinder engine (which the Taurus never had) as well as the familiar 3.0-liter «Duratec» V6, which had evolved considerably since its debut with the second-generation Taurus a decade before. In a class notable for non-notable styling, the Fusion’s chiseled lines stood out. With a well-developed chassis, it offered a positive driving experience in a class too notable for boring transportation appliances.

The Fusion was a success, and to keep momentum the second generation appeared as an early-release 2010 car earlier this year. Styling is bolder but immediately identifiable, with aerodynamic improvements that help increase fuel economy. The interior is likewise upgraded. Under the hood, the four-cylinder engine is new, larger at 2.5 liters (vs. 2.3) and more powerful. More power has also been found in the 3.0-liter V6, which can be run on E85 as well as regular unleaded gasoline. And in both, fuel economy has been improved. All transmissions, manual (with the four) and automatic, are now six-speeds. New safety technologies, including Ford’s radar-based Blind Spot Information System (BLIS™) with Cross Traffic Alert, are available. Read the rest of this entry »