Test drive: the Ford Fusion

This car is a successful blend of several vehicle types at once. In this case, that's a compact minivan, a city mini, and, so to speak, a “miniature SUV”. It's no accident that its name translates as “fusion”. Of course, once we start talking about a “mixer”, we should expect some compromises too. As a full-fledged compact minivan it lacks cabin volume and comfort, as a city crossover it lacks all-wheel drive, and as a city mini its thirst is a touch on the high side. That said, this barely diminishes the merits of a car this successfully “fused” together.

Getting ahead of myself a little, I can say that the starting price of $13,000 looks very appealing. And if you don't feel like shifting gears by hand, an extra $1,100 gets you a robotized manual gearbox, with an onboard computer thrown in. Which, by the way, aren't sold apart from each other. The car comes in several trims: “Core”, “Trend” and “Elegance”. “Core” is the least equipped version. No real comforts, just ABS and four airbags to its name. It doesn't even have basic central locking. That's why the best-selling trims start with “Trend”. Here you get a CD radio, a power pack, and a folding passenger seat back. The “Elegance” model will cost the buyer roughly $17,000-18,000.

The car's exterior is done in a rugged style and reads as a small SUV, which for many buyers is already a decisive factor. The cabin leans toward simplicity and plainness. But I got the impression of a certain “stuffy” plainness to it. The doors slam unpleasantly, and the runners on the front seats flex as if someone forgot to bolt them down. But there are pleasant touches too: for instance, the “stool-high” seating position easily fit someone 190 cm tall, which a low-slung passenger car wouldn't manage.

The Ford Fusion's boot is much bigger than any supermini's — 335 litres. The way the boot expands is very well thought out: not just the rear seat folds, but the front passenger seat back too. In fact, it strikes me that a pram could fit in the boot without even removing the wheels, which matters a lot to young parents.

Behind the wheel, the Ford brand once again lived up to its reputation. This little car is very easy to drive, and thanks to its noticeably high ground clearance, it handles rough terrain with real confidence. Of course, the lack of all-wheel drive shows in its off-road capability, but for a car in this class, it seems to me, keeping the front bumper intact on a trip out of town matters more than getting through 30 cm of mud.

So, after the test, here's the verdict: what you get is a genuinely “family car”, one you can drive to work, out into the countryside, or “to grandma's in the village”.