I decided to give the Fusion a shot today, and while I was there a 500.
Fusion: Really a huge step forward for Ford. Interior was very comfortable and reasonable styled. Quality of materials was decent but nothing class leading. Seats were comfortable and supportive enough. Steering feel was very good and the transmission was excellent. The engine felt smooth and peppy... only taking up in the higher RPMs a few times. It was very quiet and drove more refined then the honda accord. I drove a base SEL. The stereo was a base stereo and I was quite impressed. I didn't get a chance to hear the audiophile. I liked it but could only think about how much better the car will be with the new 3.5. Exterior was tasteful with basic alloy wheels. Drove a black one and sat in a green one. Only letdown was the color of the interior... I prefer black. Great car for under 20k!!
500: First thing I noticed... WOW this thing is huge! Drove a limited and a basic AWD CVT. The limited was incredibly comfortable. Interior was really nice in the black with the dark wood. Stereo was decent, controls were decent. Back seat was awesome and comfortable. The engine was adequate but noisy. Transmission did its best to keepup. Needs the 3.5 badly. Ride was quiet and nice but handling was kinda boaty. Overall a nice ride... great price. They were selling a limited with everything but nav for 25k. The base AWD with CVT was nice but really felt a lot cheaper. The fake carbon fiber felt cheaper then the fake wood. The seats were okay but felt so much better in leather. The CVT was not great. Felt like a powerboat. With more Torque the CVT would probably deal better but it was constantly playing around with RPMs... speed kept dropping on the highway. Engine was too loud for a CVT!
These cars are leaps and bounds ahead of previous ford cars. I think they are very competitive and offer a nice value. My wife who is very image conscience said she would consider a fusion. Props to Ford!
