Ford South Africa are brilliant at three things. Firstly, throwing a launch with accommodation at one of the top hotels in Cape Town, the African Pride 15 On Orange Hotel. Secondly, producing cars that make life that much better. Lastly, they understand social media and how to create a conversation. When you add these three qualities together, you get one of the best events I have ever been too!
The Ford Fusion is an extremely popular car overseas and Ford South Africa decided to enter the Fusion into the SA market, plus some other cars that we will find out more at a later stage. Looking at the Fusion, you can already tell that this is one powerful and well built car. From its mean looking grill, which actually reminds me of a Mustang to its sleek looks, just looking at the Fusion I knew that I was in for one amazing ride. I saw that many users on Twitter and Instagram are asking why does the Fusions grill look like the Aston Martin DB9s grill. That is definitely not a bad thing!
Getting into the car, I straight away noticed the bucket style leather seats which really kept me in place as I opened up the engine. There is plenty of leg space in the front and even more at the back. I felt like I was in a limo. Another nifty feature is the electric seat controls. The seats move forwards/backwards or incline/recline at the push of a button. So you can actually adjust the seat while driving and not have the seat fly backwards. The dashboard is clean and features a digital speedometer that is customizable so you can change the layout and really see what is relevant to you.
The touch screen console which is made by Sony, runs Sync 2 by Microsoft and is used to control the radio, answer calls and even run apps! Below the touch screen are the controls for the aircon.
The steering wheel is sturdy and comfortable to hold. There are handy controls on the steering wheel for adjusting the volume, changing the track or even answering a call.
To ensure that you are safe on the road, the Fusion has features such as pre-collision assist with head up display which will warn you if you are going to hit another vehicle or a pedestrian. The reverse parking camera together with the front and rear sensors really helps get into those tight spaces.
Ever heard of a customisable car key? Ford MyKey allows you to customise your key for different drivers. So the next time you lend your Fusion to your younger brother, you can set the maximum speed limit of the car, to make sure he doesn’t speed.
Cruise control generally doesn’t take note of the environment that you are in. The Fusion uses Adaptive cruise control to take note of other cars around you and will slow you down if need be.
The Fusion will come in four models all with a 6 speed gear box with SelectShift automatic. There is a 1.5 EcoBoost Trend, 2.0 EcoBoost Trend, 2.0 EcoBoost Titanium and 2.0 TDCI Titanium. The 2.0 EcoBoost Titanum uses the same 177kW motor that you find the in Focus ST. So let’s just say it is powerful.
The paddle shift is really fun to use. This was my first time using a paddle shift on an automatic vehicle and I must say dropping a gear when you need some extra power is exhilarating!
The Fusion comes in a range of colours so there will be a colour for everyone. My favourite is Tectonic Silver!
I am sure you are wondering what the Fusion will cost. The 1.5 EcoBoost Trend starts at R349 900 and the top model, the 2.0 TDCI Titanium starts at R449 900. There are also Trend Packs that can be added as well as the Titanium pack to add some amazing features.
For service plans, you are looking at a 4 year/80 000 Km on the EcoBoost and a 5 year/90 000km on the TDCI Diesel.
So what’s the verdict? The Ford Fusion comes in at a really competitive price point. Ford has positioned the Fusion to be able to speak to both the C segment and premium segment at the same time.
The Fusion can be compared to the likes of the BMW 320i and the Honda Accord 2.4 Ad. With the same amount of features as the 320i and more, you are looking at a saving of R58k and the Honda Accord does not match up to the Fusion. Yet, the Fusion sits at a lower price than both.
If you are looking for more, appreciate the newest and most intuitive technologies and want a vehicle that will show off your individuality and boldness with a little aggression, the Ford Fusion may be for you. It certainly is the car for me.
