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Ford calls their new Fusion an Urban Activity Vehicle. Hmm, now what sort of urban activity do I normally do with a car? Commute, park, commute, park, commute, park... Okay, it’s not that bad. I also listen to music while I commute and park, and sometimes for entertainment, I abuse some cabbies while commuting and plead with parking attendants while parking.
Ford’s marketingspeak notwithstanding, I don’t know about you. I can’t think of any other automotive urban activity that I usually indulge in – I don’t know about you. So I decided to take this UAV out of the U it’s supposed to thrive in and hit some brilliant, curvy roads instead. I also threw in some sharp hairpin bends and the fast Mumbai-Pune Expressway for good measure. All to get a good idea of Ford India’s forthcoming new product. Here we go.
Confusion
There’s a reason why this vehicle is called the Fusion. It’s suppose to meld the presence of an SUV, the driveability of a sedan and the functionality of a UV. So while in pictures it looks imposing, in real life, that’s not the case – it’s just marginally bigger than the Hyundai Getz. That, by the way, is a compliment. I like the size of the vehicle, it’s small without being defensive and large without being offensive.
The front end is blunt and rounded off – I guess pedestrian safety norms were a deciding factor. Those so-called lozenge headlamps are similar to what you see in the current Toyota Land Cruiser, and serve to show the edges of the vehicle at night. Viewed in profile, the Fusion looks tall but actually isn’t – it’s somewhere between the Palio/Indica and tall-boys like the Santro/Wagon R. Which makes it proportionate and less ungainly to look at than the tall-boys, yet offers decent headroom and allied advantages. The wheelarch line runs along the length of the body and is prominent enough to give it that butch SUV look. The 15-inch rubber adds to the effect. The tall taillamps running along the C-pillar are now almost stereotypical and the numberplate tucked way leads to an eyeful of bare sheetmetal. Except for the rear view, the Fusion looks quite refreshing on our roads.
Inside, it’s a mix of classic Ford with Euro touches. For instance, the steering wheel is like the Mondeo’s and so’s the switchgear. The overall layout is Euro chic – it’s simple, uncluttered and neat – and the headlamp/foglamp dial placed on the dash, to the right of the steering wheel is typical of all European cars. The spherical aircon vents, however, evoke sporty Fiats and Alfas and are fun to play with. The instrument console, with twin large counters, is contemporary and the digital fuel gauge, temperature, clock and trip meter even more so. I am not sure about the gear lever and its base though, it reminds me of the air bellows used while working metal. The dash, like all modern-day cars, stretches well into the blue yonder, but vision of the opposite end of the bumper is not hampered. Ford has used the depth of the dash to create suitcase-sized storage spaces. I am sure we will find something or the other to keep inside. A Maharaja Mac with a large Coke already comes to mind... oh, now I understand the A in the UAV.
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