We ask the tough questions here at Car and Driver, like “How fast is it?” and “When’s lunch?” So when Ford decided to make its Fusion Sport sportier for 2010, we asked, “What’s the Sport badge doing on a Fusion?” An Answer to a Question We Don’t Remember Asking Heretofore, Sport-y Fusions have been so mostly in appearance; the previous Sport package could be applied to front-drive SE or SEL trims and included a gaudy interior upgrade, a rear lip spoiler, a stiffer suspension, 18-inch wheels, and not much else. For 2010, however, the Sport becomes an independent model—with either front- or all-wheel drive—that retains the stiffer suspension, “special” interior trim, and 18-inch wheels of the 2009 trim level and adds a tasteful and handsome body kit and its own unique engine. Indeed, the new Sport is the only member of the Fusion range to receive the 3.5-liter V-6 that was once exclusive to the Lincoln MKZ among Ford’s mid-size sedans. (Other V-6 Fusions use a 3.0-liter.)

The 3.5-liter mates to a six-speed automatic transmission with manumatic shifting, and it will hold gears in a decidedly sporty way. This all-wheel-drive Sport hits 60 mph in 6.7 seconds, 0.4 second quicker than a front-drive 3.0-liter Fusion SEL we tested. The Sport continues to walk away from the SEL beyond 60 mph, making it to 100 mph in 17.6 seconds versus 20 flat. (And that’s in spite of the Sport AWD’s 338-pound weight disadvantage.) Both, however, pale in comparison to the Mazda 6 s sedan with a V-6 and front-wheel drive; the last one of those we tested put up a 0-to-60 time of 6.1 seconds and needed only 15.4 seconds to reach 100. That “sport” is baked into the Mazda 6 from the start and includes balanced handling and good road manners, too. Although our test numbers show the advantage of the 3.5-liter’s extra output over the 3.0-liter—increases of 23 hp and 26 lb-ft—the engine sounds raspy when pushed, resulting in three more decibels of noise entering the cabin at wide-open throttle.

The six speeds backing it up are nice for highway cruising, but when called on, the transmission shifts a bit more lazily and sloppily than we like from something with sporting intentions. Against lesser Fusions, the Sport’s stiffened ride remains comfortable while body motions are better squelched, but we think the Mazda does a superior job of balancing aggression and comfort. Back among the Ford set, the Sport’s governed top speed rises to 126 mph compared with 112 for the SEL. Fuel economy was considerably lower in our hands, as you’d expect, at 20 mpg versus 24 for the SEL. The Sport AWD is rated at 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway by the EPA. Although the brakes performed better on the Sport than the SEL—requiring 196 instead of 203 feet to stop from 70 mph—we still wouldn’t call them good, or really even acceptable. It needed 165 feet.) Some of the Parts Are Out of Place As to the dressier bits, the trunklid spoiler is just for show, and to our eye it’s not showing well.

Ditto the loud interior; its blue seat inserts, blue-stitched accents, and blue anodized-look trim were all different hues and were visually arresting on vehicle entry. (The interior can alternatively be accented in gray or red; go for the gray.) garage door parts el paso txBut we’d keep the blue stitching on the door panels and wheel, and the seats themselves are supportive, with a mild bolster that kept us in place during spirited driving.second hand windows and doors for sale in durban Fusion Sports carry a base sticker of $26,905, which is $1850 more than a Fusion SEL. garage doors fitted suffolkOur tester’s all-wheel drive adds another $1850. door locks for fiat punto

A further $4770 in options—including blind-spot and cross-traffic monitoring, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, heated leather front seats, a sunroof, Sync-ified navigation, and upgraded Sony audio—brought the grand total to $33,525, hardly family-sedan money. what is the best genie garage door openerYes, the Fusion Sport does a better job of living up to its name than before, but we’re not sold on the package at this price; garage door opener belt slippingwe’d rather spend the money on the more well-rounded Fusion hybrid or a serious sports sedan. honda jazz door lock barrelIf you just gotta have a sporty family car, allow us to point out that the Mazda 6 s we keep referring to starts at $27,200 and is a more satisfying proposition.

To compete in today's midsize sedan arena a car needs to stand out, in both style and performance. Ford Fusion is just such a car - a 180-degree turnabout from the lackluster Ford Taurus it replaces and a major homerun for Ford. Although designed here in the U.S., the Fusion borrows much of its chassis and drivetrain from its Japanese cousin, theIt is the merging of American styling and Japanese hardware that makes the Fusion such a terrific value, offering superior handling, good fuel economy and low emissions (rated as a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle or PZEV in California). However, almost certainly due to an anticipated lack of much market demand, Ford didn't see fit to place a manual transmission in the V6-powered models, essentially cutting short the Fusion's potential as a bona fide driving enthusiast's car. If you're looking for a five-passenger sedan that doesn't dissolve into obscurity when left in a parking lot, check out the Fusion. It offers more distinctive styling than the

Toyota Camry, yet it's priced closer to the Civic and Corolla. If you're looking for a sedan with higher fuel economy figures or more resale value, the Accord and Camry are better choices. Front side-impact airbags and side-curtain airbags become standard, as does an auxiliary audio input jack. The SE model receives a fold-down passenger seat, 16-inch wheels, fog lamps and a six-disc CD/MP3 player, while an all-wheel-drive option is made available on the V6 SE and SEL trim levels. With a chassis that offers what Ford claims is class-leading torsional rigidity, the Fusion is a solid performer. Its sophisticated short- and long-arm front suspension, which offers geometry that's superior...... to the nearly-ubiquitous MacPherson strut arrangement, helps the Fusion deliver handling that rivals a European sports sedan. That feeling is enhanced by the power rack-and-pinion steering that is mounted to a front sub-frame to minimize vibration and noise. Even the four-cylinder-equipped Fusion has more-than-adequate power, but we recommend the 3.0-liter V6, because there is very little fuel economy penalty for its greater power and superior drivability.

One of the reasons for the Fusion's immediate popularity is that it provides a lot of interior room and cargo space for the money. Despite Ford Motor Company's significant operations in Europe, the Fusion has Mazda underpinnings, but the chassis and suspension capture the European feel for which its engineers were aiming. The Ford Fusion's interior continues the "bold American" theme of the exterior with an added twist - freedom of choice. While most other cars in the class offer just two or three color choices for the same basic interior, Fusion offers three different interior themes (the S trim offers two), including Charcoal Black with oatmeal-colored stitching. The round analog instruments are easy to read, and the steering wheel includes integrated cruise control switches as standard equipment. Headroom, legroom and shoulder room are all very representative of the segment as a whole, while the trunk space - at 15.8 cubic feet - is substantially larger than many competitors, including the Accord.

The Fusion's exterior design began with the dynamic exterior of the Ford 427 concept car, including the three-bar grille and trapezoidal, multi-element projector-beam headlamps. In the current production idiom the wheels are pulled out to the corners of the car but, unlike conventional practice these days, the shape features some fairly sharp edges and a "box-on-wedge" profile. Even on its base 16-inch wheels the Fusion looks properly grounded, but it looks even better with the P225/50R17 tires on the alloy wheels with the five split-spoke design, and the front end has an artful appearance that features a well-integrated, nearly flush bumper below the chrome grille. The base S model features front side-impact airbags, side-curtain airbags, power door locks with keyless remote entry, power mirrors and power windows with "one-touch-down" function for the driver's side, 16-inch wheels, AM/FM stereo with single MP3-compatible CD player, air conditioning and rear-seat armrest with built-in cup holders.

The base 2.3-liter engine can be paired with a five-speed manual transmission or the optional five-speed automatic. Also standard are niceties like halogen headlamps, tilt/telescopic steering wheel and cruise control. The SE adds aluminum wheels, fog lamps, six-disc CD changer, power driver's seat and steering wheel-mounted audio controls. The SEL adds 17-inch wheels, automatic climate control and heated mirrors. As an alternative to the standard four-cylinder engine, a 221-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 is a key item on the option list, and it is backed by a six-speed automatic transmission. Anti-lock brakes (ABS), leather seats, a moonroof and all-wheel drive (V6 only) are also among the available options. A pair of premium audio systems is offered - both feature six-disc CD changers and MP3 capability. Shortly after the model launch, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, DVD navigation and a rear spoiler will be offered, but only on the SE and SEL trim levels. The standard 2.3-liter in-line four-cylinder engine delivers good drivability and more-than-acceptable acceleration.