Faults:

This car has been a lemon since day one. It has been a total nightmare. It's been mostly little things breaking or going bad, and all have been under warranty and the dealership has always been great, but I bought this new car, so I wouldn't have this problem.

I know of 3 other people that also own Ford Fusion's, and 2 of them are also disappointed with the quality of their cars as well, but the other one loves his Fusion and has had no problems with it at all.. just lucky I guess?

It's funny though, according to Ford commercials, the Fusion is "more reliable than the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry, plus holds its value better than them as well". Every time I see these commercials, I laugh because I have owned several Honda's and one Camry, and they all were far more reliable than my Fusion.

And as far as the Fusion holding its value better than the Camry or Accord, all anyone has to do is go to KBB.com and check out the resale values of all of these cars for themselves, and they will see that the Fusion has by far the worst. If that's not false advertisement, I don't know what is.

General Comments:

The Ford Fusion is a very beautiful car, but don't let its good looks fool you, you will have a 50/50 shot of getting a good reliable vehicle, but for me, that's not good enough odds. Sorry Ford, but my next car will NOT be another Fusion.

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

In over 26,000 miles, my overall fuel average is 27.7 mpg, 1/4 heavy city, 3/4 highway at 45 mph with 5 or 6 cars stopping in front of me to make turns. 2-lane road. This will be very nice when gas goes back to $4/gal.

I know the sticker says like 31 mpg, but no car really gets what the sticker says unless you drive like Grandma and keep the A/C off.

No fluid leaks.

No rattles, or loose door/interior trim pieces.

At 350lbs, I tend to destroy the driver's door arm rest and seat within 1-year. This car's parts are still like new.

My wife fell in love with my Fusion, so she has went out and got a new Mercury Milan, which is the same thing, but a bit nicer interior. She got the Premier with the V-6, and her mpg, with the same driving, is only 22.1 mpg, and she is 200 pounds lighter.

Large trunk, great foot room in all foot wells, Not too big of a car, but still feels safe.

The car will stop on a dime, and cut up and down the roads at Yellowstone National park like a sports car.

Engine is fairly quiet for a 4 cyl, transmission shifts as smooth as a $50,000 car. The transmission must skip gears because it seems to go into 6th gear without shifting 5 times, just like silk, you can't really tell which gear it is in.

Not the typical loudness of most 4 cyl. engines when stopped at lights. The car is very quiet, much like a big Lincoln or Cadillac, except when you take off, then you can hear the little engine rev up, but I'd still get the 4 cyl. if I had to do it over again, due to the mpg over the other two V-6 engines.

With the A/C on, when the compressor kicks on, it is not as power hogging as some 4 cyl. engines. I don't really have to reach over and turn the A/C off if taking off up a big hill with bigger cars on my back end.

The headlights are bright for a car, and seem to shine as far as a van or truck's lights. Some cars, even when new, seem to shine only about 50-feet in front of the car, even on bright.

Insurance is the same on this car as it was on a 2004 Pontiac Montana.

The ride is smooth and rubbery over small road cracks, rail road tracks, and even on loose gravel roads, but the cars always seems to hold a tight grip to the surface, even on snow and rain. Mine is only FWD, but will still do quite well in up to 6-inches of snow; anything above 6 inches, or ice, we just stay home.

All the controls seem to be just in the right place, the brake and gas controls are not right beside each other like in other 4 cyl. cars. My foot has never once pushed on the gas as I was pushing on the brake. And I wear huge size 13-work boots.

Buying this car was the best automotive investment that I have made since I got my high school car for $200 in 1985, and drove it 50,000 miles with just a few oil changes and fuel.

This car feels as if it will hold up for 150- 200,000 miles, and we intend to put them to the test. Our old mini-van's transmission died at only 94,000 miles, then again at 130,000, but this could have been a faulty rebuild. Head gaskets went at 144,000, and that is why we traded it for this Fusion.

The bottom line:

Well priced

Excellent warranty

Excellent fuel mpg

Excellent safety scores

Good looks, comfort, room, trunk, driving dynamic

Excellent projected resale value

The car looks, feels, and drives like a much nicer car in terms of dollars

If this one got stolen, I'd get another one the next day.