Brian Chee’s Opinion of the 2006 Ford Fusion’s Design:
It takes a little getting used to, this Fusion, with its design inspired by Ford’s 427 Concept of a few years ago. And that’s a good thing, unless you’re so hypnotized by the import magic that you forget what something looks like outside the Accord/Camry/Altima lockstep.

Ugh. It’s time for something, and the Fusion is something, something different, and different is good because it shakes things up and makes people think. From the signature headlights to the modern tail and the sweep of the hood, it’s refreshing in the simple fact that it’s not a shameless rip-off of what the Accord has become. Some may not like the Fusion, some may even think of it as a blah design with little more than those headlights to give it flair. And that’s fair – it’s not a design masterpiece. But it is a new dance to an old song, and that all by itself is worth a second look. Inside, the design is simple, with controls easy to reach and intuitively placed. It’s a well-executed interior, save for the storage bin on top of the center console – which, though useful, seems flimsy and destined for breakage. Elsewhere inside, the steering wheel has a nice, slightly soft grip, there’s cool instrumentation, and a slick gauge layout.

Thom Blackett’s Opinion of the 2006 Ford Fusion’s Design:
Ford is building some attractive rides, such as the Mustang, the F-150, and the Fusion. It may hold onto the traditional four-door family sedan shape, but the short front overhang, unique chrome slotted grille, and large headlights creeping up into the hood give the 2006 Ford Fusion a distinguishing look, something not altogether common in its segment. Other highlights include the raised hood, projecting a sense of power, and the clean triangular taillights. Bolt on some nice alloy wheels, and this becomes one sharp sedan.

Interestingly, the Fusion’s interior is comparatively bland. In the middle of the instrument panel is the simple, dated radio face that owners have seen for years, and the flat dash spells out conservative a bit too well.

Christian Wardlaw’s Opinion of the 2006 Ford Fusion’s Design:
I think the Ford Fusion is stylish, with a taut, tailored appearance. The chrome three-bar grille is a terrific way for Ford to make its cars instantly recognizable, and while the triangular headlamps have been a Mercury signature since the 2002 Mountaineer debuted, they work well on the Fusion. Upscale design cues abound, from the machined-finish alloy wheels to the substantial door handles. Our well-equipped SEL test car included puddle lamps, a nice feature to have in a dark parking lot. I’m not particularly enamored with the chrome surrounds for the taillights, or the way Ford has integrated the reverse light here. The rear lights end up looking too small, and the Fusion’s butt too big. Otherwise, I cannot fault the Fusion’s exterior styling.

Inside, the design looks good at a glance. The Fusion’s cabin is purposeful, and symmetry is the driving theme, but I’ve decided that I don’t like the piano-black plastic trim, which collects lint and scratches. I also dislike the green gauge lighting that Ford insists on using for nighttime control illumination. Ford should consider offering the Mustang’s variable color spectrum on the Fusion. I found the climate and stereo controls to be mounted a little too low for easy use, but the payoff here is a low cowl for excellent outward visibility. Also, I dislike the stereo’s lack of a proper tuning knob and the canted turn signal – I don’t understand why Ford feels that this new ten o’clock positioning for the turn signal stalk is a good idea, because it doesn’t fall readily to hand and I kept accidentally flashing the high beams when signaling a turn. The steering wheel is littered with satellite controls for the stereo and climate system, and the cruise switches are mounted here, too. Other switches are easy to find and use, but I’d like to have an express-up feature for the driver’s window at a minimum. Generally, the Fusion’s ergonomics are decent, but nothing to brag about.

Ron Perry’s Opinion of the 2006 Ford Fusion’s Design:
The exterior design of the Ford Fusion is plain vanilla. I know vanilla is the top selling ice cream, but is it really what people want when selecting a car? I doubt it, and back that up with Chrysler’s success in recent years with eye-popping sedan designs. Aside from the distinctive styling of the front end, the Fusion is just another sedan. The chrome three bar grille, along with the matching chrome bars below the bumper line and the distinctive shape of the headlights, give the front end of the Fusion its own identity. Move anywhere else around the car and the design falls flat, even with the subtle hints of Honda Accord in the rear design. The Fusion would also benefit from a more aggressive wheel design.

Inside, the Ford Fusion benefits from good design. Getting in and out is easy and all controls fall neatly into place. The interior feels spacious and the door panel treatment looks to be a step above what one might expect of a car in this category. The highlight of the interior design has to be the gauges. Designers used simple white lettering on a black background but surrounded them with silver trim and raised them off the flat panel maybe a half an inch. They are as pleasing to look at as they are to read.