It's really a derivative of the new sixth generation Ford Fiesta, but Ford would prefer if you didn't think about that. Their Fusion, details of which are announced today, is a "crossover" vehicle - and a family car with a posh appellation! This new UAV is a motor for functionality, not frivolity, says Andrew Hamilton
It's a UAV or Urban Activity Vehicle. . . "a distillation of the best aspects of small hatchbacks, MPVs and SUVs", says Ford.
Compared with Focus and the latest Fiesta which also has a Focus sort of profile, Fusion is almost conservative in appearance. The Ford hype, however, makes it sound exceptional: "The first vehicle purpose-designed to help young, modern urban-minded families" is but one spin.
However, a static presentation in London last week did suggest that the Fusion is people-focused, spacious and practical with higher seating for greater visibility.
"It's for people whose expectations are for functionality above frivolity and who want a vehicle that is straightforward and uncomplicated," says Morten Hannesbo, small car brand manager for Ford of Europe. You could be forgiven for thinking that it had four-wheel-drive credentials and that's deliberate.
The Fusion is, of course, built on the Fiesta platform, but there the similarities end. Practicality is emphasised by features such as the very low-mounted loading sill leading into a trunk area of 337 litres. There's also a 60:40 split rear seatback which folds flat to accommodate bulky loads.
Fifteen-inch wheels are standard, along with P195/60R15 tyres. Ford claims that that the wheel/tyre combination adds to the impression of muscularity as well as beneficially influencing the handling stability.
Engine options will include a new genreation 1.4 litre TDCi common-rail turbo-diesel engine developing 68 bhp and 1.4 and 1.6 litre petrol units with 80 and 100 bhp respectively.
The Fusion will be going on Irish sale late this year. So, too, will be the three-door versions of the Fiesta which will have a stronger sporting identity and will be topped by a go-fast model badged ST 150, a competitior for the Peugoet 206Gti and the Renualt Clio 172.
More radical looking than the Fusion family is Opel's new MPV, based on the Corsa platform and, for the moment, called Concept M. It's being unveiled at next month's Geneva motor show. Opel has confirmed that it will be going on sale early next year. Engines are likely to be 1.6 and 1.8 litre petrol units, along with a 1.7 litre diesel.
Concept M comes with an innovative five-seat arrangement based on the based on the Zafira's Flex 7 system. The interiors layout, to be known as Flex 5, has individual seats that fold forward to give a completely flat load bay. All the space efficienty is possible because the Corsa platform has been extended by five inches, making it slightly larger than the Renault Scenic, the pioneer of the family MPV.
Opel doesn't see this new arrival conflicting in any way with the more senior Zafira sibling which it regards as bigger with its seven-seat flexibility. For Opel, the identifiable competitors among others are the Scenic, Citroën's Picasso and, of course, the new Ford Fusion.