2006 Ford Fusion Review
2006 Ford Fusion Review





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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Cutting-edge looks, upscale interior, tight construction, confident handling, competitive price.
Cons
- Engines are down on power for this class, automatic doesn't offer manual-shift control.
What’s new
The Fusion is an all-new midsize family sedan from Ford designed to take on segment leaders. Both four- and six-cylinder engines are available, as is a six-speed automatic transmission.
Edmunds says
The introduction of the 2006 Ford Fusion marks the first time in nearly two decades that Ford has a high-quality midsize sedan that can go toe-to-toe with the imports while maintaining a distinctly American style.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2006 Ford Fusion S 4dr Sedan (2.3L 4cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.11 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia
$165/mo for Fusion S
Fusion S
vs
$170/mo
Avg. Midsize Car
Vehicle overview
A few years ago Ford's head of vehicle design, J Mays, was asked why the American automakers had "lost" the family sedan market. His response: "We didn't lose it, we walked away from it." Those comments were made at the introduction of a sleek and stylish sedan concept car, the 427, in 2003. The car represented Ford's interest in reestablishing itself in the family four-door segment, and many of its design elements, including the large headlights and bold, three-bar grille, are prominent features on the all-new Ford Fusion.
The Fusion gives notice, to customers and competitors alike, that Ford is once again ready to compete for midsize family sedan buyers. The last time Ford had a serious contender in this category it went by the name Taurus. That model even held the title "best-selling car in America" for a few years before being relegated to rental car status as superior offerings from Honda, Nissan and Toyota stole the sales spotlight.
But the 2006 Ford Fusion -- riding on a lengthened, widened version of the highly acclaimed Mazda 6 platform -- has plenty going for it in this competitive market. Like the nimble 6, it rides on a four-wheel independent suspension and features a rack and pinion steering system. But unlike the 6, the Fusion provides passengers with adequate interior space by increasing both the length and width of the vehicle. Supplementing the cabin's space are upscale treatments like satin-finished bezels around the gauges and soft-touch material on the dash and door panels. Upscale models include leather seats with contrasting stitching, and all Fusions come standard with steering wheel-mounted buttons for cruise control, power windows, power locks and keyless entry.
Ford Fusion power comes from either a 2.3-liter, 160-horsepower four-cylinder or a 3.0-liter, 221-hp V6. The smaller engine is hooked to a standard five-speed manual with a five-speed automatic optional, but the V6 can only be had with a six-speed automatic transmission. The V6 does include dual exhaust pipes, and both engines feature four-valve-per-cylinder heads and 150,000-mile tune up intervals.
To address the safety concerns of family sedan buyers, Ford strengthened the car's platform in various areas. The B-pillars, between the front and rear doors, are reinforced above the car's beltline to direct side-impact energy down and away from passengers. The roof structure is similarly reinforced to pass proposed rollover crush standards that won't take effect until 2009, and an optional side airbag package offers seat-deployed torso airbags for front passengers and side curtain airbags that protect both front and rear occupants. It may be a bit overdue, but it would appear that the 2006 Ford Fusion was worth the wait.
Performance & mpg
The Fusion's base 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine makes 160 horsepower and meets PZEV certification in California. It's connected to a standard five-speed manual transmission, and a five-speed automatic is optional. A 221-hp, 3.0-liter V6 is available on SE and SEL Fusions. This engine comes with one transmission, a six-speed automatic. This transmission shifts well enough, but we wish it had a true manual-shift mode instead of just two forward-gear gates ("D" and "L"), neither of which has much effect on the tranny's behavior.
Safety
Four-wheel disc brakes are standard equipment on all Fusion models. Options on all Fusions include ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and an airbag package with front-seat side airbag and full-length head curtains. Traction control is optional on V6 models, but stability control is not available at all. In NHTSA crash tests, the 2006 Ford Fusion scored four stars (out of five) in frontal impact and four (five with the side airbag option) for side impact. In IIHS frontal offset testing, the Fusion rated "Acceptable" (the second highest rating); in side impact testing (without side airbags) it yielded a "Poor" rating.
Driving
With its responsive steering and a refined ride, the 2006 Ford Fusion is one of the more entertaining vehicles in the family sedan segment. Wind and road noise is effectively quelled at highway speeds, and the six-speed transmission offers crisp upshifts and downshifts. More horsepower, and an automatic transmission with manual access to gears, would lend support to the Fusion's sporty aspirations, but it's still a fun car to drive by family sedan standards.
Interior
The Fusion's upscale interior offers an effective blend of premium materials and functional design elements. All models feature gauges with satin-finished bezels, soft-touch dash and door material, and a storage bin in the center of the dash. Upscale Fusions feature leather seating surfaces with contrasting stitching, an analog clock, and steering wheel-mounted audio controls. All audio systems are MP3-capable, and the split-folding rear seat, along with a 15.8-cubic-foot trunk, adds to the Fusion's utility. Most buyers will find the Ford Fusion suitably roomy with ample head-, shoulder and legroom for adults to ride comfortably in the front or back
2006 Ford Fusion models
The midsize 2006 Ford Fusion sedan comes in three trim levels: S, SE and SEL. The base S rides on 16-inch wheels and includes air conditioning, an MP3-compatible CD stereo with four speakers, a split-folding rear seat, cruise control, full power accessories and keyless entry. The SE adds a six-way power driver seat, audio controls on the steering wheel, carbon trim on the center console and dash, and two more speakers for the audio system. Options on the SE include alloy wheels, leather seats, a moonroof, an upgraded eight-speaker stereo and an in-dash CD changer. Top-of-the-line SEL models come with 17-inch alloy wheels, a six-disc CD changer, foglamps, automatic climate control, and wood or "piano black" interior trim. In addition to the SE options, the SEL is eligible for heated seats and a premium package with automatic headlights, heated outside mirrors and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2006 Ford Fusion.
5 star(78%)
4 star(15%)
3 star(4%)
2 star(2%)
1 star(1%)
307 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
3.75 out of 5 stars
Don't buy a used 2006 Fusion
danoct24, 03/23/2011
2006 Ford Fusion SE 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 6A)
I personally loved the car until I became victim of the 50k + transmission
defect. There is a big problem with these transmissions. The car becomes outright dangerous to drive. Symptoms include, violent jerking when trying to accelerate to pass, followed by loss of speed. At times the tranny with simply drop out of gear, as if it went into neutral while cruising along on the express way. … That's always fun when there is a semi on your tail.
There are ALLOT of complaints to Ford and government agencies, but they refuse to do anything about a known defect in certain transmission that is extremely unsafe.
5 out of 5 stars
This is the best car I've ever owned
Keith, 09/26/2015
2006 Ford Fusion SE 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 6A)
I bought this car at 34,000 in 2009. At the time I was a service technician and had to use my own car. Before the end of the 2 year mark I had put over 100,000 miles on this thing. I live in Ohio and drove this car to the Carolinas and Virginia beach annually, including a 24 hour straight drive to Texas and 24 hours straight back 3 days later and never felt worried about making it home. … My point is, I beat up my vehicles and this has been a beast. AC failed around the 140,000 mark (didn't bother fixing it), I replaced the thermostat and drive belt at 150,000, at 210,000 the radiator and transmission cooler lines were replaced, driver side window regulator at 215,000 and now at 217,000 the transmission valve body needs to be replaced so I'm reluctantly trading it in before I press my luck any further. I can't talk much about labor cost because I do most of my own work, but replacement part costs aren't terrible (except the valve body). And even with the age of the car its still averaging 27mpg! My biggest cons are the cheap plastic door handles and the radio display has bad soldering causing it to blank out. Basically very minor things. Ford bought my favor back from GM with this car.
4 out of 5 stars
NO MAJOR ISSUES - 10yr original owner
physchic, 07/01/2016
2006 Ford Fusion SE 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 6A)
I purchased this car new in 2006 when I needed to trade in my mustang that was not so affordable while in college. This was not my choice vehicle, but the decent power was an acceptable transition from the GT power I was used to indulging in. I pushed the oil changes beyond to ~5k mi but regularly went with a synthetic oil option. I did maintenance at 80k mi and have it inspected … periodically. It now has 140k mi and the recent full inspection from the dealership reported all areas in the green, including belts and hoses. That's the good. Here's the bad. Shortly after purchase, one of the rear inner door handles completely broke. They're made of plastic that isn't so durable. I should have taken it for repair under warranty, but didn't. Then, at ~80k mi, the front control arms needed to be replaced. This was a bit expensive... on the order of $1800. It wasn't a safety concern, but they were noisy. It was due to the rubber in the ends of each arm, which breaks down so it sounded like rubber rubbing together whenever the wheels were turned. That was a bummer, but I suppose the bad could have been much worse. The headliner has started to fall at the rear recently, so that will need repair next. Other than that, I've only needed to replace the brakes - which lasted >100k mi and tires. Overall it's been a great, reliable vehicle for the past decade!
4 out of 5 stars
Insane Shift Controller
mpence, 09/03/2014
2006 Ford Fusion SEL 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 6A)
I bought the car used in 2009 with about 32K miles. It's been great mostly. But the transmission behavior leaves a lot to be desired. Normally, it shifts smoothly, but there are 3 quirks that drive me mad.
Downshifting, it will slam violently into 1st gear at about 45 mph.
Part-throttle acceleration - enough to cause a more than 1 gear downshift - the trans again slams in and out of … 1st gear, causing a violent bucking. Not much fun trying to merge onto a freeway!
A few times when the previous occurred, the trans just goes out of gear. Have to let it coast, shift either to Neutral or First gear, then it resumes normal driving.
The electronic shift controller must be insane!
Another 15,000 miles since my original review, and there've been a major change. The original Duratec V-6 engine failed at 135,000 miles. Instead of trying to diagnose the failure and fix it, I had a new(er) engine installed. That one turned out to be defective, and it was replaced (again) under warranty. So far, the latest one, from an 09 Milan, has been okay.
The transmission behavior hasn't changed a bit. Still works fine most of the time, as long as I keep it sedate.
2006 Fusion Highlights
S
Base MSRP | $17,145 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 23 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $165/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 15.8 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver4 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver4 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalAcceptable
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalPoor
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestAcceptable
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintMarginal
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