Ford is not going anywhere anytime soon. The “Godfather” of the automobile as we know it, has put a new staple in history as the 2010 Ford Fusion receives the 2010 Motor Trend Car of the Year award. This prestigious award only goes to the deserved and this year the 2010 Ford Fusion deserves this award.
From our many test drives of Ford Fusion models over the years we have do not deny or contest the new Ford Fusion receiving the Motor Trend Car of the Year award. It is truly a remarkable car.
For the new Ford Fusion to get its award it had to battle it out against the contenders including the following:
BMW 7 SERIES
BMW Z4
BUICK LACROSSE
CHEVROLET CAMARO
FORD MUSTANG
FORD TAURUS
HONDA INSIGHT
HYUNDAI GENESIS COUPE
KIA FORTE
KIA SOUL
LEXUS HS 250H
MAZDA3
MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS COUPE
MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS
NISSAN 370Z
NISSAN CUBE
PORSCHE PANAMERA
SUBARU LEGACY
SUZUKI KIZASHI
TOYOTA PRIUS
VOLKSWAGEN GTI
VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN
[source: Motor Trend]
Below is the full release from Motor Trend.
2010 Motor Trend Car of the Year – Ford Fusion
60th Anniversary of the Award goes to versatile Ford sedan
November 15, 2009
LOS ANGELES, CA (November 17, 2009) – MOTOR TREND today announced the Ford Fusion has been named MOTOR TREND’s 2010 Car of the Year®. This year marks the 60th anniversary for the MOTOR TREND award – the longest standing editorial automotive award of its kind.
“There has never been a more turbulent backdrop to the MOTOR TREND Car of the Year in its 60-year history. We have experienced seismic shifts in the global automotive industry landscape with iconic corporations going bankrupt, new model programs being canceled and OEMs killing off entire brands,” said Angus MacKenzie, MOTOR TREND Editor-in-Chief.
Despite the economic turmoil, the industry still delivered a large field of 23 new or significantly improved vehicles launched in the U.S., all of which were evaluated by MOTOR TREND editors. After tallying the judges’ feedback, the redesigned Ford Fusion came out on top.
The 2010 Ford Fusion range demonstrates impressive bandwidth, from a fun-to-drive entry-level model with a four cylinder engine and six speed manual transmission, to a high-tech, highly fuel efficient hybrid, to a sporty version with a 3.5-liter V-6 and all-wheel drive. According to editors, this year’s Ford Fusion offers a “sweep across one of the market’s more hotly contested segments.”
The extensively revised and redesigned 2010 Fusion is a better, smarter, nicer, comfier and greener car than its predecessor. “It looked, felt and drove like an entirely new machine,” noted one editor.
“Ford has proven its resilience in these tough times by delivering to market a car with broad appeal to a broad range of consumers. The Fusion range has matured into a competitive roster of midsize sedans, able to compete with the sales juggernauts such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. It is no surprise the Fusion now ranks in the top ten best selling cars in America,” said MacKenzie.
MacKenzie added, “The Fusion’s combination of performance, comfort, fuel efficiency, and technology made it a clear winner among our panel of judges.”
The Contenders The Fusion took home the Calipers from a field of 23 diverse contenders that included a number of highly anticipated models loaded with luxury, plenty of new features and a great range in price, size, and style. In addition to the Fusion, contenders included:
BMW 7 SERIES
BMW Z4
BUICK LACROSSE
CHEVROLET CAMARO
FORD MUSTANG
FORD TAURUS
HONDA INSIGHT
HYUNDAI GENESIS COUPE
KIA FORTE
KIA SOUL
LEXUS HS 250H
MAZDA3
MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS COUPE
MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS
NISSAN 370Z
NISSAN CUBE
PORSCHE PANAMERA
SUBARU LEGACY
SUZUKI KIZASHI
TOYOTA PRIUS
VOLKSWAGEN GTI
VOLKSWAGEN ROUTANTo judge contenders for the award, MOTOR TREND’s editorial staff conducts an exhaustive evaluation process. Phase one of the process includes a tech check and weigh-in, then full track testing to establish baseline data for acceleration, braking, and handling. Each judge also drives each contender on special vehicle proving ground roads. Phase two involves the judges driving the contenders on 28 miles of real-world road surfaces and traffic conditions to evaluate ride and handling, engine and transmission smoothness and responsiveness, wind/road noise, and ergonomics. Throughout the process the judges discuss, debate, and evaluate how each contender performs against the six criteria. At the end of the week-long process each judge votes in a secret ballot to determine the winner.
Newly Expanded Testing and Evaluation Process Until recently, the editorial staff of MOTOR TREND has evaluated eligible vehicles based on three key criteria: Superiority, Significance, and Value. This year, the editors updated and expanded the judging criteria to six new categories:
• Design Advancement – well-executed exterior and interior styling; innovative vehicle packaging; good selection and use of materials.
• Engineering Excellence – total vehicle concept and execution; clever solutions to packaging, manufacturing and dynamics issues; cost-effective tech that benefits the consumer.
• Intended Function – how well the vehicle does the job its planners, designers, and engineers intended it to do.
• Efficiency – low fuel consumption and carbon footprint, relative to the vehicle’s competitive set.
• Safety – a vehicle’s ability to help the driver avoid a crash, as well as the secondary safety measures that protect its occupants from harm during a crash.
• Value – competitive price and equipment levels, measured against those of vehicles in the same market segment.
Car of the Year is not a comparison test and is only open to all-new or substantially upgraded vehicles that have gone on sale in the 12 months from November 1 of the previous year. MOTOR TREND looks for the pick of each year’s crop of new cars, and does not revisit vehicles that have been on sale for the past few years.
The complete report on the MOTOR TREND 2010 Car of the Year testing and selection is available online now at www.motortrend.com, and will be published in the January issue of MOTOR TREND, available on newsstands December 1, 2009.
