2006 Ford Fusion Specs, Price, Fuel Economy, Engine, & Performance

Another area where Ford invites unflattering comparison is in its interior space, where most major dimensions fall short of the Asian bogeys, some by up to two inches. Considering that the Contour flunked out of the U.S. market largely because it was too small, and the Mazda6 has been criticized for its tighter fit, we would've expected Ford to have taffy-pulled the Mazda's sheetmetal a bit more; yet when actually sitting in the car, it feels roomy enough for most. Interior color and trim options include monochrome (black or beige) and two-tone (combination of the two) upholstery and fake wood or "piano black" (marketing-speak for high-gloss black plastic) trim for the doors and dash. Top models get charcoal leather with oatmeal stitching.

Ford aims to lure buyers with a more emotional, better-driving car priced below the top dogs. Let's hope the engineers have delivered on the promise of that superb hardware.