2009 Ford F-150 FX4 Review

Back in the late '70s you could buy a Ford F-150 with a coil-sprung Dana 44 front axle, a Ford 9-inch rearend, and a frame that could bear weight beyond the 1/2-ton designation. This vintage of the F-150 was often heralded for its built-tough mechanicals and lauded for the over-built engineering. For 2009, Ford continues the trend with its improved F-150 that again widens the gap with class-leading payload, towing, and improved fuel economy, while narrowing the gap between the F-150 and F-250 Super Duty.

For 2009 the more aerodynamic F-150 gets a new look that shares more of a family face with other Ford newcomers like the Flex and reintroduced Taurus. It also gets a bit larger, while losing some weight and gaining capability. The Super Crew is 6 inches longer (now with a flat load floor), thanks to new front doors that are shared across the F-150 lineup. Previously the four-door regular cab shared front doors with the SuperCrew, while the Super Cab had its own longer doors. But for 2009 all F-150s have the same front door and the regular cab reverts to a two-door model, giving up the rear mini doors. This lessens manufacturing complexity, at the same time improving fit and finish and lowering wind noise.

The roof of the '09 F-150 is also 15 mm taller to accommodate the side-curtain airbags and is full of other safety features from standard Advance Trac with Roll Stability Control, a full complement of airbags, and four-channel ABS to Ford's Personal Safety System and optional reverse camera system.

The foundation of the 2009 F-150 is a new fully boxed frame that is up to 15 pounds lighter than the outgoing frame, yet gains a 10 percent improvement in torsional stiffness. Composed of hydroformed and high-strength steel side rails with through-frame crossmembers, the new frame delivers a class-leading tow rating of 11,300 pounds. Rear leaf springs have also been lengthened 6 inches for better ride and lateral control.

Other towing advances include a standard Trailer Sway Control and an optional integrated Trailer Brake Controller system, which, when ordered in tandem work together to sense and manage dangerous trailer sway, using both the F-150's braking system, as well as the trailer's braking system. And because of its integration with the F-150's electronics and braking system, it doesn't have to infer driver intent from the tow vehicle braking system like an aftermarket unit does and makes for a less cluttered dash.

Ford has also upgraded the hauling portion of the 2009 truck with a slew of available equipment, including a tailgate step and collapsible bed extender, similar to the Super Duty, as well as a new box side step for helping to access the F-150's box over the tall bedsides and a new cargo management rail system that can hold up to 600 pounds per cleat and use a number of available accessories, such as lockable boxes, that can mount to the rails. Payload numbers haven't been announced as of this writing, but Ford assures us those numbers will also be best-in-class.

The engine lineup will be familiar to any Ford truck owner, with a number of V-8 choices. The 4.2L V-6 has now been replaced by a 2V 4.6L V-8 backed by a four-speed automatic, which will get the same fuel economy as the outgoing V-6-powered truck. The middle engine will be a new 3V 4.6L V-8 and the top engine will again be the 3V 5.4L V-8, backed by Ford's new six-speed automatic transmission. A deep 4.17 first gear in the six-speed has allowed Ford to offer taller rear axle ratios across the board to improve fuel economy, while still maintaining off-the-line grunt. Unofficially, the flex-fuel 5.4L is said to make 320 hp and 375 lb-ft of torque across the F-150 lineup, and average mileage is up 1.5 mpg over the old truck. Ford will be announcing the official horsepower numbers for the rest of the engine lineup later this year.

As expected, the interior continues the Ford tradition of mixing leading-edge style with high-quality materials and is beautifully executed with even more storage than before. The serenity of the cab has been improved by 9 percent in wind noise, 5 percent in road noise, and 5 percent in NVH thanks to a new acoustic headliner, a quiet steel dash, and other sound-deadening tricks. There is also a new 8-inch screen that comes with the voice-activated navigation system that now is Sirius Travel Link and SYNC compatible. Ford's Work Solution RFID tool tagging system is also available for the professional customer.

The 2009 model will be available in no less than seven trim levels, which include XL, STX, XLT, FX4, Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum with other variants rumored to be on the horizon.

Most exciting to the Four Wheeler crew is the new FX4 package that is not just a trim level, but a real off-road package, complete with an electronically activated rear locker that can even be used in 4-Hi up to 20 mph. The FX4 model also boasts a best-in-class crawl ratio of 41:1 and unlike the competition, the FX4's air dam doesn't compromise approach angle. Ford engineers also worked hard to make a more flexible suspension that sees an 8-percent improvement in the RTI. Other equipment that you get when checking the FX4 box are real skidplates that tie in to the frame, a unique transmission shift strategy in 4-Lo, special shocks, and available LT275/70R17 Goodyear A/Ts with a much more aggressive tread than Ford usually offers. We'll have driving impressions of the FX4 model in an upcoming issue of Four Wheeler.

The 2009 F-150 is a satisfying upgrade over the previous generation, especially in the interior where most of your time is spent. And with increased capability that encroaches on the F-250 Super Duty territory, Ford is essentially offering two 3/4-ton trucks-one for those who want the better ride of IFS and one for those who need the increased brawniness of a solid axle. With major competition coming from the 2009 Dodge Ram, with its lower capacities and coil-sprung rear suspension, it will be interesting to see which strategy pays off in the real world.

Source: fourwheeler

2006 Ford Fusion Review

Sized and equipped to go head-to-head with the most popular midsize imports, the 2006 Ford Fusion is the first Ford to be completely developed digitally- esigned, engineered, and tested for manufacturing in computer simulations before being physically constructed. The Fusion fits between the smaller Focus and the larger Five Hundred, and in ancestry, it demonstrates Ford's global orientation and current way of doing business. Ford owns controlling interest in Mazda, Mazda has a good if undermarketed sedan in the Mazda6, and so the Mazda6 structure was widened, lengthened, and strengthened to become the Fusion's architecture.

Like the import brands that are its direct competitors, the Ford Fusion is offered with both four-cylinder and V-6 engines. The four-cylinder is the 2.3-liter, 160-horsepower unit also found in the Focus, matched to a five-speed manual or automatic transmission. The 221-horsepower V-6 comes with only a six-speed automatic. The list of standard equipment for the three trim levels is long, including AM/FM/MP3-compatible CD sound systems. But don't look for a nav system, cell phone integration, satellite radio, or MP3 player compatibility in the factory option list.

Our test car was a top-of-the-line Fusion SEL V-6, with a very reasonable base price of $21,710. Even after adding leather seats for $895, antilock brakes for $595, heated front seats for $295, the $395 Safety and Security package (with front side-impact air bags, full-length side curtain air bags, and a perimeter alarm), the $595 SEL Premium Package (with heated outside rearview mirrors with puddle lamps, an electrochromic inside rearview mirror, and automatic headlights), and the $650 destination charge, the total was $25,135.

An all-wheel-drive model is planned for introduction late in the 2006 calendar year, with a hybrid in 2008.
Sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. With the 2006 Ford Fusion, Ford reached into its global parts bin, mixing, matching, and modifying familiar ingredients, then wrapped the result in a new look. For the most part, it's successful, lacking only key electronic options that appeal to tech-savvy buyers. As a car, it's the first Ford to offer a serious alternative to the popular midsize sedans.

The Ford Fusion's styling earned many looks and some interesting comments during our time with it. While it was parked on the street in a Silicon Valley residential neighborhood one morning, we observed a jogger stop and spend several minutes carefully checking out the car. This is a reaction not normally associated with affordable midsize sedans.

Its clean exterior design and attention to details including tight panel gaps and external mirror shape. Its gasketless windshield and rear window glass help reduce noise inside the Fusion, as does extensive use of a variety of noise-damping materials around the interior.

The interior has a fresh, international look, with three motifs depending on trim level. Our Fusion SEL V-6 was a handsome two-tone tan and black, with--as on all Fusion models--high-quality soft-touch synthetic materials on the instrument panel and doors. Controls for cruise, climate, and audio were mounted on the steering wheel. In the place of too-common artificial wood trim was what Ford calls piano black plastic, which fits well with the other interior materials and textures.

Instruments are shaded from glare under a European-looking hood. The SEL model comes with a good-quality six-speaker AM/FM/in-dash, six-CD sound system that can play MP3 CDs, displaying title, artist, and album information. Loading and unloading discs is, as with most changers, best done at a stop or by the front-seat passenger. Unfortunately, there is no provision for using an external MP3 player or iPod without aftermarket accessories. Satellite radio, navigation, and Bluetooth cell phone integration are also left to the aftermarket. The analog clock in the center of the stack is a bit incongruous but is easy to read at a glance. A bin located in the top of the dash provides storage space for small items.

The Fusion SEL also has an automatic climate-control system that is simple to use and warms the car quickly in cool weather. There is a power point at the bottom of the center stack, where it joins the console, and another in the bottom of the two-layer console box. Anyone planning to charge a phone in that box is advised to keep it in the lower compartment, as there is no pass-through to the top.

Being that the Ford Fusion is a completely new model, we would expect the interior to include 21st-century digital appointments--at the very least, an auxiliary audio input. However, the audio system sits in a double-DIN slot, and the center stack would work fine for a more robust aftermarket system.
The 2006 Ford Fusion is powered by a 3.0-liter dual overhead cam, 24-valve Duratec V-6 with variable cam phasing on the intake camshafts, and electronic throttle control. It makes 221 horsepower at 6,250rpm, with 205 pound-feet of torque coming at 4,800rpm. Thanks to the variable cam phasing, there is good torque down low for quick acceleration when necessary, and both performance and fuel economy are assisted by a six-speed automatic transmission. This transmission allows a wide spread of gear ratios, with lower lows and higher highs, for both better acceleration and improved fuel economy. EPA mileage is listed at 21mpg (city) and 29mpg (highway). According to the car's trip computer, we averaged 19mpg around town and 27mpg on the highway, and it runs happily on unleaded regular gasoline. Acceleration, at around 7.5 seconds for 0 to 60mph, is brisk.

The six-speed automatic was smooth in operation, and its many ratios and the engine's broad torque band ensure that the correct gear for the situation is chosen more often than not, which is good, as there is no manual gear selection; the driver gets to choose between D and L only. Despite the lack of manual shift control, we found the Fusion to be an enjoyable car to drive. If not truly sporty, it's also not merely a transportation appliance. The engine and transmission both represent good employment of modern technologies.

While there is nothing revolutionary in the Ford Fusion's mechanical specification, it is very well executed, with good attention to detail. A solid chassis structure and a carefully designed and calibrated fully independent suspension give it highway comfort and good handling as well.

The front suspension is, unusually, a short-and-long-arm design, not the usual MacPherson struts. Rebound springs in the front shocks help reduce pitch during acceleration and deceleration, as well as lessen roll when cornering. The rear multilink setup is designed to limit the effect of lateral forces for more precise handling. The Fusion's springs, shocks, and stabilizer bars are tuned more firmly than expected in a mainstream sedan but matched for moderately firm yet comfortable ride quality. The power rack-and-pinion steering is not overly light, and the Fusion's handling response feels more European than American or Japanese. Large four-wheel disc brakes provide good stopping power. Bottom line: The Fusion is a much more enjoyable car to drive than the average midsize, middle-class sedan. The only drawback, inherited with the Mazda6 chassis, is a wide, 40-foot turning circle that can make for extra work in tight spaces.

The suspension also does a good job of controlling torque reaction, always a potential problem with a front-wheel-drive vehicle. Only under full-throttle acceleration with the front wheels turned is it overly noticeable.

The V-6 gets a ULEV II tailpipe emissions rating from the California Air Resources Board. The four-cylinder engine with the five-speed automatic qualifies as a PZEV vehicle.
Entrance to the 2006 Ford Fusion is controlled by Ford's first integrated fob key, which places the physical key and fob containing the lock, unlock, trunk, and emergency buttons together in one unit.

The Fusion's rigid structure is designed to protect occupants in an impact in any direction by controlled deformation, directing energy around and underneath the passenger compartment. Side impact is controlled not only by the B-pillar design and anti-intrusion beams in each door but also by blocks of energy-absorbing expanded polypropylene foam in the doors. Energy-absorbing polycarbonate-polyester materials are placed behind the front and rear bumpers.

Ford's Personal Safety System includes dual-deployment front air bags, energy-absorbing three-point safety belts for all occupants, and load-limiting retractors and pretensioners. A side air bag package is included with perimeter lighting in the Safety and Security option package. It includes seat-mounted front thorax and full-length head-protection air bags. The head air bags are designed to fill up between the window glass and an occupant's head, for protection from both impact and glass shards.

Strong four-wheel disc brakes are standard equipment, with ABS a $595 option. There is no stability control system, but V-6 models with ABS may be outfitted with traction control.

Like all 2006 Fords, the Fusion is covered by a three-year, 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty on materials and workmanship. The safety-restraint system is covered for five years or 50,000 miles. Perforation from corrosion is covered for five years, with unlimited mileage.

Source: cnet reviews

2008 Fiat Punto Review

GM Global Product Maven Maximum Bob Lutz claims that satisfying new U.S. federal fuel economy regulations will cost the consumer an additional $6k per car, on average. That seems a bit of a strange statement, as there are already plenty of cars capable of besting the freshly-minted mandate. From Japan to Jerusalem, from Mumbai to Milan, the world is filled, and filling, with suitably fuel efficient passenger cars. The real question is whether or not America is ready– make that “willing”– to buy the same sort of frugal machines that the rest of the world has been driving for years. Take the Fiat Grande Punto. Please.

Despite the word “Grande,” the Punto is 158 inches long– a little longer than the ten foot pole with which most American Camry drivers wouldn’t touch an Italian car. Thanks to oversized details like swept back headlights and chunky door handles, the Punto doesn’t look especially small. The gorgeous front end evokes the, gulp, Maserati Coupe GT. The sides are sporty without the usual cheese wedge demeanor. The back end is wonderfully chunky and perfectly tidy.

In short, literally, after the MINI Cooper, the Punto is proof positive that manufacturers needn’t beat small, inexpensive cars with the fugly stick (I’m almost looking at you, Toyota Yaris).

The Grande Punto’s interior is its weakest link: a totally unremarkable design with materials appropriate for an American car that cost about $13k. Mercifully, Fiat has blessed the car's rock hard plastics with a pleasant matte finish. And the panels line-up with such precision you’d think the Italians drafted in some anal-retentive Swiss or Germans workers to screw the Punto’s interior together. (It’s the robots, stupid.) While bland, the cabin creates the impression that the Punto is well-assembled– a notion that no Italian car should be without.

Despite the Punto’s largely urban remit, the seats are built for the long haul. And you can forget the Italian astronaut driving position (if you like); the helmsman’s throne has manual adjustments out the wazoo. Space is also well managed; there’s plenty of room in the back for two adults or three Gumbys. Drop the second row, and the hatchback accommodates all your Euro-commodities.

The driving experience reveals the Fiat Grande Punto as a mini (no caps) masterpiece. We begin with the fizzy, crackling engine. Don’t let its 77 horsepower output fool you. Scientists from the Research Institute of Research have released a study that proves it is impossible to drive the Grande Punto without a shit-eating grin. Wind it all the way up, dump the clutch, wind it up again, and continue. For an engine with about half the displacement of a pair of galoshes, it sounds magnificent. Two valves per cylinder? Who gives a damn when it sounds like you’ve got a micro Ferrari.

The optional Duodrive semi-automatic transmission is like the one bar in Times Square that’s worth visiting. It’s a computer controlled five-speed manual transmission (like the high-performance transmissions in Maseratis, Ferraris, and Lamborghinis) with a clutch under the hood. Leave it in pure automatic mode and the computer will do everything for you. Or drive it in sequential mode and you may as well be driving a stick– without the clutch pedal.

The upshot to this system: it’s absolutely the closest any automatic transmission can come to feeling like you’re driving a manual. Gear changes are nearly instant. Volkswagen’s DSG is faster and smoother, but the Fiat feels every bit like the real deal. You’ll roll backwards on hills, neutral has a real use, and you can even feel light vibrations when accelerating from a standstill. The average American would no doubt bitch about an automatic with feedback, but Europeans have different tastes.

Again, the Fiat Grande Punto was designed for European cities. To wit: its over-light electronic speed sensitive steering. At velocities below 30mph, it’s like a videogame– which makes the Punto a breeze to drive around the average continental avenue’s absurd 135 degree turns. When you get up to speed, the steering tightens-up to give sporting drivers some of the weight they need for speed.

Understandably enough, the Punto’s suspension is more about comfort than sport. That’s what higher performance Puntos are for (with a whopping 100 horsepower). For a city car, the base model absorbs the abuses of urban roads extremely well– while preserving the fun factor. Cars with tiny powder keg engines beg to be flogged; the Punto’s suspension places the “S” over the “M.” There’s some body roll through the corners, but it’s less dramatic than you’ll find in a regular Civic or Mazda3.

The Fiat Grande Punto is a small, easy to maneuver car with a hoot of an engine, a ripping good transmission, great handling, an outrageous price and fantastic fuel economy. It's just not for Americans. So, uh, what is?

Source: the truth about cars