Faults:

Common rail injectors develop leaks due to wear on the copper sealing washers, which causes a characteristic smell of diesel fuel in the engine bay or the vehicle interior.

"EAC FAIL" message and throttle body: a fault related to the PCM module software or the electronic throttle control circuit, which limits the vehicle's power.

The pedal often sits very high, and the clutch mechanism experiences premature wear during city driving or if the foot is kept resting on it constantly.

Oil leaks at the bottom of the engine and a broken hydraulic engine mount, which causes vibrations to be transmitted.

Among other minor faults, I would highlight issues with the central locking system appearing after 60,000 km, alternator (generator) failures, and problems with the GEM module.

General Comments:

As a practical, everyday car, I can only describe it as perfect.

Aesthetically, let’s be honest, it isn’t a good-looking car (at least not in my view), but in terms of performance, fuel economy, and road handling... having driven many cars, I can say that it has few, if any, rivals in its category (it is certainly far superior to the Fiesta).

I never thought I’d end up writing this about a "plain, standard Fusion," but it truly deserves it. The engine is very flexible and picks up speed remarkably quickly for having only 68 hp; passengers can hardly believe it has so little power, even when there are four of us inside!.

But the most surprising thing about this car is its chassis, and, by extension, its suspension. Because it sits a bit higher, it features a slightly firmer suspension setup, which makes it far more stable than, for instance, a 206, a Fiesta, a C3, and so on. Its cornering speed is incredibly fast for this type of vehicle; it offers more grip than cars that are in a much higher class.

The engine lacks power, it’s not fast, but it consumes next to nothing: less than 4 liters per 100 km, even with normal driving! You can’t really ask for more from a vehicle like this; it’s neither a Ferrari nor a luxury car, but rather a simple work tool, and it certainly serves its purpose well.

The interior offers an incredible amount of space, up to 5 people can travel in great comfort, and both the trunk and the cargo area are enormous; it’s more of an MPV than a small car. The interior plastics are cheap and basic, admittedly, but that’s not a major issue.

Road trips can be interesting, especially when you’re stuck behind trucks, because you certainly wouldn’t want to try overtaking anything moving at 90 km/h or faster when you’ve got three people on board and a headwind. Highway driving is never dull, either; thanks to your car’s "asthma", I have to shift gears the moment we hit even the slightest incline. But I will say one thing for it: its fuel efficiency is incredible. It may not be fast, but it doesn’t guzzle diesel either.

Owning it was a positive experience, an inexpensive car with affordable spare parts and an economical, indestructible engine.