29th Jan 2011, 21:34

A headline in today's paper caught my eye. It read "Ford passes Honda in value index". It stated that the car-buying public now perceives Ford as a better value car, with the Fusion the tops in its class. Since the demise of Toyota, "quality" is no longer a term that applies to it.

As the owner of a 2006 Fusion I can attest to their superior build quality and bullet-proof reliability. I'm not easy on cars and drive at speed over speed bumps and potholes. After 5 years, my Fusion has not a single squeak or rattle and has not had a single repair (not even brake pads). I own a 4 and a family member owns a V-6. My 4 averages 27 mpg in mixed driving and the 6 averages 19. For that reason I would avoid the 6. The 4 has ample power, and as of 2010, the newer ones have 20 more horsepower than mine. Our V-6 Ford products have never gotten the EPA rated gas mileage, while our 4's have exceeded it. Our 4 gets as high as 36 mpg on the highway and virtually never drops below 25, even in all city driving.