2009 Ford Fusion

The Ford Fusion's standard 160-horsepower, 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine gets the job done, but Motor Trend echoes other reviewers in criticizing this "wheezy engine" and its "irritating" five-speed automatic transmission. The four-cylinder Fusion delivers 23 mpg in mixed driving (20 city/28 highway with the automatic, or 20 city/29 highway with the five-speed manual transmission) -- a couple of mpg below midsize pack leaders like the Hyundai Sonata and Honda Accord (*est. $20,905 to $28,955).

For better acceleration, the Ford Fusion offers a 221-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 with a six-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy with this powertrain falls to 21 mpg mixed (18 city/26 highway), and it suffers further with the V-6's optional all-wheel-drive system (17 city/25 highway/20 mixed).

The Ford Fusion seats five, with a 60/40 split rear bench. The base Ford Fusion I4 S (*est. $19,270) includes features such as heated mirrors and keyless entry with a panic button. The Fusion I4 SE (*est. $20,175) adds a folding front passenger seat for long-item hauling and an upgraded six-disc stereo with a six-month satellite-radio subscription. Options include rear park assist and the Sync voice-activated phone-and-music system that gets good reviews for user-friendliness.

The top-level Ford Fusion I4 SEL (*est. $22,310) makes Sync standard and adds other upscale touches, such as automatic temperature control. Options on this trim include a navigation system, heated leather seats and power moonroof. The Ford Fusion V6 SE (*est. $22,495) and V6 SEL (*est. $23,755) add the more powerful six-cylinder engine to these trims. All-wheel drive tacks on an additional $1,850 to either sticker price.

The Ford Fusion is backed by a three-year/36,000-mile warranty and is nearly identical to the Mercury Milan (*est. $21,180 to $27,800), except it lacks a few of the Milan's more upscale standard features.

The all-new 2010 Ford Fusion was just arriving in showrooms when we checked. Once experts have had a chance to review this new model thoroughly, we'll update our coverage accordingly.

Consumer Reports conducts massive comparison tests of dozens of family sedans, ranking them from best to worst. Head-to-head tests at Motor Trend and TheTruthAboutCars.com are smaller-scale -- between three and 10 cars -- but they vividly show how the Fusion compares with its very closest competitors. Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine also compares the major family sedans, but write-ups are brief. ConsumerGuide.com tests most cars on the market, but it doesn't compare them head-to-head. J.D. Power and Associates compares most family sedans' reliability. We found original crash-test data at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and official fuel economy estimates at the Environmental Protection Agency.