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ANN ARBOR -- When we decided to stage the definitive showdown between two of the top family sedans in North America, our choices quickly narrowed to the newest and most popular designs on the market: The 2006 Ford Fusion and the 2007 Toyota Camry.
The historic battle in this segment between Ford and Toyota, which dates back nearly two decades, has been so fierce that when the Taurus edged the Camry for the U.S. sales crown one year, Ford's public-relations department hired a marching band to trumpet that fact up and down Jefferson Avenue.
Our premise for this historic rematch was simple: If you're a family of modest means, with about $25,000 to spend on some new everyday wheels, which car offers the best value?
With the all-new Fusion supplanting the Taurus for model year 2006 and the long-lived Camry (the reigning sales champ) getting a major redesign for 2007, one of the two rivals is about ready to strike up the band once again.
The '06 Fusion starts at $17,795, including shipping. We tested a top-of-the-line Fusion SEL with lots of equipment and a sticker price of $25,650. The '07 Camry is priced from $18,850. We drove a midrange Camry LE with a modest number of extras and a bottom line of $24,266.
Exterior
Bold. In your face. And very, very American. The Fusion boasts a distinctive exterior that Ford designers like to refer to as "go-Daddy" -- shorthand for hip and edgy. With its big chrome grille, flanked by wrapover headlamps, and other Ford family styling cues, Fusion has a brash and sporty personality that has struck a responsive chord with buyers since its debut last fall.
The redesigned Camry adopts precisely the opposite tack. In a dramatic stylistic departure from its bland predecessor, the '07 model takes a huge step upmarket. Now, the Camry looks an awful lot like a little Lexus, not a garden-variety family schlepper, with a new elegance and sophistication that the Fusion lacks.
Depending on your personal taste, this one's a toss-up.
Winner: Tie
Interior
Oddly enough, where the Toyota had the more luxurious exterior, Ford came up with a ritzier cabin.
The Camry LE was outfitted in a very subtle two-tone interior scheme, with cloth seats and not a lot of amenities. Considering that the base Camry starts at under $19,000, we were surprised that the midlevel LE model didn't seem that much fancier, especially considering the $24,000-plus sticker on our test vehicle.
Moreover, we were startled, and disappointed, by the less-than-sterling assembly quality on our test Camry, which was actually built in Japan, and not in Toyota's huge assembly plant in Georgetown, Ky. Regardless of location, there is no excuse for the poor trim fits we encountered inside our test vehicle -- especially not in a segment that's as competitive as this, and certainly not with the golden reputation for quality that Toyota has enjoyed for so many years.
The Fusion, on the other hand, proved to be a pleasant surprise, with an upscale cabin upholstered in rich perforated leather, with handsome piano-black trim. The pieces fit together neatly (the Fusion is assembled in Mexico), and there were enough standard and optional features to give you the impression of driving a near-luxury vehicle.
Winner: Fusion
Ride & handling
Handling tends to be a fairly subjective issue, and it often takes a back seat to ride quality among family buyers. Both our test sedans displayed a very comfortable ride that should be quite acceptable to most shoppers in this segment.
When it comes to agility and maneuverability, however, the Fusion has a clear edge over the Camry. While most midsize family sedans feel neutral, if not a little soggy, in terms of handling, the Fusion is crisp and lively, sharing a delightful nimbleness with its cousin, the Mazda6 (both cars employ a common underbody). It's certainly no BMW, but enthusiasts will appreciate the more sporting flavor of the Ford over Toyota's middle-of-the-road approach.
Winner: Fusion
Powertrain
Between our two test vehicles, the Fusion was the clear winner in this department, by virtue of the fact that it offered two more cylinders, one more transmission gear and 63 more horsepower, for not much more money.
While a DOHC 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine is standard in the base model, our range-topping Fusion SEL was equipped with a responsive twin-cam 3.0-liter V-6 that delivers an ample 221 horsepower and comes mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
In comparison, our Camry LE was fitted with a very sturdy DOHC 2.4-liter I-4 and smooth-shifting five-speed automatic. The Toyota four-cylinder engine makes 158 horsepower -- perfectly adequate for everyday driving, but nowhere near as quick and powerful as the Ford V-6.
Moreover, the Camry's fuel economy isn't much better than the Fusion's. The EPA ratings on our test Camry LE were 24 mpg in city driving and 33 on the highway; the Fusion SEL was rated at 21 and 29 -- very respectable figures for a V-6 with automatic.
Winner: Fusion
Safety
You have to pay extra for most of the safety equipment on the Fusion, even the high-line SEL. Side air bags and side curtains are part of a $595 package; antilock brakes cost $595 and traction control adds $95.
Virtually all that gear comes standard on the Camry LE, including ABS, side air bags and curtains, plus a driver's knee air bag, which is something you'd expect to see on the more expensive Lexus models. Traction control comes bundled with stability control for an extra $650.
Winner: Camry
Summary
Considering the $1,384 price difference between our two test vehicles, the Fusion SLE seemed to offer so much more than the Camry LE, in terms of engine size and performance, as well as creature comforts and -- most surprising of all -- assembly quality.
I love how they say the Ford wins with a 221 hp v6 over the camry's 158 HP i4, well of course it does, now if you had a v6 camry the camry would smoke the ford and it would have the same number of gears in the transmission.
and what are they smoking, assembling quality in Mexico > Japan.
and the Fusion is a horses ass, ford seems to still think cars are boxes, if you think of it the fusion is very boxy compare to the camry. and as for the giant chrome grill the Fusion screams, overdone adn buy me if you want to roll in the ghetto. Then again ford is based in detroit.
ford have a totally different family 4 door in australia... same with holden (gm) which run a 4 door of your pontiac gto =)
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125 front wheel horsepower with major retard issues between 4500-5200RPM -
OD switched off, even when not in 3rd results in major power loss/rpm drop.
This is certainly an article to laugh about at best. The Fusion sure didn't have these results when Edmunds did a comprehensive comparison a few months ago pitting the 07 Camry and 06 Accord, Sonata, and Fusion against each other. The Fusion came in DEAD LAST. I had the SLOWEST acceleration from 0-60mph, it had the NOISIEST acceleration of all 4 cars (it was very loud, you should have seen the video), it was voted LEAST favorite interior of all four cars...I mean do I need to go on. And as said, this is a DETROIT newspaper . Oh. and I guess its also worth mentioning that the 07 Camry XLE V6 came in 1st place in the comparison.
what an unfair & biased comparision. exactly ^ compare the similar model class not the similar price range: an XLE V6 Camry vs SEL V6 Fusion would be a better comparision this belongs on a ford forum
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**ADAM! A/C button for Gen 5.5 Camry (2005 LE) !! Por favor!
Brake lights aren't broken, I just don't brake.
--Can honestly go to a parts counter and ask for brake shoes for the front brakes.
--Likes long walks on the beach.... once it's lit by a massive bonfire.
what an unfair & biased comparision. exactly ^ compare the similar model class not the similar price range: an XLE V6 Camry vs SEL V6 Fusion would be a better comparision this belongs on a ford forum
Or even maybe the SE V6 for the "sportiness" they want.
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Employed at Toyota in Parts, again.
My riced out crapmobile Camry: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/228043...y-xle-sedan-4d '96 Camry: 2MZ Supercharged.....
'95 Corolla AE101: JDM Tails/Trunk Panel/Grill/Headlights with BiXenon Projectors. JDM Lighted Ignition Keyring and Cabin Air Filter
5 Lug Corolla WHAT?
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Fusion marches past Camry!
. Oh. and I guess its also worth mentioning that the 07 Camry XLE V6 came in 1st place in the comparison.
this belongs on a ford forum
Its a fricken Mazda 6 with a longer wheelbase!....its a shame some people will believe this grap!
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