The trends have shown over the past few years that many drivers want the 4x4 experience in a smaller package, something versatile and roomy but teensy enough to thread about town and park in less than seven moves. The supermini MPV is the latest niche to open up and Ford has introduced the Fusion as its attempt to try and fill it.
The styling does make you wonder what kind of look Ford was going for - because whatever that was, it missed. An ode to the middle of the road, the Fusion looks gawky and ungainly, ill at ease in its own skin. A shame that, because other manufacturers such as Vauxhall and Renault have managed to inject at least a little style into cars like the Agila and Modus.
The Fusion is based on the last-generation Fiesta, so handling is as respectable and the ride quality as decent as you would expect from a taller Fiesta. It does feel a bit cramped behind the steering wheel but there is plenty of room for passengers at the back.
Where other tall cars make a virtue of their go-anywhere plastics and utility the Fusion just feels a bit cheap, albeit well put together. There are none of the nifty touches that set many of its rivals apart from the more mundane hatchback equivalent.
Driving the Fusion it quickly becomes clear that refinement was not high on the list of priorities during its creation. The petrols have to be thrashed to get performance out of them outside of the urban environment and the diesels, whilst more useful, are noisy. Not only that, but you don't get many of the toys as standard that could otherwise calm your sensibilities.
All this illustrates Ford's quandary - it is not a premium manufacturer, but has Korean and French manufacturers nipping at its heels from the budget end of the market. You have to spend a lot of money on a Fusion which doesn't quite feel justified - the badge isn't enough in this segment.
The Fusion only really manages to make a case for itself if you were planning to go for a Fiesta and wanted something bigger - as a rival to other cars it just doesn't quite manage to make its case. When its mainstream offerings are so accomplished, does Ford really need to demean itself trying to exploit niche gaps in the market?