HSE2

One are the chunky, funky bumpers and the off-roader looks of the concept. Instead the production version of the new Fiesta Fusion mini-MPV – unveiled by Ford this week – is a picture of family practicality, security, safety and common sense.
This is the first official shot of the car that's set to make its public debut at next month's Geneva Motor Show. Based on the exciting Fusion revealed at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show, the car is expected to cost around £11,000 when it goes on sale here in September.

However, the big bumpers, distinctive alloy wheels and two-tone colour scheme that graced the show car have been replaced with a conservative look that lacks the sparkle which made Fords such as the Focus, Ka and Puma real star performers. The blunt nose carries a plastic grille that's crowned with one of the biggest blue ovals we've ever seen. Sharply flared wheelarches, high ground clearance, a box-like roofline and huge glass area give the car a practical, workmanlike finish.

Some 4,020mm in length, 1,780mm wide and 1,503mm high, the Fusion is bigger than its Fiesta stablemate. It also offers a 75mm higher driving position – which Ford promises will add to the driveability and offer town motorists a blend of those important ingredients, safety and security. Inside, there are five spacious seats and a selection of cubbies in which to store maps, cassettes and CDs. Both driver and passenger benefit from front, side and curtain airbags as part of the adaptive Intelligent Protection System developed for the Mondeo. Those in the rear are not forgotten, either, with three-point seatbelts and proper headrests.

The boot is huge, and once opened offers excellent access and easy loading. Capable of swallowing 337 litres of luggage, it is one of the biggest in its class. Frustratingly, though, the Fusion's boot comes with only a remote release, meaning that there is no con-venient way of opening the rear hatch from outside the vehicle.

The versatility of the seating set-up goes some way to making up for this. As well as offering conventional split-fold accommodation in the back, the Fusion also features a fold-flat front seat and the facility to push the rear seatbacks right down, creating a virtually flat floor. The system is good, but against potential rivals such as the forthcoming Vauxhall Corsa MPV, which will offer a Zafira-derived seating plan called Flex-5, it may not be good enough. When we tried the Fusion's arrangement we also thought it felt heavy and fiddly to use, especially when measured against the much simpler Jazz; the Honda supermini can be converted from five-seat hatch to flat-floor van in a matter of seconds.

However, Ford is guaranteeing a first-rate driving experience, thanks to the Fiesta-derived platform, independent suspension and a strong engine line-up. With levels of comfort and refinement usually reserved for cars in the class above, the Fusion promises to be a great machine to use on the open road, as well as in town. Ford's team of engineers has paid particular attention to the car's turning circle, as well as its sound-proofing.

Initially, a choice of three powerplants will be available. These will include the torquey 1.4-litre TDCi diesel developed with the help of Peugeot, as well as the refined new 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol units that have debuted in the latest five-door Fiesta.

Ford says the final Fusion is the result of intensive and careful market research, and claims the car has no natural rivals. Customers are expected to include young families that live in built-up cities, as well as older drivers who are downsizing from spacious people carriers that prove too big.

But according to Ford, the Fusion is only the beginning. The blue oval has plans for a whole new family of mini-MPVs, of which one, called the Fusion+, will take its styling cues from the daring concept shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Hybrid power is on the cards for 2003, too, as is a funky two-door.