: Handling, handling, handling, five-speed manual and handling. And while I find the appearance of the Fusion only half-baked, I know there are those out there who think it snazzy looking. The low price and relatively large size are a rarity in today's autodom. A similarly equipped Accord LX costs $2,000 more. The back seats are for real people. Even driving like a rev-happy dummy, the mileage was consistently better than advertised. The Fusion SE really is an outstanding value.

: Where's the beef? 9.3 seconds to get to sixty is not good. While the handling is top shelf, you'll never get going fast enough to exploit the chassis through quick, back-to-back turns. The upmarket SEL's V6 is an old dog. The engine from the Mazdaspeed6 is not an option. Neither is the wagon. It looks like a safety razor. The taillights look like they came off an Accord owned by a 17-year-old Korean kid. The interior makes Honda chuckle with schadenfreude and an Accord is worth the extra $2000. You are a big UAW booster and don't like that the Accord is built here, while the Fusion is hecho en Mexico.

· Speed Merchants: No

· Fashion Victims:

· Treehuggers:

· Mack Daddies: No

· Tuner Crowd: No

· Hairdressers: No

· Penny Pinchers:

· Euro Snobs: No

· Working Stiffs: No

· Technogeeks: No

· Poseurs: No

· Soccer Moms: No

· Nascar Dads: No

· Golfing Grandparents:

· Manufacturer: Ford

· Model tested: Fusion I4 SE

· Model year: 2007

· Price as Tested: $20,460

· Engine: 2.3L 16V I4

· Horsepower: 160 hp @ 6250 rpm

· Torque: 156lbs. ft. @ 4250

· Redline: 6500 rpm

· Wheels and Tires: 17" aluminum painted wheels; P225/50R17 V Rated tires

· Drive type: Front-wheel drive

· 0 - 60: 9.3 seconds

· 1/4 mile: (don't ask)

· Fuel economy city/highway: 23/31

· NHTSA crash test rating front/side/rollover: 4/4/4

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