By Kelsey Mays
Cars.com National February 13, 2009Vehicle Overview
Ford restyled its midsize sedans, the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, for 2010. Underneath its unique styling, the Milan is virtually identical to its Blue Oval sibling. Both cars receive more standard safety features, revamped four- and six-cylinder drivetrains and sleeker styling for 2010. Mercury expects highway gas mileage for the Milan to beat that of the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.
Trim levels include the base Milan and uplevel Milan Premier; all-wheel drive is optional. There's also a Milan Hybrid that's covered separately in the Cars.com Research section.
Exterior
While the Fusion's new face looks appreciably different from its predecessor's, the Milan's styling changes are less noticeable. Its taillights are narrower and taller, and Mercury's waterfall grille now has rounder edges. The lower bumper carries a single-frame air dam rather than the previous three-piece cutout, while the car's tail has relatively fewer changes.
Base models have 16-inch alloy wheels — impressive, considering most family cars' base trims wear steel wheels with plastic covers. The Milan Premier has 17-inch alloy wheels.
At 189 inches long, the Milan is about the same size as a Camry or Nissan Altima. The Chevrolet Malibu and Accord are a few inches longer.
Interior
The Milan's cabin doesn't go for the oddball, as its dome-and-dash routine emulates a lot of other interiors out there. All models have a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise controls; options include a backup camera, heated leather upholstery and Ford's latest-generation navigation system with Sirius' Travel Link service. Travel Link can find everything from movie times to nearby gas stations, and even includes regularly updated fuel prices. The optional automatic climate control now has two zones, rather than last year's single-zone system. Uplevel audio options include a 12-speaker, 390-watt Sony stereo.
Mercury says it revised the Milan's seats for better overall comfort. A 60/40-split folding backseat is standard, and the fold-flat front-passenger seat allows for cargo up to 9 feet long.
Under the Hood
A 175-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder replaces last year's 2.3-liter engine; it works with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. An optional 3.0-liter V-6 makes 240 hp and is available only with the six-speed automatic; at least for now, the Fusion's optional 3.5-liter V-6 won't be offered in the Milan.
Safety
In addition to the required frontal airbags, the Milan includes side-impact airbags for the front seats and side curtain airbags for both rows. Four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, traction control and an electronic stability system are also standard. Two high-tech options — a Blind Spot Information System and Cross Traffic Alert — aim to warn drivers when a car is in their blind spot, as well as alert them of cross traffic when backing out of a parking spot.
Additional Reviews
Cars.com Expert Reviews
| Kelsey Mays | Cars.com National | February 13, 2009 |
Affiliate Reviews
| G. Chambers Williams III | Star-Telegram.com | November 5, 2009 |
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