"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2)
11/09/2020 at 12:32 • Filed to: oppositelock review, Oppositelock, Embiggen challenge, Chevy Cruze, ford fusion, Comparison Review
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"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2)
11/09/2020 at 12:32 • Filed to: oppositelock review, Oppositelock, Embiggen challenge, Chevy Cruze, ford fusion, Comparison Review | 3
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It’s here! You can finally relax, because I will solve the age old question of which is better: the 1.5 generation Ford Fusion or the 1st generation Chevy Cruze.
Initially, you may ask “why bother? One is a compact, the other a full size. No one cross shops Fords and Chevys.” However, more is shared than meets the eye. Both are affordable comfort oriented American sedans built in the USA. Both power the front wheels through naturaly aspirated 4 cyclinder engines mated with 6 speed automatic transmissions.
Nearly every mechanic specification is remarkably close, yet every aesthetic and design choice appears to be the exact opposite. This is not only a comparison review of individual cars, but a test of the effectiveness of entire design philosophies.
First, the bias. The reddish orange Chevy Cruze is my first and only car. I bought this low option base model with 100k on the odometer two years ago for $4,900. The dark gray Ford Fusion is my brother’s. He bought the mid trim model a few days prior to my purchase for about $7,000 with identical miles. Both currently sit at 118,000 miles. Now for the comparison!
Exterior
Cruze - 7/10
I wrote an individual review of my 2012 Cruze, which can be found below.
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As we can see, it has an upscale, though understated, exterior. There are no excess lines, and the large rounded greenhouse is the primary design element. The front end would have been considered aggressive for 2012. Oh, how naive we were.
The proportions of this car are surprisingly good, especially for a compact sedan, which usually looks better as a hatchback. The short hood is made up for by its low height, and the decklid, while stubby, has a pleasing slight downward slope in line with the beltline. However, the rear 3/4 view is not its good side, where the proportions just aren’t quite as elegant. However, the car obviously centers around the passenger compartment.
Overall, I like the contemporary direction the simple lines create, combined with the retro touch from the quad taillights. It looks great in this burnt orange color, which is a shame since most are painted silver.
Fusion- 7/10
Internet photo of sport model sans window tint: I took no good photos of the front
With the Fusion, we see a shared desire for an interesting contemporary design. I like the wide chrome grille that blends with the tinted headlights. Definitely a more menacing and self assured look than the Cruze, and unmistakably American.
Everything about its design emphasizes long, low, and wide. The Cruze is technically lower, but the Fusion achieves the look without the sacrifice. Where the Chevy is curves, the Ford is straight lines. The rear end is not as clean as the front, but the designers had to differentiate it from the previous car it shares a basic body with, which is acceptable.
The window line extends into a body line below the level of the trunk, emphasizing the high rear window and its poor visibility. Overall, the Fusion is significantly more difficult to see out of than the Cruze. On the Chevy, the trunk lid fall below the beltline. However, it has a much less attractive black plastic piece behind the rear quarter window.
The styling preferences are mostly subjective. The front ends are a tossup, and both the rear ends have characteristics that may irk some. I prefer a clean back end over the Fusion’s fussy mess of lines, but the Chevy also has that garish fake window.
Interior
Cruze - 10/10
Simply put, you could not reasonably expect a better interior at this price point. The cabin is generous on head and leg room for all passengers despite its small footprint. The attractive two tone beige on black is upscale and, at the time, highly original. The comfortable heavily bolstered seats have good adjustment, and the soft-touch brown accents and soft plastics almost feel luxurious. I still get compliments on the interior despite this being an 8 year old economy car, which is about the biggest metric for success you could anticipate.
Of course, it has its quirks. The only lock/unlock button in the car is on the center stack, which is amusing rather than annoying. Unfortunately, there is not an interior trunk release. Also, the air vents do not move as much as you may desire, and a sunglasses holder is noticeably lacking.
Importantly, build quality is excellent (RIP Lordstown) and a slightly warped dash is the only notable indication of age.
Fusion - 5/10
The Fusion has a nice enough interior, and its extra size lends itself to more breathing room for passengers, but it simply is not as nice of a place to be. It appears upscale, but its lackluster build quality is immediately noticeable. The doors rattle when they close, most trim pieces are loose, button faces are worn down, the cloth seats feel cheap and let your butt slide around, and hard-touch gray plastics assault you everywhere.
Additionally, it has a very unfortunate interior cloth choice that stains permanently if it comes into contact with water. It doesn’t even have the benefit of the cloth feeling very good to the touch or having an attractive appearance. It’s slick, hard, and impossible to remove water stains from.
Ford did take advantage of its increased width to include a change tray and a large cavity over the center stack, which often requires “persuasion” to open. The interior is just so poorly put to together and so cheap feeling in comparison that the much smaller car is a nicer place to spend time.
Driving
Cruze - 7/10
Fusion - 5/10
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Okay, this is where I stopped but I am super busy and don’t have time to post anything.
In conclusion? The Cruze has almost as much cargo capability and as long as you are only transporting four people it’s more pleasant to ride in too. Plus I vastly prefer the way it drives.
The Cruze drives much bigger than it is but still has the maneuverability you would expect with its size. You really get a good feel for the road and the environment in this car without feeling like you’re getting pushed around because of the car’s small size.
T he Fusion drives just as big as it is and is exactly what you would expect. It’s a soft riding boat that does corners but doesn’t enjoy them. It doesn’t quite eliminate feedback from the road and outside world like some cars but I get the impression it tries to.
Let me know what you think. Also, I’m clearly biased in this review.
i86hotdogs
> Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
11/09/2020 at 13:15 |
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The cruze interior reminds me of my late grandma’s equinox she drove. The two tone interior was sharp for an entry level crossover. I loved that interior. It looks more lavish than it should.
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Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
> i86hotdogs
11/09/2020 at 13:59 |
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Yes, the Equinox got basically the same interior but I think it is better in the Cruze. It does feel upscale and the materials used are very nice. I like it much better than the contemporary Civic, Elantra, Corolla, etc. Most of them were still using man more hard plastics.
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i86hotdogs
> Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
11/10/2020 at 06:14 |
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Whatever that interior goes in to is an automatic upgrade.