Ford Fusion 1.4. It’s so responsive and so willing to leave a trail of rubber on the tarmac that you wonder why people even bother tuning their engines and try to pump out even more horsepower.That precise short-throw gearbox, that lovely steering that responds to every input and the high speed stability of the car that makes it such a complete driver’s vehicle.

A crossover based on a car platform with 15-inch wheels, reasonable space, clever seating and a great ground clearance, it has all the ingredients for a sensible and practical adventure vehicle. So with a diesel engine, the mating of the two concepts makes for a very compelling buying decision.The Fusion TDCi is in its element. Given its compact dimensions, the diesel is not very different to drive compared to the version that drinks unleaded. The steering feels a tad heavier than the petrol, but has more feel due to the extra weight of the diesel engine sitting between the front wheels.Weighing in at 1,180 kg, it is about 70 kg heavier than its petrol sibling and 30 kg heavier than the Fiesta diesel sedan. Sixty eight horses to move such a mass might seem less, given how some smaller diesels make more power, but it is not so much of a problem. With 16 kgm of torque available at 2000 rpm, the torque rating too is the same as on the Fiesta diesel.

There’s not much difference in real world driving performance, when you potter around at sub 3000 rpm levels, the kind of speeds one does under most conditions. It pulls away calmly, just the way the 1.4 TDCi has been doing in several thousand Fiestas on the road.For whatever it is, it is a very refined small diesel engine. The Fusion might not have as much sound deadening as the sedan, but it still feels quite smooth as the various parts move around, under the hood. A well lubricated unit with a short-throw gearbox and you have some of the reasons why rivals have found it very difficult to remove the Fiesta diesel from its perch. Which is good news indeed for the Fusion.

The Fusion diesel was a great opportunity for Ford to make the oil-burner more exciting, and I for one would have liked to see more torque lower down. For instance, the Suzuki Swift diesel produces 19 kgm of torque at a couple of hundred rpm lower, which makes it quite a blast to drive.In the Fusion, the lack of torque necessitates more downshifts to build up momentum. The large frontal mass coupled with slightly different overall gearing too makes the Fusion a bit sluggish over its sedan sibling, with 100 kph coming up in 17.87 seconds, some 1.5 seconds later. Some tweaking around with the ECM and turbo boost pressures would really have done wonders.