Ford's front-wheel-drive, four-door Contour sedan celebrates its second birthday in 1996 by offering more head and leg room for rear seat passengers. Contour and its corporate cousin, Mercury's Mystique, debuted during the 1995 model year as North-American built cars with hints of European styling. Contour replaced the aging Ford Tempo as a small, mid-size offering positioned between the subcompact Escort and larger Taurus. Contour and the Mercury Mystique share the same body platform as Ford's very successful, European-sold Mondeo. Ford invested a hefty $6 billion in developing these three vehicles, which it promotes as 'world cars.' Mondeo made its European debut in 1993. Three Contour trim levels are available: GL, LX and top-of-the-line SE. Our test-drive Midnight Red, Contour SE sedan had a base price of $16,170. With options, including air conditioning, rear widow defroster, power locks, cruise control and traction control with anti-lock brakes, the bottom line adds up to $19,500, including a $510 destination charge. Standard equipment in all Contours includes dual air bags, 5-speed manual transmission, power steering, dual remote side mirrors, cloth reclining front bucket seats intermittent wipers and remote trunk and fuel tank releases. The optional traction control/anti-lock brake system costs $804. A surprisingly quiet, yet spunky six-cylinder, 2.5 liter 170 horsepower, dual overhead engine powers all SE models. This powertrain lightweight, all aluminum is optional in other trim levels, and generates more horsepower than last year's V-6 offering. This low-maintenance engine is designed to work up to 100,000 miles before its first scheduled tune-up, thanks in part to platinum-tipped spark plugs. SE also includes an improved sports suspension. GL and LX versions come standard with the 125 horsepower, 2.0-liter engine. The six-cylinder engine, with increased performance, is recommended over the base powertrain. At 106.5 inches, Contour has one of the longest wheelbases in its class. Wheelbase is defined as the distance between the front and rear axle. Overall length measures 183.9 inches. Even with this impressive wheelbase length, Ford encountered some customer complaints last year because rear seat room was tight. Ford's reshaping of the front bucket seats is helping to increase back seat legroom . Head and leg room for front seat travelers is more accommodating and the cloth seats are supportive and comfortable, even during long hauls. Other interior high points include an easy-to-operate, dial controlled climate control system and smartly constructed instrument panel with large speedometer. The clock is set aside from the radio, so occupants can tell time and change radio stations simultaneously. Lots of room is found in the glove box, which is impressive since a passenger air bag is now standard. Headlights and power mirror controls are located on the dashboard. One complaint; the upgraded sound system utilized small-sized preset and volume buttons. Agile handling and superb steering characteristics set Contour apart from many of its counterparts. There is very little body sway when making turns. It's firm suspension gently handles most bumps in the road. Contour has the feel of a much larger sedan thanks in part to its generous wheelbase. Even when traveling at highway speeds, interior, we noted very little wind noise. Contour's long, yet flat trunk accommodates lots of luggage or groceries. The spare tire stores under the flat floor board. Our six-cylinder, five-speed manual Contour, with 5,000 odometer miles registered an impressive 26 miles per gallon in combined city and highway driving. Estimated mileage figures are 21mpg city and 31mpg highway. The fuel tank holds 14.5 gallons of regular unleaded gasoline. A handy tether cord, attached to the gas cap, assures this cover won't mistakenly be left at service stations after fuel fillups. Contours rounded exterior projects a more conservative, rather than sporty ambiance. Ford assembles Contour in Kansas City, Mo. and Mexico. High points: Long wheelbase provides Contour with better handling than most in-class competitors. Peppy V-6 engine is quite and low maintenance. Be Aware: Contour is priced slightly higher than comparably-equipped competitors. Rear window defoggers and air conditioning are options. Back seat area is still tight. |