Ford Falcon G6E Turbo

HerCar Review

In this economic climate, the Ford G6E Turbo is a big fat guilty pleasure. Yes, a pleasure. The G6E Turbo looks great, is incredibly versatile and is great to drive. However, delivering an average fuel consumption of 11.7 litres per 100 kms, it’s not the most economical of vehicles. It certainly looks great, a testament to Ford’s step up in styling, inside and out. The cabin is stylish and very well equipped. The 6-speed engine effortlessly delivers power under all driving conditions while the solid build and competent handling leaves you feeling safe and confident on the road.

Once shunning the likes of Ford for seemingly more stylish European rivals, I was more than happy driving the G6E Turbo and I would definitely consider buying one, that is, if I didn’t have to pay the fuel bill. If you’re in the market for a big, luxurious and powerful car, Ford’s G6E Turbo is definitely worth a test drive. If you haven’t driven a Ford lately, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Driver Comfort & Visibility

The big and soft leather seats are very comfortable, with nice side bolsters for extra cushioning and comfort. The 8-way power adjustable driver's seat with 3-position memory makes it easy to find your seating position and keep it. The steering wheel keeps audio, Bluetooth and cruise controls at the driver’s finger tips. Tilt and reach steering wheel provides even more options for adjustment. Good size electric wing mirrors and large rear doors windows provide surprisingly good visibility for such a large car. The front pillar however is quite big and can obstruct your view in tight cornering situations. The reverse camera and parking sensors makes reversing simple. Around town and on freeway routes, there’s very little engine noise – but a bit of road/tyre noise can be heard throughout the cabin.

Steering is very light and direct, making it easy to maneuver this car at any speed. The sports suspension does a great job at absorbing humps and bumps in the road, delivering a beautiful smooth ride across all road conditions.

Safety

If ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) is anything to go by, then its recent 5 star rating for the new Falcon is impressive. In fact, it’s the first Australia made car to be rated with 5 stars.

The G6E Turbo features a great range of safety programs. Ford’s Intelligent Safety System includes driver and front passenger airbags, curtain airbags plus front seat side thorax airbags, pyrotechnic seatbelt buckle pretensioners, advanced restraints module, crash severity sensor, driver’s seat position sensor, beltminder™ system and Dynamic Stability Control incorporating: Traction Control, Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD). A reverse sensing system, reverse camera, driver fatigue warning (which is a reminder to rest upon long trips) and central locking all doors completes the list of standard safety features.  All five passengers get lap/sash seat belts, but the centre rear passenger is without a headrest.

Comfort

This car offers great level of comfort for driver and passengers. Large, plush leather seats, dual climate control, 8-speaker audio, front and rear cabin lights, electric windows for all and a heap of cabin space.

Storage

The front centre console has a nice deep storage box, two cup holders and another in-dash storage alcove. There’s also a sunglasses holder in the roof. Each door has a reasonable storage pocket with another drink alcove. The glove box is fairly small. The rear passengers each have back of seat pockets and the centre armrest has another two cup holders.   The boot space is huge – 535 litres – and has the added feature of 60/40 split fold to allow for larger items to load through to the back seat.

Kids’ Comfort

Kids will love the large, couch-like rear seats.  There is plenty of room – head, shoulder and leg - for three back seat passengers and large side windows provide good back seat visibility. There are 3 child restraint anchorage points and it’s possible to fit 3 child restraints across the back seat.

Green Factor

The G6E Turbo is not a ‘green’ car. The combination of fuel consumption is 11.7 litres per 100 km, and not the best greenhouse and air pollution rating; you’ll be looking for other ways to preserve the environment.

Overall View

The G6E Turbo is an impressive package combining style, performance, handling and versatility. This car looks sophisticated with a hint of sporty muscle. It offers great value for your money in a very competitive market segment.

Test Drive Tips

• Soft acceleration off the mark will help to avoid wheel spin and constantly engaging the stability control.

• Put the car through its paces around town, in the shopping centre, and on the freeways. It’s a big car and you need to be confident in all driving situations.

• Get used to using the cruise control or you may not have a licence long enough to enjoy this car.

Features of Model Reviewed

Airbags:	Driver and front passenger front and side airbags, curtain airbags
Seats:	5
ABS:	Yes, with Brake Assist
EBD:	Yes
ESP:	Yes, Dynamic Stability Program
Driver visibility:
Storage compartments:
Drink holders:	8
CD player:	7
Air conditioning:	Yes, dual zone climate control
Power windows:	Yes
Power steering:	Yes
Power door mirrors:	Yes
Child restraint anchorage points:	3
Transmission:	6 speed auto
Engine capacity:	4.0 Litre
Fuel type:	Premium unleaded
Fuel consumption:	11.7 litres/100kms
Greenhouse rating#:	4/10
Green Vehicle Guide rating:
Warranty:	3 year/100,000 kms
Price:	$54,990*

* Excludes on road costs

# All new vehicles sold in Australia (up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass) are tested to determine the level of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions (Greenhouse rating), which are displayed on the fuel consumption label attached to the windscreen of the car. The Green Vehicle Guide rating combines the Greenhouse Rating and Air Pollution Rating and awards a star. 5 stars is the best rating.  For more information, click here.

Information is correct at the time of the review. Please check with your local Ford dealer for the most recent information.

Date Reviewed: August 2008

Reviewed By: Nadine Armstrong