About Mazda Verisa
Built during its marriage with Ford, the Verisa was Mazda's offer in the small-sized crossover segment, and it was a mix between a hatchback and an MPV but with higher ground clearance.
When the two car manufacturers built vehicles together, they shared platforms, engines, and other features. Thus, the Verisa was similar to the European Ford Fusion from those times, being built on the DY platform used for that small-sized MPV and for the Mazda2/Ford Fiesta. But, unlike its cousin, it was also available with an electric all-wheel drive version. In 2009, the car was facelifted and then, in 2014 was axed from the assembly line.
The car's front followed the Zoom-Zoom design concept imagined by Mazda, which relied on organic shapes. Thus, the headlights sported rounded edges met in sharp outer-upper and inner-lower corners. At first sight, there was no grille other than the one fitted inside the air dam, although there was a slim air intake placed between the hood and the bumper. On its profile, the flared wheel arches created an SUV-like stance even though it wasn't one. Unlike its European sibling, the Fusion, the Verisa sported a tilted-forward rear windscreen integrated into the tailgate.
Inside, there were many similarities with the Fusion, from the round vents to the instrument cluster's layout, but the center stack was not the same. It featured different dials and buttons and, as an option, a sat-nav system that was not offered by Ford on its small-sized MPV. In the back, the 60/40 split-folding bench was wide enough to host three passengers and featured Isofix anchoring points.
Under the hood, Mazda installed its 1.5-liter gasoline unit paired with a four-speed automatic. An electronic all-wheel drive system was also available, where the ICE powered the front wheels and an electric motor turned the rear ones.