China’s New 2022 Ford Mondeo Is What America’s Fusion Could Have Been

The all-new Mondeo was officially revealed at Ford’s China Design Center in Shanghai, as a new medium-sized sedan exclusively reserved for the Chinese market. It shows us what North America could have received as a replacement for the Fusion had Ford not decided to press the nuclear button on its sedans.

While Ford has retired the popular nameplate from Europe after 30 long years, the Mondeo got a long-rumored new generation. The new Mondeo incorporates the Blue Oval’s latest design language for China called “Progressive Energy in Strength”. Compared to its predecessor, the new model is 23 mm (0.9 inches) wider and 63 mm (2.5 inches) longer, with its overall length set at 4,935 mm (194.2 inches). Ford didn’t go into specifics but we assume that the Mondeo will be sharing the architecture with the China-only Ford Evos and Lincoln Zephyr.

The coupe-style silhouette makes the new Mondeo look sportier while retaining the three-box proportions of a sedan. The front end features split headlights and a large grille that looks very similar to the Evos, although the bumper has a slightly more conservative look. The body is a lot more muscular compared to all previous generations, with hints of the Mustang in the sculpted rear fenders and the taillight graphics.

At the back, there is a heavily inclined rear windshield leading to an integrated spoiler, while the complexity of the taillights and the Mondeo lettering make it quite busy. The rear bumper is characterized by chrome-infused decorative outlets and a diffuser. Judging from the leaked pictures that surfaced a few months ago, Ford will likely reveal an even sportier ST-Line variant with different bumpers and wheels.

Ford’s research included asking Chinese customers what they like. The input was translated to design elements like the flush-fitting door handles, the touch-sensitive Ford badge that activates the trunk, the animated full-width lighting units, and the active parametric cells of the front grille that move when the driver approaches the vehicle.

Max Wolff, Design Director of Ford China and International Markets Group, said: “Our goal was to create an aerodynamic, forward-moving form that expresses energy and strength while providing space and comfort. The strong, width-emphasizing form, signature frontal graphics and powerful stance work together to give our vehicles a confident presence. This is the ‘Daqi-ness’ that Chinese customers appreciate.”

Ford also published a selection of renderings and sketches giving us a better idea of the design. Unfortunately, the press release doesn’t include information about the specifications, although the Ecoboost 245 badge on the tailgate hints at the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine found in the Evos sibling, likely mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Ford didn’t show the interior of the new Mondeo but that is expected to get the same dashboard as the Evos. This means it will inherit the massive 1.1-meter (43-inch) panel including a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 27-inch touchscreen for the SYNC+ 2.0 infotainment with a 4K resolution. It is also expected to get Level 2+ autonomous driving capabilities like the Zephyr.

The new Ford Mondeo will be produced in China by Changan Ford, with the first deliveries starting in 2022. If this presentation happened a decade ago, we would be speaking about a preview of the Ford Fusion but the model is officially dead and Ford is staying clear of any passenger cars for the US range. The same goes for Ford Europe that will likely remain without a sedan offering at least until the fully electric era arrives.