Currently reading: Ford Fusion facelift hints at future look for Mondeo

Facelifted Fusion unveiled at the Detroit motor show, revealing how the styling of the Mondeo sister car will evolve later in its production run

The Ford Fusion saloon has been given a mid-life facelift that previews changes that will come to the Ford Ford Mondeo in around two years time. The new look has been unveiled at the Detroit motor show.

The new look for the Fusion, which is the name for Mondeo in North America and other global markets, ditches the Aston Martin-style grille of the current car in favour of something sleeker and more contemporary. There is more sculpting for the front bumper and a slimmer, more technical look for the headlights.

2017 Ford fusion dkk221

Also at the front of the revamped car are new LED fog lights and a new mesh on the grille itself, while at the rear there are minor detail changes to the light graphics.

As the Mondeo only reached the UK early last year, it is not due for any significant changes until around 2018. At this point, the new look for the Fusion is expected to be mirrored on the Mondeo as part of a scheduled facelift for the car.

In the US, Fusion buyers can now order a new all-wheel-drive V6-powered Fusion Sport model that “engineered to leave other family sedans in the dust”. This model gets a twin-turbo 2.7-litre V6 Ecoboost engine with around 325bhp and 350lb ft, and other features include continuously variable dampers and pothole detection technology that primes the suspension for sudden bumprs in the road.

2017 Ford fusion 99ffh

Advertisement

Read our review

Car review

Ford's family car is now in its fourth iteration, but is the Mondeo ready to take the fight to a world burgeoning with rivals?

Back to top

Two hybrid versions of the car are offered: the Fusion Hybrid, a regular parallel hybrid model, and the Fusion Energi, a plug-in hybrid version. The latter, which mixes a 2.0-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and lighter lithium-ion battery, can travel for up to 19 miles on electric power and up to 500 miles in total between 2.5-hour full recharges and refeulling.

There is also a plush Mondeo Vignale-style version offered to Fusion buyers with the Fusion Platinum.

New options on the Fusion include Ford’s latest SYNC 3 infotainment system.

Mark Tisshaw

mark-tisshaw-autocar
Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

Join the debate

Comments
6
Add a comment…
androo 11 January 2016

Why do we get two year old Ford designs these days?

Is this the way it's going to be with Ford cars now? the car is introduced in the US, and we get iot two or three years later? Why is this?
Cé hé sin 11 January 2016

Two year old Ford designs

Politics, basically. The old Mondeo was made in Genk in Belgium. Ford decided to shut this plant but made an agreement with the Belgian government to delay closure. This resulted in the factory staying open after the introduction of the American Fusion. It didn't make sense to retool Genk with only a year or so to go before closure so Ford stuck with the old Mondeo before starting production of the new one in Spain. This puts the Fusion and Mondeo out of sync from the facelift point of view.
Mikey C 11 January 2016

It just doesn't make sense

It just doesn't make sense for the US and Europe to stay out of sync. After all, when the next generation model is launched, I assume the Fusion and Mondeo will be launched at similar times.
Daniel Joseph 10 January 2016

Does anyone buy Mondeos anymore?

Does anyone (who has a choice) buy new Mondeos any more? I've seen almost none of the current model around these parts, apart from one which is a minicab. Shame, as it's by no means a bad car but, IMHO, it manages the unfortunate trick of being rare and yet, at the same time, overly familiar! I doubt this facelift, if/when it eventually appears, will change that.
Car-task-stropp 10 January 2016

Reshuffle needed?...

As a past owner of various Fords I can't help feeling they losing the great momentum they have enjoyed of late. Yes they have improved a lot but that is not enough in a fast moving market, newcomers like Hyundai and Kia are putting out some beautiful designs while the Ford designers seem to be a tad lazy?
I think it is time Ford reshuffle it's design development and inject some new blood with fresh and bold designs, that could tepmt past owners like me back.