A Fusion crossover would be the first midsize wagon-like vehicle the company has offered in the U.S. since the Taurus X in 2009.

The enhanced Ford Mondeo - introducing elegant new exterior and interior design details and a new Hybrid Wagon variant for the first time - was today revealed at the 2019 Brussels Motor Show, Belgium.

The new Ford Mondeo Hybrid is a unique offering in its segment, and now offers an even more refined petrol-electric driving experience.

Further significant Mondeo powertrain upgrades include:

• Ford's advanced 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine introduced to Mondeo, for superior long-distance cruising
• Ford's new intelligent eight-speed automatic transmission introduced to Mondeo, which adapts shift patterns to driving style for improved refinement, and is controlled using a stylish and ergonomic rotary gear shift dial

Adaptive Cruise Control enhanced with Stop & Go joins Mondeo's sophisticated suite of driver assistance technologies alongside Intelligent Speed Limiter, for easier driving in motorway and stop-start traffic.

"The Ford Mondeo Hybrid offers a unique driving experience with its refined automatic transmission and ability to pull away silently. Combined with the benefits of a low CO2 petrol engine we expect the Hybrid to account for up to 50 per cent of sales," said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe. "At the same time we are introducing an all-new diesel powertrain with SCR (selective catalytic reduction) technology to meet and exceed the latest Euro 6d Temp emissions standards, with an all-new 8-speed automatic transmission available."

Last year, Ford made it clear that it was done with conventional car bodystyles and would instead focus on crossovers. But we haven't seen any signs of what would replace its classic sedan nameplates until now. One of our spy photographers caught Ford testing a midsize crossover that looks set to replace the Ford Fusion family sedan.

The prototype is clearly early in development and features a crudely stretched Ford Focus body. But it still gives us a good idea of what to expect in the new vehicle. Helpfully, it was being followed by a previous-generation Ford Escape, which shows us that while the overall roofline is still fairly low for a crossover, this prototype sits atop a fairly long wheelbase. In fact, the body size is reminiscent of a Ford Fusion wagon. But unlike a typical wagon, it has an impressive amount of ground clearance.

This all leads us to believe that the Fusion's replacement will be something like a Subaru Outback or Audi Allroad. It will probably have a wagon-shaped body, perhaps heavily based on the next-generation Mondeo (known as the Fusion in the States) wagon body. But to give it a crossover feel, it will have a higher ride height and plastic lower-body cladding. We won't know until Ford offers up official information, but there's a chance this upcoming vehicle could be called Fusion Active — Ford had briefly planned to offer the Focus Active in the States before walking back that decision. Regardless of name, Ford car fans should be pleased to see that one of Ford's future crossovers will be quite car like.

Considering this crossover's size, it will likely use derivatives of the Ford Escape's powertrains, meaning a 181-horsepower turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4, a 250-horsepower turbo 2.0-liter inline-4 and a 200-horsepower hybrid powertrain using a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated inline-4 are all possibilities, all mated up to an automatic transmission. And of course, all-wheel drive will be available.

We now have more proof that the Ford Fusion will soon be recast as a Subaru Outback–style lifted wagon, as was first reported in 2018. The evidence comes both from the spy photos of a prototype test mule you see here and from an Autocar report containing more information about the next-generation Ford Mondeo (the Fusion's Europe-market twin).
If you're a bit confused by the looks of this test mule, that's because it's using a modified body taken from the new Europe-market Ford Focus wagon. This Frankenstein-like creation, which is clearly stretched between the C- and D-pillars, does give us an idea of the size of this new model; its overall proportions and the large tires suggest that it will be a mid-sized crossover wagon larger than the compact Escape and possibly around the same size as the mid-size Edge.

The hot-selling Subaru Outback looks to be its primary target, and it's a sure bet that this reinvented Fusion will have a lifted suspension, all-wheel drive, and black plastic body cladding to adhere to that proven rugged aesthetic.
Autocar's report states that a new generation of the Mondeo, codenamed CD542, is launching in early 2021, and that this wagon variant is slated for the U.S. market. A new Mondeo sedan will be sold across the pond, but only the lifted wagon will make its way across the pond.

All signs point to it adopting the Fusion name, which carries a lot of equity in America. Ford even admitted back in 2018—when it first announced it was canceling all of its current passenger cars—that the Fusion name would likely be applied to a new bodystyle even after the current sedan model went out of production, which we now know will happen in 2021. That timing would coincide nicely with the arrival of this Fusion wagon.

Most of the headlines concerning Ford this week have focused on the transition taking place in the CEO’s office, but meanwhile the end of a different era in Dearborn has passed more quietly. Production of the Ford Fusion has ended in Mexico, marking one of the final steps in Ford’s exit from the U.S. car business.

Ford, of course, announced more than two years ago that it was phasing out its remaining sedans and hatchbacks in favor of more in-demand crossovers, SUVs and trucks. It has already stopped making the Fiesta, Focus and Taurus for the domestic market. Now, Ford Authority reports that the last Fusion was sent down the line in Hermosillo, Mexico, on July 31, with production of its Lincoln MKZ platform-mate also finished. (Technically, Lincoln is still building the Continental sedan through the end of the year at Ford’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan.)

Production of the models was originally slated to end July 21 but was extended to the end of the month, the website reported. Ford stopped taking orders for the Fusion Feb. 28. Replacing the Fusion and MKZ at the Hermosillo Assembly Plant will be the new Bronco Sport, with production set to begin in September.

Ford first introduced the Fusion as a 2006 model and was heavily revised for 2010. The current, second generation debuted for the 2013 model year in standard, hybrid and the Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid. Through the first half of the year, Ford sold 61,421 Fusions, down 36.3%. Its best full year for sales was 2014, when it moved 306,860 units.

Ford is reportedly planning a lifted crossover-wagon replacement for the Fusion, possibly called the Fusion Active.

Ford ended production of the Fusion, the last sedan in its American lineup, in August 2020, but there are still over 11,000 examples lingering on dealer lots across the nation. Its stores are offering big incentives in order to clear out the remaining inventory before the end of the year, and buyers aren't always taking advantage of them.

Dealers are making zero-percent financing for up to 84 months available on all remaining variants of the 2020 Fusion, ranging from the base model to the plug-in hybrid Energi model. Alternatively, website CarsDirect points out buyers who aren't interested in zero-interest financing can claim up to $5,000 in rebates if they're trading in a car. Many stores are putting additional cash on the hood, too, which makes the Fusion a fantastic year-end deal.

Nearly every new Fusion listed for sale on Cars.com is priced well below MSRP. For example, there is a 2020 Titanium model with an MSRP of $35,840 advertised at $25,998 in Scottsdale, Arizona. If you don't need the extra equipment, a store in Oklahoma City posted a 2020 Fusion S at $15,995 instead of $24,365. Discounts of $10,000 or more are not uncommon, though some dealers aren't cutting that deep so it's wise to shop around.

Not all buyers are taking advantage of the deals. Data provided by TrueCar reveals the average transaction price on a Fusion during the first week of December was $28,151, which is relatively high. If you want one, remember that most dealers are highly motivated to clear Fusions out of their inventory to make space for other models, including the Bronco Sport (which is starting to reach stores nationwide) and, looking ahead, the full-size Bronco.

What's next?

Ford made its intention to step out of America's sedan segment crystal clear, so there's no reason to expect a next-generation Fusion sedan in the U.S. However, our spy photographers spotted a Fusion-sized wagon on stilts testing near the Blue Oval's headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. While nothing is official, it looks like Ford will fill the Fusion-sized gap in its range with an all-wheel-drive people-hauler aimed at the Subaru Outback. We could see it in the metal during the first half of 2021. Elsewhere in the world, the Mondeo (the Fusion's global twin) remains on sale.

A prototype for what appears to be a Ford Fusion crossover wagon has leaked via Instagram. While the Fusion was sold in the States exclusively as a sedan, it has been offered in other variants overseas, where it is known as the Mondeo. Rumors have suggested that the nameplate could return on a midsize crossover/wagon (a la the Buick Regal TourX or Subaru Outback), and this might just be it.

"Pay attention because the photos that you are going to see below point to be the first of the future Ford Mondeo that will stop being a traditional saloon and will become a mix of crossover and family car," @cochespias said (translation approximate) in the accompanying post.


It was photographed in what appears to be a service bay, so it's hard to get a handle on the prototype's size or proportions. The front end says "Edge" to our eyes, but the dramatic taper of the hatch makes it appear more wagon-like than Ford's existing midsize crossover.



As you scroll through the images on the post, things get more interesting inside, where an almost-full-width screen steals the show. Since Ford is currently in the process of migrating toward the large, vertical screen design that first debuted with the Mach-E electric crossover, this go-wide strategy seems like a pretty significant departure from the company's current design trends. This could indicate that we're looking at a hand-built concept car rather than something indicative of the final production vehicle. The pretty blue dash trim lends some more credibility to this theory.

2020 brought the end of production of the Fusion sedan. It was Ford's last practical model sold here with a trunk, and since the company's announcement that it was bailing on the sedan market, there has been speculation that it would be replaced by an "Active" model, which Ford has used to denote lifted, vaguely rugged variants of its family haulers. Such an offshoot of the compact Focus already exists, and Ford was mulling bringing it state-side prior to the implementation of tariffs that made those plans cost-prohibitive.

What we're seeing here is a far cry from the prototypes first spotted more than a year ago, which were early mules operating under crudely stretched Ford Focus bodies. One mule was accompanied by a previous-generation Ford Escape, which offered some context. While the overall roofline was still fairly low for a crossover, it boasted the long wheelbase of a Fusion wagon to go with its exaggerated ride height. This is more chiseled,

The hypothetical Fusion Active could kill two birds for Ford, both carrying on the Fusion nameplate and providing a more future-friendly replacement for the Flex, which managed to live years longer than its early sales figures suggested. As an added bonus, it should offer more versatility than the midsize Edge, which offers little upside over the redesigned (but slightly smaller) Escape.

Discontinued in 2020 along with the Lincoln MKZ, the Ford Fusion will come back as a station wagon with crossover styling for the 2022 model year. Clad in camouflage on the streets of Michigan, the prototype in the gallery features a coupe-like sloping roofline and red brake calipers.
17 photos

Equipped with a fancy-looking grille and LED daytime running lights, the test mule with production-ready parts also features double-spoke alloy wheels in black and a single outlet for the exhaust system. The jacked-up suspension would make the Subaru Outback blush in awe, and knowing the Blue Oval, an eight-speed automatic transmission will come as standard.

Because it shares the C2 global vehicle architecture with the Escape and Bronco Sport, all-wheel drive is likely to happen as well. As for engine options, I’m still torn between the 1.5- or 2.0-liter EcoBoost. On the one hand, 1.5 liters and three cylinders are underwhelming for a mid-size crosswagon. 2.0 liters would translate to a higher starting price, but don’t forget that crossovers are typically more expensive than passenger cars.

My biggest fear is that Ford will take inspiration from what Subaru is doing with the Outback. The 2.5-liter boxer without a turbo develops 182 horsepower while the force-fed version levels up to 260 horsepower. Coincidence or not, the EcoBoost twins are rated at 181 and 250 HP.

Bronco Sport customers and reviewers are aware the 1.5-liter turbo isn’t up to snuff in a compact crossover, which is why the three-cylinder engine would be hugely disappointing in a vehicle as heavy as the Fusion's successor. Oh, and by the way, the standard engine for the 2020 Fusion develops 175 HP.

The fastback-styled newcomer, expected to be called Fusion Evos or just Evos after the Mondeo Evos and Evos trademarks filed in Europe, will be joined by a unibody truck based on the C2 platform. Maverick is how the Ford Motor Company will call the Ranger’s less capable brother with four doors and a SuperCrew cab, which is also expected to hit dealer lots as a 2022 model.

Remember how the Blue Oval took its sweet time introducing the current generation of the Mondeo to Europe while its American cousin, the Fusion, was already happily minding its business on U.S. roads? Well, the tables have turned, because the latter was discontinued after the 2020 model year, while the Old Continent’s Mondeo remains on sale.
17 photos

For the time being, because the global version of the sedan is also getting ready for retirement (along with a host of European vans such as the S-Max and Galaxy). In its place, the company is preparing to reveal a different vehicle, rumored to be called Evos.

It will be a crossover of some sorts, although by the looks of the spy shots and leaks, it can also be described as a cross between a station wagon and an SUV.

Several digital artists have already attempted to give us a possible rendition of the upcoming Mondeo/Fusion Evos, and the latest – coming from Spanish magazine motor.es – has evolved the looks based on the latest intel to give us a fresh take on the upcoming Evos compared to the one shared a few weeks ago by Russia’s Kolesa.

This time around, it’s probably a lot closer to the truth, though some details could still change before the official reveal, which is allegedly taking place later this year for a dealership arrival as a 2022 model year. Of course, seeing the Evos from all angles – both in a Chinese leak and recent spy shots – is always helpful.

As such, we can judge the new digital interpretation as mostly taking cues from the newly minted 2021 North American Utility of the Year, the Mustang Mach-E. The Evos is going to be larger, of course, just to make sure it doesn’t snatch any of the EV audience.

Still, the sleek coupe-SUV influences are there, even though Ford is probably targeting the Mondeo/Fusion Evos more towards a family audience that a station wagon or a van would have otherwise snatched had times been different.

Right now, crossovers – especially sleek-looking ones – are all the rage, and Ford is eager to oblige. Worth mentioning are the large grille and slim headlights, akin to the ones promoted by the leak, while the glasshouse is getting restrictive towards the rear to create a sensation of sportiness.

No images of the rear or the interior have been shared, but anyone can make an educated guess based on the recently captured spy shots we have also included in the gallery.