Ford made a bit of car news today. Yes, cars, not SUVs or trucks. The catch here is that it only applies to folks in Europe. A refreshed 2019 Mondeo was just revealed at the Brussels Motor Show — for anyone who isn't caught up with Ford's European naming, the Mondeo is a rebadged Ford Fusion sedan.
Now, Ford had already announced a 2019 Fusion update early last year for the U.S., before announcing a month later that the model would eventually be phased out in the States, and this Euro update includes a lot of that update. For starters, both the front and rear design get tweaks. Nothing massive has changed, but redesigned front and lower grilles give the Mondeo a fresher face. New C-shaped taillights and a big chrome applique across the back make the rear look "new."
The biggest change on the inside has to be the new rotary gear shifter for an also-new eight-speed automatic transmission — we're still working with six gears here in U.S. Fusions. Like things are in Europe most of the time, a six-speed manual is standard.
The biggest news is the introduction of a Mondeo Hybrid wagon. This uses what appears to be a similar setup as the Fusion Hybrid stateside (2.0-liter four-cylinder plus 1.4 kWh lithium ion battery to power an electric motor). We're just jealous that Europe gets it in longroof form. There's also a new 2.0-liter diesel engine available, too.
Whether this is the last update for the "European Fusion," we can't say. It's safe to assume Ford won't be introducing any drastic changes to the Fusion in the American lineup anytime soon, as it intends to phase the car out over the coming years. Europe's car market has proven itself worthy of Focus and Fiesta successors we won't be getting, but there's still no word on a new Fusion beyond this update. From the looks of this refresh, Ford does appear more committed to the car in Europe than the U.S. The development of new powertrain options make us believe Ford intends to keep it around a bit longer.
Related video:
Now, Ford had already announced a 2019 Fusion update early last year for the U.S., before announcing a month later that the model would eventually be phased out in the States, and this Euro update includes a lot of that update. For starters, both the front and rear design get tweaks. Nothing massive has changed, but redesigned front and lower grilles give the Mondeo a fresher face. New C-shaped taillights and a big chrome applique across the back make the rear look "new."
The biggest change on the inside has to be the new rotary gear shifter for an also-new eight-speed automatic transmission — we're still working with six gears here in U.S. Fusions. Like things are in Europe most of the time, a six-speed manual is standard.
The biggest news is the introduction of a Mondeo Hybrid wagon. This uses what appears to be a similar setup as the Fusion Hybrid stateside (2.0-liter four-cylinder plus 1.4 kWh lithium ion battery to power an electric motor). We're just jealous that Europe gets it in longroof form. There's also a new 2.0-liter diesel engine available, too.
Whether this is the last update for the "European Fusion," we can't say. It's safe to assume Ford won't be introducing any drastic changes to the Fusion in the American lineup anytime soon, as it intends to phase the car out over the coming years. Europe's car market has proven itself worthy of Focus and Fiesta successors we won't be getting, but there's still no word on a new Fusion beyond this update. From the looks of this refresh, Ford does appear more committed to the car in Europe than the U.S. The development of new powertrain options make us believe Ford intends to keep it around a bit longer.
Related video:
Featured Gallery 2019 Ford Mondeo
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