Ford will follow up the recent launch of its new Focus hatchback with an updated Mondeo, due to arrive next year and spotted in disguise on UK roads.
Caught partially camouflaged on a transporter in Bedfordshire, and also seen without disguise on the road, the revised Skoda Superb rival will receive minor styling tweaks to its front and rear bumpers, a new grille design, slimmer headlights and a new LED rear light profile. A new horizontal chrome bar also links the tail-lights across the tailgate. The changes have been previewed by the US-market Ford Fusion, which was updated at the end of 2016.
Our spy photographer also captured the new Mondeo's interior, revealing that automatic models will receive a rotary gear selector. This frees up space for larger cupholders and an additional storage bin in the centre console. Ford's latest Sync 3 infotainment system should carry over largely unchanged.
The updated Fusion also featured new technology on the range-topping V6 model, including continuously variable dampers and a new camera-based pothole detection system that works alongside the dampers to cushion the worst bumps in the road. Given the V6 won't be used in the Mondeo, it's not clear yet if UK customers will be offered this tech.
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scrap
Weird that US and European
Weird that US and European models are so out of sync. This will probably be the last Mondeo so enjoy it while you can!
Lanehogger
scrap wrote:
Indeed. The car is 6 years old already, and looks and feels it IMO, but Europe didn't get it until 2014 because in addition to production and tooling changes, releasing it in 2012 would have seen the previous (3rd gen) Mondeo on sale for only 5 years. Yet the previous, Mazda 6-based Fusion, was 7 years old when it was replaced. I agree though, I think the current Mondeo will be Ford's last offering in this class. Especially as Ford has already announced the Fusion won't be replaced in North America.
FMS
scrap wrote:
Not at all weird...different customer requirements/demands...spec needs to be tailored to country preferences.
scotty5
Pointless car.
This may be newsworthy to Enterprise, Avis and Hertz but isn't of much interest even to Ford buyers. With a load volume of 525L (seats up), the estate is on the small side. The smaller Golf is over 600L as is an Octavia. Even the new Toyota Corolla makes a Mondeo estate look small.
The estate will carry 1600L with rear seats folded. Not only is that less than any of the smaller cars mentioned above, the new Focus estate will carry 1650L .
Let's face it, Mondeo man died long ago.
FMS
scotty5 wrote:
Peter Cavellini
Mondeo man.......
I had Y’plate 1.8LX, it was a tidy handler and swallowed luggage for a Family of five, it never let me down,but they do say today’s Mondeo is nowhere near as good.....
Peter Cavellini.
Will86
@Peter Cavellini
The best Mondeo was the 2000-2007 model which you would have had. Just the right size, plenty of kit, strong engines and good ride and handling. The 2007 model got too big and the current car continued that trend. The new Focus estate looks easily as big as some of the earlier Mondeos so scrap may have a point about this being the last Mondeo.
Dave_972
Rubbish the replacement was
FastRenaultFan
I agree the
replacment is a far better car than the rubbish one that came before it. Ford actually started to make good cars again, cars with style and decent equipment too instead of trying to be something they are not and making a balls of it.
FastRenaultFan
Almost the worst car Ford ever made
Honestly how can you say that Mondeo was a good car. I t was terrible. The quality inside was terrible. The materials on the dash were very cheap and felt horrible and the LX came with feck all equipment no rear electric windows, no air con, no electric or heated wing mirrors, wings mirrors not the same colour as the car, no interior crap handles not that you would need them as the car was horrible to drive anyway. It felt like a tank. No fog lights. Why do I know this because the parents had one and It was a terrible car I hated it. The two Octavia,s we had before that as well as the Megane were all far nicer and all came with better spec too.
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