Would you have considered a Ford Fusion (or Mondeo) if you got this design?
A hypothetical question, of course, as the sharp looking 2023 Ford Mondeo is designed exclusively for the Chinese market. Ford discontinued the Fusion — known overseas as the Mondeo — for the U.S. back in 2020 to focus on SUVs and trucks. It’s disappearing over in Europe in a few months too. Still, we’re curious: What do you think? If Ford brought a car like this to our shores, would you take the plunge on a sedan over the sea of crossovers?
In recent years, crossovers/SUVs and pickup trucks have far surpassed compact and midsize sedan sales in the United States. Despite that, the only automakers that are bailing out on sedans (for the time being) have been the Big Three: General Motors, Stellantis and Ford. GM killed off most of their sedans, with the exception of Cadillac. Stellantis still sells the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300, but those are also living on borrowed time. The most recent Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200 also bit the dust a few years back. The Blue Oval, on the other hand, simply killed off every single sedan in our market — and that includes the Lincoln luxury brand.
The reasoning? Americans want, even demand, larger and more practical vehicles. With U.S. automakers making the pivot, though, a surprising amount of manufacturers are hanging on to conventional sedans. Toyota and Lexus; Nissan and Infiniti; Honda and Acura; Hyundai, Kia and Genesis; BMW; Mercedes-Benz; Volkswagen and Audi all still offer some options. So, the statement that “sedans are dead” isn’t entirely accurate. Perhaps, we could theoretically see a new Fusion or something of the sort, if folks demanded loudly enough that Ford sell it here.
More about the 2023 Ford Mondeo itself
The Mondeo has been in production for 30 years, and Americans have known it in several different forms, by a few different names. This version will be longer, lower and wider than the Fusion we knew. Thanks to that enlargement, Chinese customers will see some more passenger space, especially in terms of rear legroom.
Technical and performance data is not available at the moment. However, there is an “EcoBoost 245” badge on the trunk-lid. This badge may indicate horsepower, which could mean a 2.0 liter EcoBoost turbo engine sits under the hood. That’s the most likely option, at least. We would expect Ford’s widely used 8-speed automatic to power the front wheels, with a possible option for all-wheel drive (AWD). Chinese buyers could even see a hot “ST” version, and I can’t help but wonder if that would actually be the clincher for some Americans.
If the 2023 Ford Mondeo gets a similar interior to the stylistically similar Chinese market Evos crossover, it could well get an all-digital interior. This will probably mean a 12.3-inch digital gauge screen and a massive 27-inch infotainment screen. Again, two strong selling points, but unfortunately we can’t see the interior.
Ford will produce the new Mondeo in joint venture with Chang’an Automobile in Chongqing, China.
