The Ford Mustang is the last car the brand has left standing in North America—and it’s a coupe—but elsewhere, traditional four-door, three-box designs still hold some sway. Take the Chinese market, where a few of Ford sedans are currently on the menu: the Focus (which mainly looks like a ROW Focus) and the Escort (based on the second-generation Ford Focus). The new Mondeo, though, is another thing entirely—a refinement of some of Ford’s greatest hits.
2022 Ford Mondeo Design
Ford revealed this car back in January, but it didn’t strike us then just how bold this vehicle is until reports started coming in about it starting to reach dealerships in China. After a second glance, it’s worth showing to our readers, if only to appreciate what could have been. In another timeline, had the Fusion (our version of the once-global Mondeo) hung on another generation, we’re sure it would have carried this design language. It’s like a greatest hits collection of all the best styling ideas of the last few generations of Fords, but honed to a very fine point.
Mondeo Meets Muscle
The headlights and grille look more Taurus than Fusion, but more handsome and aggressive than either, using the high-mounted running lights and separated, prominent driving lights below to give it a very contemporary fascia. We’re not sure that anyone at Ford Design in China had a rival Camaro up on their idea board, but the blending of the running lights into the grille, and the separate lower elements in black separated by a body-colored strip almost seem like a successful riff on the widely panned Camaro front end. More grille up top and less below the strip does wonders to the balance of the front end. There’s definitely some muscle in the new Mondeo.
It’s in profile, and from the rear, that the Chinese-market Mondeo really comes into its own. There’s lots of contour, contrast, and character to the flanks of the Mondeo, particularly the very rear-drive-influenced character line high on the rear quarters. The contrasting roof makes the Mondeo look even sleeker than it actually is. And the shapely rear end, with a strong Mustang influence that marries quadrangular elements with a classic fastback lip spoiler shape to the trunklid, is superb. Without the twin integrated exhaust pipes flanking a faux rear diffuser, this could sell as a very successful Ford EV concept.
Mustang Mixed In
The taillamps are particularly noteworthy, with a hint of the trendy pixelated style, similar to what we see on the Hyundai Ioniq 5, but used sparingly enough to add visual interest rather than take over the rear end as an overarching theme. The small, tasteful, and very three-dimensional vertical strakes on the taillamps also are a nod in the direction of the Mustang.
Inside, a massive panel of screens floats over a restrained dash, with plenty of character—particularly in the shapely and visually interesting steering wheel. While the dash overall has significant height—we’d need to sit in one to really evaluate how the cabin feels—it looks suitably futuristic.
Will the Chinese Mondeo’s massive screen, muscular design language, or three-box shape cross the Pacific anytime soon? The first two are possibilities, the third seems highly unlikely. It would seem Ford doesn’t yet consider any of its sedans as “Icons.” In the meantime, consider the Mondeo a taste of what might have been.
Keyword: As the 2022 Ford Mondeo Hits Chinese Dealers, What Might Have Been?