The days of the Ford Mondeo as we know it are numbered considering these spy shots are showing the Blue Oval is preparing some major changes for the next generation of its midsize model. Because apparently everything has to be a crossover these days, North America’s defunct Fusion will return with SUV-like influences, as originally rumoured back in July 2018.
Our spies have caught a heavily camouflaged prototype testing on a frozen lake somewhere in Scandinavia, showing a generous ground clearance and pop-out door handles. Ford made sure to conceal the car’s rear end by slapping on an extra layer of disguise, but even so, the shape makes it pretty clear this isn’t a conventional saloon like the outgoing Mondeo. Side note – the current-gen model is also sold as a more practical liftback akin to the Skoda Superb.
Gallery: 2022 Ford Mondeo Evos spy photos
The heavy mascara gets in the way of discovering some of the design details, but the general impression is the new-generation model will look nothing like the aging Mondeo unveiled as the US-spec Fusion at the 2012 North American International Auto Show. There are some exposed bits, such as the LED strips of daytime running lights, front parking sensors, along with radar sensors for the adaptive cruise control.
Our spies are telling us the prototype sat on 20-inch wheels and seemed visibly larger than today’s Mondeo. Peeking through the camo at the front appears to be Ford’s latest take on its octagonal grille, while the side profile shows a rising beltline and a gently sloping roofline. It goes without saying the rear end is not as blocky as the camouflage suggests, and we are expecting a sleek fastback-esque design.
The Mondeo is going through radical changes:
The test vehicle was spotted from afar, so our spies were not able to snap a photo of the interior. However, the Chinese version was caught on camera at the end of 2020, showing a gigantic screen stretching over nearly the entire width of the dashboard. It was likely made out of several separate screens housed within a giant piece of glass.
The wraps should come off later this year, possibly with a new name as some are saying it will be called Mondeo / Fusion Active while others are suggesting it’ll get the Evos suffix. The latter would make sense considering the 2011 Evos concept was an SUV take on the fastback shape and was designed as a preview for the current-gen Mondeo.
It’s worth mentioning the Mondeo is not the only midsize car sold in Europe to lose the saloon body style for the next generation as the Volkswagen Passat will allegedly be going estate-only as well. Rumours say the Arteon will be discontinued as well, and that includes the recently launched Arteon Shooting Brake. It’s all due to dwindling saloon sales.
For a trip down memory lane, attached below is a photo gallery of the Evos concept from a decade ago.
Gallery: Ford Evos concept debuts in Frankfurt
Source: Automedia