Currently reading: Ford Fusion facelift hints at future look for Mondeo

Facelifted Fusion unveiled at the Detroit motor show, revealing how the styling of the Mondeo sister car will evolve later in its production run

The Ford Fusion saloon has been given a mid-life facelift that previews changes that will come to the Ford Ford Mondeo in around two years time. The new look has been unveiled at the Detroit motor show.

The new look for the Fusion, which is the name for Mondeo in North America and other global markets, ditches the Aston Martin-style grille of the current car in favour of something sleeker and more contemporary. There is more sculpting for the front bumper and a slimmer, more technical look for the headlights.

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Also at the front of the revamped car are new LED fog lights and a new mesh on the grille itself, while at the rear there are minor detail changes to the light graphics.

As the Mondeo only reached the UK early last year, it is not due for any significant changes until around 2018. At this point, the new look for the Fusion is expected to be mirrored on the Mondeo as part of a scheduled facelift for the car.

In the US, Fusion buyers can now order a new all-wheel-drive V6-powered Fusion Sport model that “engineered to leave other family sedans in the dust”. This model gets a twin-turbo 2.7-litre V6 Ecoboost engine with around 325bhp and 350lb ft, and other features include continuously variable dampers and pothole detection technology that primes the suspension for sudden bumprs in the road.

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Two hybrid versions of the car are offered: the Fusion Hybrid, a regular parallel hybrid model, and the Fusion Energi, a plug-in hybrid version. The latter, which mixes a 2.0-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and lighter lithium-ion battery, can travel for up to 19 miles on electric power and up to 500 miles in total between 2.5-hour full recharges and refeulling.

There is also a plush Mondeo Vignale-style version offered to Fusion buyers with the Fusion Platinum.

New options on the Fusion include Ford’s latest SYNC 3 infotainment system.

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