The Ford Mondeo launched back in 1993 as the automaker’s “world car,” intended to consolidate a number of Ford models on sale around the globe. In the U.S., the first-generation Mondeo was produced and marketed as the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique from 1995 to 2000. Beginning with the fourth-generation, the Mondeo once again became a world car, as it essentially morphed into the European version of the Fusion. The mid-size sedan had previously been introduced in North America, the Middle East, and South Korea, but that model was discontinued last year. Now, Ford Mondeo production is set to end in Europe as well.
The automaker announced today that Ford Mondeo production will end at the end of March 2022, citing two reasons for the decision – the automaker’s commitment to electric vehicles and changing consumer preferences.
Earlier this year, Ford announced that it is investing at least $22 billion globally in electrification, nearly twice the company’s previous electric vehicle investment plans, and that it is investing $1 billion to create the Ford Cologne Electrification Center in Germany for the manufacture of electric vehicles, the company’s first such facility in Europe.
Ford’s first European-built, volume all-electric passenger vehicle will be built at the facility in 2023, with the potential for a second all-electric vehicle under consideration. By mid-2026, 100 percent of Ford’s passenger vehicle range in Europe will be zero-emissions capable, all-electric, or plug-in hybrid, moving to all-electric by 2030.
Meanwhile, in 2020, 39 percent of Ford’s passenger vehicle sales consisted of SUVs and crossovers – up eight percentage points from 2019. Moreover, more than 50 percent of Kuga buyers opted for the Kuga PHEV. However, despite ending Ford Mondeo production, the automaker will continue to build and sell the seven-seat Ford Galaxy and Ford S-MAX, as full hybrid versions of both recently launched.
For now, the Mondeo appears to be soldiering on in China, however, where it’s produced at the Ford Changan Assembly Plant. Recently, the Chinese Mondeo switched to a full hybrid and diesel lineup and gained a new 12.8-inch infotainment screen with SYNC+. Also, as we’ve recently reported, the Mondeo and Fusion are expected to make a return at some point in the future as either a wagon or crossover.
We’ll have more on the Mondeo soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Mondeo news and ongoing Ford news coverage.
Comments
As an owner of a Ford Mondeo in Spain, I will never trade one of the most affordable and best sedans in the market for one boring and cookie cutter SUV or crossover. I´ll certainly will go to other brand but there´s no human power that´s going to make me buy an SUV or a crossover for the simple reason that I don´t like them. It´s not true that europeans are shifting to crossovers or SUV´s. Yes, SUV´s and crossovers sales have grown up in Europe, but the average european buyers still prefers hatchbacks or smaller vehicles. While in the USA more than the 50% of vehicles sales are of SUV´s and crossovers, in Europe SUV´s and crossovers still don´t represent 50% of the market share. Not everyone likes SUV´s and crossovers or is willing to buy one no matter what. Ford short minded vision of cancelling all its sedans is nonsense since letting a whole market segment go, will make that those buyers going now to other brands looking for a sedan make not come back to Ford when market trends change again. Market is cyclic and no human activity lasts forever. This SUV cancer will pass too. All Ford competitors are aware of this and are keeping at least one sedan in their lineups. A shame that a company with the expertise and experience of Ford acts with all possible mediocrity and doesn´t satisfy all the clients it had, has or may have and forces a whole market segment to go. On the other hand, I had the opportunity to drive the Mach-e and definitively it´s not a Mustang, it doesn´t look like a Mustang, it doesn´t feel like a Mustang, it doesn´t behave like a Mustang and it doesn´t have the character of a Mustang.The Mach-e is nothing but a boring SUV with Mustang grille, Mustang badges, Mustang tail lights and Mustang pretensions. If Ford pretends the same atrocity with the Mondeo, besides for a Mustang or a for Focus, they can forget about my money. I´ve been buying Ford products for the last 30 years, but when the time comes to change my Mondeo, probably my money will go to Tesla, MB, Audi, GM, BMW, Peugeot, Alfa Romeo or any brand that offers me a decent sedan.
I agree with you on the fact that they should at least have 1 sedan in the lineup. Unfortunately they cut all passenger cars here, including fiesta and focus. They believed that people would just migrate over to one of their SUVS. That doesn’t appear to be the case. I just don’t see people trading in their Focus STs’ and RSs’ for an Escape. Now supposedly the Fusion/Mondeo will be replaced with a wagon-crossover type deal, and to that i say they’ve tried it before and it didn’t work. I don’t know if you had it in Europe but we had the Flex here and it failed. I believe it was discontinued for 2019. I don’t think slapping some black plastic cladding on it will make it anymore appealing.
Wow, really? I guess I thought that Europeans by and large still enjoyed the experience of driving, and the connection to the road, as well as what a good to great handling automobile has to offer. Please don’t tell me that the large majority of wagon lovers has somehow been infected by our dumbed down SUV slogging influence! Say it isn’t so!!!
Will there be a new Ford Mustang Bullett in Ford’s future?