Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB-Medien
Introduced for the 2006 model year as the replacement for the Contour and Taurus when it was a mid-sized sedan, the Fusion entered its second generation in 2013 with globalization under its belt. The Ford Motor Company then adapted the CD4 vehicle architecture, engines, and lights for European markets, and sold it as the Mondeo. Yet the Fusion is clearly past its prime.
The part that most obviously has no place in the mid-sized segment for the 2020 model year is the 6F automatic transmission, co-developed with General Motors in the early 2000s for vehicles with front- and all-wheel drive. Over in the United States, sedans aren’t selling well either.
So what does the 2022 Ford Fusion bring new to the table, something that could address these problems? As you can tell in the photo gallery, this chassis mule with Michigan manufacturer plates is hiding as a 2019 Ford Focus Turnier. That’s station wagon in German, as the latest Focus isn’t available in the United States because Ford now believes in crossovers more.
We’ve heard time and again that Fusion production will come to a grinding halt in 2021, only to be replaced for the 2022 model year by a Subaru Outback-rivaling long roof. This fellow here could be our first glimpse of the all-roader that Ford hasn’t confirmed or denied to this day, and the prototype’s overall length appears to be a confirmation that the rumor is valid.
The wheelbase is certainly not that of a four-door sedan in the mid-sized segment, but that of a station wagon. The fender flares, makeshift glass, and curious-looking bodywork at the rear can’t be ignored either, and thus, Ford is likely to be working a cheaper alternative to the ever-popular Outback.
It’s hard to guesstimate what kind of engine options will be offered, let alone if the 1.5-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder will be available as the standard engine as it’s the case in the Escape compact crossover. A four-cylinder mill such as the 2.0-liter EcoBoost sounds more like it, complemented by intelligent all-wheel drive and an eight-speed tranny to bring the point home.
Taking into consideration that the high-riding Fiesta and Focus are called Active in Europe, the all-new Fusion could be marketed as the Fusion Active as well. What boggles the mind, however, is that Ford calls the Fiesta Active and Focus Active "crossovers" in just about every piece of marketing drivel.
So what does the 2022 Ford Fusion bring new to the table, something that could address these problems? As you can tell in the photo gallery, this chassis mule with Michigan manufacturer plates is hiding as a 2019 Ford Focus Turnier. That’s station wagon in German, as the latest Focus isn’t available in the United States because Ford now believes in crossovers more.
We’ve heard time and again that Fusion production will come to a grinding halt in 2021, only to be replaced for the 2022 model year by a Subaru Outback-rivaling long roof. This fellow here could be our first glimpse of the all-roader that Ford hasn’t confirmed or denied to this day, and the prototype’s overall length appears to be a confirmation that the rumor is valid.
The wheelbase is certainly not that of a four-door sedan in the mid-sized segment, but that of a station wagon. The fender flares, makeshift glass, and curious-looking bodywork at the rear can’t be ignored either, and thus, Ford is likely to be working a cheaper alternative to the ever-popular Outback.
It’s hard to guesstimate what kind of engine options will be offered, let alone if the 1.5-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder will be available as the standard engine as it’s the case in the Escape compact crossover. A four-cylinder mill such as the 2.0-liter EcoBoost sounds more like it, complemented by intelligent all-wheel drive and an eight-speed tranny to bring the point home.
Taking into consideration that the high-riding Fiesta and Focus are called Active in Europe, the all-new Fusion could be marketed as the Fusion Active as well. What boggles the mind, however, is that Ford calls the Fiesta Active and Focus Active "crossovers" in just about every piece of marketing drivel.
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