The new-generation Ford Mondeo might be a China-only affair but it has sparked the interest of sedan fans all over the world. After the debut of the regular version last month, we now get to see the sporty ST-Line trim together with the first pictures and video footage of its tech-heavy interior.
The Ford Mondeo ST-Line was uncovered last year in leaked photos from the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information. The sportier ST version has different front and rear bumpers compared to the base Mondeo. At the front, we can see a new grille mesh, and glossy-black elements connecting the extra lights on the bumper with the lower intake.
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The rear bumper features a larger diffuser, black trim on the faux exhaust pipes, and a black spoiler lip. The display car is painted in a deep red shade with a black roof, complementing the sculpted bodywork in combination with the 19-inch alloy wheels. DImensions remain unchanged with a length of 4,935 mm (194.2 inches).
More importantly, this is the first time Ford shows us the interior of China’s Mondeo, which looks rather futuristic. The model inherits the massive full-width 1.1-meter (43-inch) panel on the dashboard that debuted in the Ford Evos last year. It consists of a standard 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an impressive 27-inch SYNC+ 2.0 infotainment touchscreen with 4K resolution. The latter incorporates Baidu’s AI technology. The ST-Line trim gets sporty seats, red accents, ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof, and the mandatory ST badge on the dashboard.
Despite the sportier design, the Mondeo ST-Line retains the same turbocharged 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine producing 235 hp (238 PS/175 kW) as in other variants, mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. This powertrain can also be found in the mechanically-related Ford Evos crossover, which in turn is sharing its architecture with the Lincoln Zephyr sedan.
Production of the 2023 Ford Mondeo is already underway in China by Changan Ford, with the first examples having reached local dealerships. The new Mondeo could have served as a replacement for the Fusion in North America, but Ford decided to drop all sedans from its lineup there. The same goes for Europe where Ford recently retired the Mondeo nameplate following a 30-year-long career.
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