New Ford Mondeo Hybrid Estate spied testing

Hybrid version of the Ford Mondeo Estate has been caught testing, due to go on sale in 2019

Following the recent speculations that the Ford Mondeo would be axed from Ford’s line-up, the latest version of the company’s genre-defining estate has been caught on camera during winter testing in Europe.

Initial impressions show that little has changed on the new Mondeo’s exterior; the camouflage only masks the front bumper and rear tailgate, so we expect those to be the only updated panels to feature on the new model.

• Ford Mondeo hybrid review 

The interior hasn’t changed much either. The dash looks extremely similar to the outgoing model, expect from the control panel and kill-switch mounted on the dash. However, as this test mule is an automatic, it’s entirely feasible that it could be a prototype of the latest version of the Mondeo Hybrid.

Ford confirmed earlier in the year that it was planning a facelift for the Mondeo, as well as a revision to the hatchback’s poorly-performing hybrid powertrain.

Other revisions include technological improvements borrowed from the latest Focus, including active parking assist, adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, lane keeping assist and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection.

As well as the hybrid powertrain, the Mondeo line-up will also welcome two new engines; a 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel and a 1.5-litre EcoBoost three-cylinder petrol, also likely borrowed from the Focus. The latter is being developed to work with Ford’s new eight-speed automatic transmission.

Ford confirms Mondeo Hybrid Estate due in 2019

The Ford Mondeo range will expand in 2019 to include a Hybrid Estate model. The news was announced on social media by the brand’s European boss this week.

The fresh information comes just weeks after we revealed the Ford Mondeo was “safe for now” – amongst rumours it was going to be axed due to slow sales. Now it looks like the range will be expanded to include a Hybrid Estate for the very first time.

• Ford Mondeo safe for now

Ford of Europe & MEA chairman & CEO, Steven Armstrong said on Twitter: “Excited to announce our plans to launch a new generation of Mondeo Hybrid Models in 2019, which will include our first Mondeo Hybrid Wagon.”

The Mondeo Hybrid will use the same 184bhp 2.0-litre petrol-electric hybrid set-up as the existing Saloon variant. It’ll get the same regenerative braking set-up, too, which Ford claims can capture “up to 90 per cent of the energy normally lost during braking” to feed power back to the battery.

The new Mondeo Hybrid Estate is said to have been developed exclusively for Europe, and will not be sold in other global markets. Prices and specs will be announced closer to the car’s on-sale date in early 2019, though it’s likely to command a premium of around £1,500 over the existing saloon. That model, available only in Titanium and Viganle guises, currently costs from £26,395.

Along with the new Hybrid variant, it’s likely we’ll see the Mondeo range undergo a subtle mid-life redesign in 2019. The facelifted car will inevitably gain new headlights and bumpers, both of which are already visible on the US-spec Fusion family car. New engine and gearbox combinations will be offered, too, including a fresh eight-speed automatic transmission.

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