It went from Australia in 2020, now the Ford Mondeo badge is being retired from Europe.
Ford has confirmed the name won’t live past 2022, as it moves to kill the long-running sedan and wagon.
It will be replaced with a high-riding car of some sort, be it an SUV or a Subaru Outback-style wagon on stilts.
“The market segment in which the Mondeo competes has been dwindling for years and is down about 80 percent since 2000,” a company spokesperson told Automotive News Europe.
The related Fusion sedan has already been axed in North America, though the Mondeo lives on in China where it’s built by Changan Ford.
The Mondeo was introduced to Europe in 1993 as a replacement for the Sierra, and has a strong place in popular British culture.
The UK equivalent of an Aussie Battler is sometimes colloquially known as the Mondeo Man, and the car is driven by “Mr Inconspicuous” in When the sun goes down by the Arctic Monkeys.
In Australia the Mondeo went head-to-head with the all-conquering Toyota Camry, along with European rivals such as the Volkswagen Passat and Skoda Superb.
It also took on the Holden Vectra and its short-lived Epica and Malibu successors in a slightly lower-octane spin on the classic Red vs Blue battle between the Commodore and Falcon.
Along with the shift to SUVs from passenger cars, the Blue Oval is currently preparing itself for a significant electric push.
In a move that could have a significant impact on Ford Australia, Ford of Europe has committed to selling electric-only passenger cars by 2030.
As part of its transition to an all-electric line-up, Ford says by the middle of 2026 all its models in Europe range will be capable of zero tailpipe emissions, meaning every line will have a plug-in hybrid or full-electric drivetrain option.
Currently Ford Australia’s passenger car range features the Escape, Puma, Fiesta ST, and Focus, all of which are sourced from European factories.
The Ranger ute and related Everest SUV come from Thailand, while the Mustang range is produced in the USA.
