2015 Ford Mondeo launched in Malaysia – RM198k

The 2015 Ford Mondeo EcoBoost has been officially introduced in Malaysia – the fifth-gen CD391 (known as the Fusion in the United States) was previewed last month in a series of roadshows, but is now available to view at all Ford showrooms nationwide.

There’s not much we don’t already know about the fully-imported D-segment sedan, which is assembled in Spain at Ford’s Valencia plant. Initial details of the Malaysian car, which mirrors the Australian mid-level Trend variantin terms of equipment (with a few elements from the high-end Titanium spec thrown in) were offered back in March, and provisional specs were revealed later that same month.

Then, full details of the Malaysian spec-car Mondeo came about last month, when the 1,562 kg offering began its preview rounds. Standard equipment includes adaptive cruise control, keyless entry/push button ignition, dual-zone auto climate control, fog lamps and 10-way powered front seats.

There are also auto headlamps/wipers, front and rear parking aid sensors, an electronic parking brake, leather steering wheel/gear shift knob as well as paddle shifters and rear air-con vents. There’s also MyKey, which allows the programming of various features such as setting the maximum speed limit, a seatbelt reminder and the maximum volume of the audio system.

The Mondeo comes equipped with a SYNC 2 infotainment system with an eight-inch LCD touchscreen and rear-view camera, and the accompanying Sony audio system features nine speakers, Bluetooth connectivity, USB and aux inputs as well as Voice Command for phone, music and climate controls. No navigation though.

It’s powered by the 2.0 litre EcoBoost engine carried over from the previous fourth-gen CD345 Mondeo, which was of course sold here (first in its 203 PS form). As such, you get the same 240 PS at 5,300 rpm and 345 Nm at 2,300 to 4,900 rpm state of output tune as found previously.

The transmission is different now though. The six-speed PowerShift in the old car, which was the wet clutch Getrag 6DCT450, has been replaced by a conventional six-speed torque converter unit, the GM-Ford 6F35 SelectShift. The unit is also seen in the Ford Kuga.

Exterior kit includes adaptive LED headlamps, daytime running lights, dual exhausts and auto fold wing mirrors, complete with puddle lamps. The Malaysian Mondeo wears 17-inch double five-spoke alloys wrapped with 235/50 tyres (Michelin Primacy 3s on the preview units), which arguably looks a bit small on the car.

As for safety equipment, the list reads as such – ABS, EBD, ESC, traction control, hill launch assist and Isofix mount points as well as seven airbags (front, thorax, curtain and driver knee).

Curiously, as pointed out by an eagle-eyed reader, the inflatable rear seatbelts that are standard fit on the Australian Mondeo were seen on one of the preview drive cars – it’s not regulation kit on the Malaysian car, so it might be a case of those rare ‘just comes with them’ samples popping up.

Our Mondeo comes equipped with Lane Keeping Alert + Aid, but LKA is the only item in the arsenal of Safety Pack items to feature here – no BLIS and lane departure warning, nor is there the Active City Stop, enhanced Active Park Assist or Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection seen on higher-spec Australian models.

Four exterior colours are available for the new Mondeo, and they are Tectonic Silver, Frozen White, Panther Black and Ruby Red. As for pricing, the 2015 Ford Mondeo EcoBoost goes for RM198,000 on-the-road without insurance (RM203,771 with insurance, identical to the estimated RM203,800 price bandied initially). The CBU offering comes with a three-year/100,000 km warranty as well as a three year/60,000 km free service package.