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There’s a lot we don’t know about the camouflage prototype you see here, which is believed to be a new crossover SUV from Ford called the Fusion Active. We know it was spotted recently near Ford’s development center and testing ground in Dearborn. And we think it’s aimed at the US market in the next year or two.
It’s also not the first time we’ve seen this boxy, wagonesque Fusion in public. A test vehicle wearing a similar camo was captured at the North Pole in March, and since then, it appears that different taillights have been installed. It also appears that some of the faux panels at the rear have been removed, as the test vehicle wasn’t very bulky along the roof and rear. Looking closely at the rear hatch, there is a kind of bar or sharp body line that runs horizontally that connects to the taillights, curving downwards.
11 Photo
There are several Chinese market Fords that could be working behind the scenes on this new Fusion. The Equator is an SUV that debuted last year, offering three rows of seating in a package that is very similar to the test vehicle we see here, at least in terms of overall form. There’s also the Ford Evos, a wacky crossover coupe with a face similar to the Equator, wrapped in a slimmer package that sits slightly lower to the ground.
We see aspects of both in this Fusion Active prototype. The shape of the Equator’s box fits well, but sits lower like the Evos. Judging from the front of the prototype, it appears that there are indentations in the camo wrap at the corners of the fascia, similar to the drive lights on the Equator. Both Chinese models have wide grilles with narrow headlights, and we suspect that’s what you’ll find under the cover of this test car.
How about under the hood? If it borrows from the Equator or Evos, it’s likely to run the 2.0-liter EcoBoost with an eight-speed automatic in Ford’s version of the C2 platform. It’s also the platform used for the Maverick, meaning the Fusion Active could offer standard front-wheel drive with optional all-wheel drive.
With the Ford Edge expected to end next year, the time is right for Ford to inject new blood into the midsize SUV segment. That could mean a debut later this year or sometime in the first half of 2023.
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