Ford Mondeo to get SYNC2

Ford Australia will offer its next-generation Mondeo with the same SYNC2 infotainment system as found in FG X-series Falcon – a vehicle the Mondeo is tipped to replace beyond 2017.

On sale from Q2 this year (2015) the Mondeo's SYNC2 infotainment system will include a WiFi hotspot function, emergency number dialling and voice-activated Bluetooth connectivity. Like in the Falcon, the system is operated via an 8.0-inch high-resolution colour touchscreen and Ford reckons the system is said to offer Mondeo buyers a technological advantage over its immediate rivals.

"Ford aims to deliver the latest technology and having an in-vehicle Internet capability is significant point of difference between Ford and other local manufacturers," said Ford Australia's vice president of marketing, sales and service, Graeme Whickman.

"A WiFi hotspot is a clear differentiator between Ford and the Australian large car competition," he added.

Ford says the new Mondeo will directly target the top-selling Camry with "10 advanced technologies" the Toyota mid-sizer does not offer, including a turbo-diesel engine it claims is more fuel efficient than the

Camry Hyrbid (5.1L/100km versus 5.2). It is anticipated, however, that Ford will also offer a hybrid version of its new Mondeo, due here in the second-half of 2016, though has yet to provide fuel consumption figures.

Last year the Camry out-sold every vehicle in its class, including the Mondeo, with a yearly total of 19,670 units – although roughly 80 per cent of those sales are to fleet buyers for use as company cars. The Ford Mondeo sold just 2953 examples over the same period and it will also compete with the likes of Hyundai's new Sonata, Subaru's updated Liberty and the strong-selling Mazda6.

Ford neglected to name the other nine advantages of its two-body, three-engine Mondeo range, but says the two USB 2.0 ports of its SYNC2 media hub, simple software updates and adaptable wireless connectivity reduce the system's susceptibility to obsolescence. It says SYNC2 is ensured of "forward compatibility" with whatever connectivity technology comes next, without additional cost down the track.

The SYNC2 infotainment system continues to include an emergency assist function that automatically calls 000 if involved in a collision, informing emergency services to your GPS co-ordinates should you not be able to. The Mondeo will join more than 10 million SYNC-equipped vehicles globally in providing the service – a number expected to grow to 14 million by the end of this year.

While Australians are getting their first taste of SYNC2, Ford is about to roll out an even newer version of the system in the US, dubbed SYNC3. Unlike the current system which uses a Microsoft backend, SYNC3 will make use of BlackBerry's QNX platform. It's not clear when the new system will be offered in Australia.