The Ford Falcon XR6 replacement Australia deserves? 2022 Ford Mondeo ST-Line unveiled as new sporty large sedan that could revitalize a rapidly shrinking segment

Mondeo is back after a short absence, this time with the flagship ST-Line.

Ford has unveiled the next-generation Mondeo flagship ST-Line, and the new sporty large sedan follows in the footsteps of its spiritual predecessor, the Australian-made Falcon XR6.

Like this; Mondeo is still alive - at least in some markets. It was reported to have been pulled from sale in Australia in mid-2020 due to slow sales, but has now been relaunched in China, where Ford has partnered with local automaker Changan to produce another batch in the series.

The new Mondeo, of course, debuted last month, but now a top-of-the-line ST-Line variant has been introduced, giving the big sedan more sportiness, much like the XR6 did the regular Falcon.

So what makes the ST-Line different from the Mondeo package? Well, it has unique front and rear bumpers, a mesh grille insert, bespoke 19-inch alloy wheels, a trunk lid spoiler and gloss black exterior trim.

Inside, the ST-Line stands out less from the Mondeo crowd: sports seats, ambient lighting, red accents and an ST-Line badge on the dash.

However, the ST-Line's interior still features Mondeo's impressive 1.1m-wide dash, consisting of a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a whopping 27.0-inch 4K touchscreen.

Now, despite the obvious desire for performance, the ST-Line is powered by the same 177kW/376Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine as the other front-wheel-drive variants of the Mondeo. It is mated to an eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission.

Measuring 4935mm (with a 2945mm wheelbase), 1875mm wide and 1500mm high, the Mondeo ST-Line is close in size to the Falcon XR6, so could it come to Australia as a spiritual successor?

For now, the Mondeo ST-Line is a China-only model, but that doesn't mean Ford Australia won't be able to offer it in the future. Though such a move is unlikely as local buyers continue to ditch traditional passenger cars in favor of SUVs. Keep for updates.