I’m a car nut from way back and just do not care for the gaping catfish mouth grille with the big black plastic bumper running through it. Ford didn’t start the trend, Korea and Japan did, and isn’t the worst offender, but it just doesn’t look good. A car that I love, the Subaru BRZ, even has it to some extent, but would look better without it. Groupthink. There are more ways than one to handle the front fascia of a car or truck.
IMHO they are trying to use the Grille / DNA of the Fusion which is almost Aston Martin-ish. Keeping the common theme and trying to rap that look around interesting shapes as you noted might get a little dicey.
FWIW, it may look different in person. Last week I got to see a bevy of C7 Corvettes in testing ( pre-production possibly for resale ) on the road. I thought the car was awful from the pictures in the media. In person it is a Land-Shark, oh my what a looker. Other than the goofy taillights :-)
THAT is freakin ugly.