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Ford MondeoJune 2007

Recommended.

Much bigger than before - and roomier - good to drive, practical and generally very polished.

76 variants from £17,795 to £30,695

Our rating:

4

User rating:

4
Ford Mondeo
 
 

Fifth Gear Ford Mondeo review

 
 
1. Room and comfort for five
2. Excellent handling and ride
3. Wide range of equipment

WE DON'T LIKE

1. Poor rear visibility
2. Unprogressive brakes of diesels
3. Bigger body makes it harder to manoeuvre
 
 

This is the third generation Mondeo, and the best yet. Available as a five-door hatch or an estate, this car is significantly larger than its predecessor, especially widthways, and provides more interior room as a result. But parking it will be harder, especially as it's not the easiest car to see rearwards from. Progress has been made on most fronts with this latest Mondeo - it's better finished inside, quieter (a weakness of the old model), comes with a much wider choice of electronic equipment that includes adaptive cruise control, voice-activated infotainment systems, collision mitigation equipment, adaptive damping and more. A particularly good feature is a fuel tank design that prevents the car from being incorrectly filled with petrol or diesel. But the essential character of the Mondeo is unchanged - it provides decent room for a family in a comfortable, convenient package that's economic to run, while preserving the excellent handling characteristics that have long made this Ford a good choice for keen drivers.

The petrol engine range starts with a 1.6 and includes a 2.0 four cylinder and a 2.0 turbo, tuned as much for economy as power, while diesels are all 2.0 TDCi units with power ranging from 115 bhp to 163 bhp. Trim levels start with the Edge and work through to Zetec, Ghia and Titanium X. The best engines are the 2.0 TDCi 140 bhp and the Ecoboost 2.0 petrol, whose 203 bhp is available without any trace of turbo-lag (or indeed turbo-dipsomania). But the more affordable TDCi 115 bhp diesel and 1.6 petrol are more than acceptable. The car's additional weight does slightly blunt their performance, however.

Though many will assume that being Ford-badged makes this a workaday and unexceptional car, the Mondeo is impressive for shading not only all its mainstream rivals like the Vauxhall Insignia VW Passat and Renault Laguna, but also challenging premium models like the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4. These German cars might have the name and reputation, but in terms of capability this Ford has them beaten in many key areas - cabin space, ride quality and in many instances handling, to name but three.

Fifth Gear overall car ratings

STYLING

It's handsome, contemporary - and a bit unimaginative, this Mondeo, looking remarkably similar to the VW Passat, for example. 'Kinetic' is the word Ford uses to describe its design style, but this is not as distinctive a sculptural style as the 'Edge' theme that brought us the Ford Ka and original Focus.

HANDLING

It's almost worthy of five stars, so capable is this Mondeo. It's easy to handle (size notwithstanding in tight spots), stable, corners crisply and provides unusually precise steering. It also absorbs the bumps of difficult B roads with great aplomb, though less so if you order the sports suspension. It's also very safe at the edge of adhesion.

COMFORT

Generous cabin space is a good start, and comfortable seats all round complete an impressive picture. Road and engine noise are better damped than they were in the previous Mondeo, making this a pretty civilised car to travel in whether round town or on the motorway, especially as its is ride is above average, especially in standard, non-sport form.

QUALITY & RELIABILITY

Ford has built up an excellent reputation for reliability over the past decade, and it's borne out by independent surveys. This Mondeo is fundamentally more robust than the outgoing model, and also benefits from the higher standards of trim material used inside, particularly for the dashboard assembly. It's not quite up to BMW standards, but it's not so far adrift. The likelihood is that this car will further build on Ford's improving reputation.

PERFORMANCE

With such a wide choice of engines it's harder to generalise, but within their class each of these power units delivers competitive performance, if without being exceptional, because this car is bigger and heavier than average.

ROOMINESS

The Mondeo offers exceptional cabin space for this class (though it should, given its size) and a big, well-shaped boot too. The rear seats fold easily to form a flat floor, the cushion providing a protective bulkhead, and there's slightly more space for dumping junk than is usual, including that rare thing, a space to leave your mobile phone.

STEREO / SAT NAV

The standard stereo is perfectly acceptable, and can be usefully upgraded, while the optional sat nav is excellent, with a particularly intuitive set of easy-access controls on the steering wheel. But it's not a cheap option.

RUNNING COSTS

Ford is a specialist when it comes to paring back service and repair costs - it needs to, to win big fleet deals. An example of its attention to detail is found at the rear, where the part-plastic tailgate (or bootlid) makes light parking damage easier and cheaper to repair. The big question mark hangs over depreciation, which is usually the biggest cost of all - if the Mondeo is pumped out at big discounts, it will not be good.

VALUE FOR MONEY

If you buy at the bottom end of this range, you get a lot of car for your money, and even in its most basic form it comes with everything you'll need except sat nav - though the seat trim looks a bit cheap. Tempting though the high-end models might be, they are the biggest depreciation risk.

ENVIRONMENT

With the latest versions getting below 115 g/km of CO2, the Mondeo is one of the better large family cars. The 2.0 Ecoboost is also a viable alternative to a diesel - more powerful and not much worse for CO2.

This review has been tagged with: Ford | Ford Mondeo

There are 76 variants of the Mondeo

Mondeo variants Price (£) Fuel type Engine
size (cc) 		CO2 emission
(g/km)
1.6 Ti-VCT Edge 5dr £17,795 1596 159
2.0i Edge 5dr £18,295 1999 184
1.6T Eco Boost (Start/Stop) Edge 5dr £18,795 149
1.6 Ti-VCT Edge 5dr £19,045 1596 159
2.0i Zetec 5dr £19,095 1999 184
2.0i Edge 5dr £19,545 1999 184
1.6T Eco Boost (Start/Stop) Zetec 5dr £19,595 1596 149
1.6 TDCi ECO (Start/Stop) Edge 5dr £19,895 114
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Edge 5dr £19,995 1997 139
1.6T Eco Boost (Start/Stop) Edge 5dr £20,045 149
2.0i Zetec 5dr £20,345 1999 184
2.0i Titanium 5dr £20,695 1999 184
1.6 TDCi ECO (Start/Stop) Zetec 5dr £20,795 114
1.6T Eco Boost (Start/Stop) Zetec 5dr £20,845 1596 149
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Zetec 5dr £20,895 1997 139
1.6 TDCi ECO (Start/Stop) Edge 5dr £21,145 114
1.6T Eco Boost (Start/Stop) Titanium 5dr £21,195 1596 149
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Edge 5dr £21,245 1997 139
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Edge Powershift 5dr £21,495 1997 149
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Zetec 5dr £21,495 1997 139
2.0i Titanium 5dr £21,945 1999 184
1.6 TDCi ECO (Start/Stop) Zetec 5dr £22,045 114
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Zetec 5dr £22,145 1997 139
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Zetec Powershift 5dr £22,395 1997 149
1.6 TDCi ECO (Start/Stop) Titanium 5dr £22,395 114
1.6T Eco Boost (Start/Stop) Titanium 5dr £22,445 1596 149
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Titanium 5dr £22,495 1997 139
2.0i Titanium X 5dr £22,695 1999 184
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Edge Powershift 5dr £22,745 1997 149
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Zetec 5dr £22,745 1997 139
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Zetec Powershift 5dr £22,995 1997 149
2.0 Eco Boost Titanium 5dr £23,045 1999 179
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Titanium 5dr £23,095 1997 139
1.6T Eco Boost Titanium X 5dr £23,195 1596 149
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Zetec Powershift 5dr £23,645 1997 149
1.6 TDCi ECO (Start/Stop) Titanium 5dr £23,645 114
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Titanium 5dr £23,745 1997 139
2.0i Titanium X 5dr £23,945 1999 184
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Titanium Powershift 5dr £23,995 1997 149
2.2 TDCi (200ps) Titanium 5dr £24,195 2179 159
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Zetec Powershift 5dr £24,245 1997 149
2.0 Eco Boost Titanium 5dr £24,295 1999 179
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Titanium 5dr £24,345 1997 139
1.6 TDCi ECO (Start/Stop) Titanium X 5dr £24,395 114
1.6T Eco Boost (Start/Stop) Titanium X 5dr £24,445 1596 149
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Titanium X 5dr £24,495 1997 139
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Titanium Powershift 5dr £24,595 1997 149
2.0 Eco Boost Titanium X 5dr £25,045 1999 179
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Titanium X 5dr £25,095 1997 139
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Titanium Powershift 5dr £25,245 1997 149
2.2 TDCi (200ps) Titanium 5dr £25,445 2179 159
1.6T Eco Boost (Start/Stop) Titanium X 5dr £25,645 114
2.2 TDCi (200ps) Titanium Automatic 5dr £25,695 2179 173
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Titanium X 5dr £25,745 1997 139
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Titanium Powershift 5dr £25,845 1997 149
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Titanium X Powershift 5dr £25,995 1997 149
2.2 TDCi (200ps) Titanium X 5dr £26,195 2179 159
2.0 Eco Boost Titanium X 5dr £26,295 1999 179
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Titanium X 5dr £26,345 1997 139
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Titanium X Powershift 5dr £26,595 1997 149
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Titanium X Sport 5dr £26,845 1997 139
2.2 TDCi (200ps) Titanium Automatic 5dr £26,945 2179 173
2.0 TDCi (140ps) Titanium X Powershift 5dr £27,245 1997 149
2.2 TDCi (200ps) Titanium X 5dr £27,445 2179 159
2.2 TDCi (200ps) Titanium X Automatic 5dr £27,695 2179 173
2.0T Eco Boost Titanium X Sport 5dr £27,795 1999 179
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Titanium X Powershift 5dr £27,845 1997 149
2.2 TDCi (200ps) Titanium X Sport 5dr £27,945 2179 159
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Titanium X Sport 5dr £28,095 1997 139
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Titanium X Sport Powershift 5dr £28,345 1997 149
2.2 TDCi (200ps) Titanium X Automatic 5dr £28,945 2179 173
2.0 Eco Boost Titanium X Sport 5dr £29,045 1999 179
2.2 TDCi (200ps) Titanium X Sport 5dr £29,195 2179 159
2.2 TDCi (200ps) Titanium X Sport Automatic 5dr £29,445 2179 173
2.0 TDCi (163ps) Titanium X Sport Powershift 5dr £29,595 1997 149
2.2 TDCi (200ps) Titanium X Sport Automatic 5dr £30,695 2179 173
 

Average

4

User reviews (5)

Leave a review

kieran
4

kieran23 October 2009

well biult but you do wish you can get more thing in the car and the engine is so quite and well price but we have volvo now.

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Mel Glentworth
3

Mel Glentworth31 July 2010

Traded in my most excellent vectra 150 diesel sri, as I do not like the shape of the new GM Insignia. Bought a 2009 mondeo 2.2 175 diesel; my complaint is the tram lining at 30 / 40 mph. On any ridges in the road, the steering wheel can pull either way left to right, making it tiresome to drive. There is no obvious play on the steering and the front tyre wear is very even and at the correct pressures. The tyres that came with the car are 235 / 45 R 17s. These are one of three sizes for that model. However the car is very stable and quite at speed; overall though, I realy miss the vectra and would not choose a mondeo again. Any feedback in this would be well received. Mel G

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AcapulcoBill
5

AcapulcoBill23 December 2010

With eleven cars in the garage, including a new Mercedes, the Mondeo is the car that gets driven daily and always illicits a big smile from this driver when it is fired up. Fantastic build quality, amazing suspension, great steering (for FWD), logical controls and displays, attractive interior and comfortable accommodations, it is hard to find a fault with the Mondeo. Highly reliable and low maintenance. The new high tech electronics are truly cutting edge. Perhaps the Mondeo is not a high performance car, but it is always truly a pleasure to get in, shut the door, and drive away. Highly recommended.

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andy
5

andy18 February 2011

I am on my second mondeo,first titanium x 2.0 143ps tdci 2008,can't fault it.Truly a great car,well built,quiet and an absolute pleasure to drive whether on a motorway or a twisty B road even had 55mpg driving properly.Second,slighty better spec,but 2.0 163ps tdci, fantastic, I love driving this car.Passengers have plenty of room,driver controls are easy to use.Can't wait to get my hands on the 2.2 200ps tdci wow.

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JW
2

JW26 February 2011

Have owned a 58 plate Titanium X 2ltr estate for a year, generally pleased with the car the only downside is the poor ride on anything except motorways. My car is fitted with the standard skinny low profile tyres but unfortunately has not got adaptive dampening. The ride whilst driving is best described as jiggly, feeling every single bump and surface defect in the road, however in the backseats it is downright sick inducing and so uncomfortable. As mentioned in a previous comment the car also seems to tram line onto any raised surface defect in the road. jw

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