History
Debuting in 1993, the Ford Mondeo was the latest in a long line of saloon cars from the US-owned firm. It directly replaced the Sierra, which had in turn replaced the Cortina.
Immediately proving popular with the public, the Mondeo was a leading light in the saloon car market at a time when that body style was en vogue; the British Touring Car Championship was on the BBC making Accords, Cavaliers and Mondeos look cool, and the sensible saloons were moving from forecourt to driveway at a rate of knots.
A comprehensive facelift of the first-generation Mondeo came in 1996, before the second-generation model arrived at the tail end of 2000. It sported a much-refreshed look and silhouette, and featured a refreshed engine range, including several borrowed from sister firm Mazda.
A true performance variant of the Mondeo also arose for the first – and so far only – time, that being the impressive ST220.
The second-generation car received a mild facelift in 2003, before the next version arrived in 2007.
The third-generation car marked quite the change of pace, with styling applauded by many on debut. It even became a Bond car, courtesy of a brief appearance with Daniel Craig at the wheel in Casino Royale.
This version of the Mondeo was in production until 2014, with a facelift halfway through its life. During this generation’s lifespan, saloons appeared to thoroughly fell out of vogue, with owners switching over to crossovers and hatchbacks.
Many had moved away from the Ford; the situation a far cry from the ubiquity that led to a whole sub-section of the UK population being branded ‘Mondeo men’ by then-Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The car that followed it – the current model – would have to face a changing landscape.
Latest model
When the current car debuted in 2015, it was evidently not as dramatic of a refresh as the switch between the 2007 and its predecessor.
It gained good press exposure initially for its grille, which looked somewhat like that of Aston Martin’s signature front-end furniture. But once everyone calmed down over the novelty of the Mondeo cosplaying as a DB9, what were we left with?
The answer was a slightly more upmarket take on the Mondeo, which made some sense, given the only saloons still selling well by this time were models from premium marques such as BMW.
Behind the wheel, the Mondeo handles well for something of its weight and size, and it is fairly comfortable for the most part. However, as you would expect, the ST-Line models with sports suspension and large alloys have a harsher ride.
Several publications have noted that the Mondeo is rather disappointing to drive compared to its predecessor. Yes, it handles well, but many reviewers have noted that it is too light at times and a little heavy at others, meaning it’s all too easy to lack faith when cornering at a decent speed.
Value for money
At one time, the current Mondeo seemed a little over-priced, but a price cut in recent times has gone some way to making the car seem like good value.
At £21,495, it is now the better part of £1,000 cheaper at base spec than the Kia Optima, while the Ford’s sister car – the Mazda6 – is worth a minimum of £2,000 more.
Of course, its price tag is also much smaller than similarly sized vehicles from premium marques.
On the used market, examples with high miles and an MOT can be found for under £500. These will – of course – be cars of a certain vintage, typically pre-2004.
Third generation cars can also be had for well under £1,000, though you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything with under 125,000 miles on the clock for under £1,500. Decent examples with half of that mileage can be found for under £3,000.
Current generation models came on the market in 2015, with the cheapest used examples available at roughly £7,500; these cars are likely to have little more than 80,000 miles on the clock, and will typically be in the cheaper Zetec spec.
Nearly new models represent good value, with high-spec Titanium and ST-Line trim cars available with around 5,000 miles on the clock for less than £18,000.
Looks and image
Almost five years on, the novelty of the Mondeo wearing an Aston Martin-esque grille has rather faded, and the car now looks rather dated alongside most rivals, which have almost all received updates since this car debuted.
The perception of this car being an admission of no ambition or ability to stand out has rather subsided, with crossovers being a far more mainstream choice. You’ll still be hard-pressed to stand out from the crowd in a Mondeo, not that this is necessarily a bad thing.
Space and practicality
When it comes to boot space, the Mondeo isn’t class leading – that honour falls to the 586 litres offered in the Volkswagen Passat – it is still fairly impressive. The Mondeo’s cargo opening is good for 550 litres of luggage, which puts it clear of Kia’s Optima and the Mazda6.
Inside, the Mondeo is fairly adept at seating adults of all sizes, with the only occupant who may struggle for headroom being the unfortunate soul assigned to the back bench’s middle seat. In addition, there are plenty of cubbyholes to compliment the boot space if you’re packing heavy for one reason or another.
Engines
The range of engines for the Mondeo was slightly slimmed by the arrival of new emissions regulations and tests last year, but there are still plenty of options to be had.
The least powerful engine in the line-up is the 148bhp, 2.0-litre diesel. Only one other diesel variant is offered; a 187bhp version of the same engine.
In the petrol stakes, the only non-hybrid option is a 163bhp, 1.5-litre engine, while a 184bhp petrol-electric hybrid is also available.
Running costs
The most economical engine is the 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel unit in 148bhp trim, with economy of up to 61.4mpg. And, overall, the diesel units are comfortable the most economical, with all of them able to achieve over 50mpg, per the official figures.
The hybrid unit comes close, with a touted 52.3mpg matching that of the 187bhp diesel.
The Mondeo sits fairly high on insurance groupings, weighing between 15 and 31 depending on specs.
Things to look out for
Driveshaft problems appear to be fairly common for the Mondeo, and will likely make themselves known through steering and chassis vibration. If you notice any untoward vibrations when testing a second-hand car, stay well clear.
Electrical issues are also common, primarily with the car’s climate control, which can behave erratically.
However, overall, the Mondeo is a solid choice, with Ford having a decent – but not exceptional – reputation in the reliability stakes.
Rivals
Rivals for the Mondeo include the Volkswagen Passat, Kia Optima, Hyundai i40 and the Mazda 6. Meanwhile, it can also be a viable alternative to the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and other premium saloons.
Depreciation warning
The Ford Mondeo doesn’t fare too well in the depreciation stakes, either. Despite the brand’s attempts to move the car to a more upmarket buyer, it still doesn’t quite have the draw of something like a Volkswagen Passat, which will hold its value a little better. Be prepared to drive a hard bargain with the dealer.
The fact the Mondeo is so popular also works against it in the used market because there’s no shortage of cars in the classifieds.
