Ford has created fresh style with the new Mondeo, but it’s entering a competitive market.
This new Mondeo is very impressive in terms of style and driving performance. There has been a two-year wait for it and now Ford is confident that the new Mondeo, due here for January 2015, will boost lagging sales. The new car is more stylish, more spacious and quieter than in the past, with more features too, but not all of which are standard.
This new Mondeo is a solid car to drive. Irish buyers will have the option of a 1.6- or 2.0-litre turbo-diesel model or a new 1.5-litre Eco-Boost petrol car, to be followed by a 1.0-litre Eco-Boost model and a hybrid version.
I drove the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel and the 1.5-litre Eco-Boost versions at the car’s European launch last week. The diesel version will have obvious appeal in Ireland and the 1.6-litre turbo-diesel version will be the bigger seller, due to its lower price and running costs.
The new Eco-Boost engine is not to be underrated. Ford is so confident about this engine technology that it intends to offer a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder version of the Eco-Boost engine as an entry model for the Mondeo range later in 2015. There will also be a Mondeo petrol-electric hybrid version.
The new Mondeo has a sportier and more modern look. At a glance, it’s a design evolution rather than revolution. The new car will be recognisable as a Mondeo, but just a more modern one. The front grille design is particularly strong and gives this Mondeo a new identity. The rear is also upgraded in a design sense, with a lighter magnesium/aluminium alloy boot. Overall, Ford claims that the new Mondeo is 20kg to 30kg lighter than the older model, but the specification sheets don’t agree.
There are significant changes to the design of the car’s rear suspension, which Ford claims gives it better road holding and more comfort. When you see the old and new suspensions in detail, the changes are obvious. I wouldn’t expect many drivers to seek out the mechanical differences though, although I was impressed with what I saw and how it drove.
Ford claims that they are similar to systems used on bigger, more expensive cars like the Audi A6/A8 and BMW models. The impact on the driving ability of the car was impressive as it held the road with no oversteer when put to the test.
In a practical sense, this new Mondeo is more powerful, faster and more economical than the car it replaces. The 2.0-litre diesel version is 20% more economical, with lower CO2 values and lower road tax rates.
The slight downside is that the fuel tank capacity has dropped from 70 to 62.5 litres.
While Ford pioneered the availability of the airbag for volume-selling cars with the Mondeo in 1993, this latest model will be available with new airbags incorporated into the two outer rear seatbelts. Ford claims that, in the event of an accident, the belt rapidly expands to disperse crash forces across a body area five times greater than that achieved by a conventional seatbelt. This is an optional extra at a cost of €200. Ford believes that most drivers will choose it, but it’s just a pity that they haven’t incorporated it into the overall price.
Ford makes a bit of a deal about the standard specification on the entry-level Zetec Mondeo. In spring 2015, there will be a more basic version of the car on offer at a lower price of €28,995.
Standard specification on an all-new Mondeo Zetec include features such as daytime running lights, trip computer, MyKey, SYNC, cruise control, power front and rear windows and auto start stop. For me, there is nothing very special in there for a car in this segment. There are a lot of extra options, but these all come at a cost. Ford’s new pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection is one of the new options. Ford claims that it can detect people in or near the road ahead. When it detects a potential collision, it automatically applies the brakes even if the driver does not respond to warnings. The new Mondeo active city stop will also apply automatic braking to avoid a collision with a vehicle ahead.
Ford dealers will be keen to talk Mondeo come December. This is a good car and one that’s worthy of a look. CL
Ford Mondeo Zetec
Engine 2.0-litre dieselEngine power 150bhp0-100km/hr 9.3 secondsEconomy 22.7km/litre Fuel tank capacity 62.5 litresCO2 emissions 115g/kmRoad tax band A4 (€200)Main service 20,000kmEuro NCAP rating Five starsTowing rating 1,800kgWarranty Three yearsEntry price €28,995NI price £20,795
Ford has created fresh style with the new Mondeo, but it’s entering a competitive market.
This new Mondeo is very impressive in terms of style and driving performance. There has been a two-year wait for it and now Ford is confident that the new Mondeo, due here for January 2015, will boost lagging sales. The new car is more stylish, more spacious and quieter than in the past, with more features too, but not all of which are standard.
This new Mondeo is a solid car to drive. Irish buyers will have the option of a 1.6- or 2.0-litre turbo-diesel model or a new 1.5-litre Eco-Boost petrol car, to be followed by a 1.0-litre Eco-Boost model and a hybrid version.
I drove the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel and the 1.5-litre Eco-Boost versions at the car’s European launch last week. The diesel version will have obvious appeal in Ireland and the 1.6-litre turbo-diesel version will be the bigger seller, due to its lower price and running costs.
The new Eco-Boost engine is not to be underrated. Ford is so confident about this engine technology that it intends to offer a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder version of the Eco-Boost engine as an entry model for the Mondeo range later in 2015. There will also be a Mondeo petrol-electric hybrid version.
The new Mondeo has a sportier and more modern look. At a glance, it’s a design evolution rather than revolution. The new car will be recognisable as a Mondeo, but just a more modern one. The front grille design is particularly strong and gives this Mondeo a new identity. The rear is also upgraded in a design sense, with a lighter magnesium/aluminium alloy boot. Overall, Ford claims that the new Mondeo is 20kg to 30kg lighter than the older model, but the specification sheets don’t agree.
There are significant changes to the design of the car’s rear suspension, which Ford claims gives it better road holding and more comfort. When you see the old and new suspensions in detail, the changes are obvious. I wouldn’t expect many drivers to seek out the mechanical differences though, although I was impressed with what I saw and how it drove.
Ford claims that they are similar to systems used on bigger, more expensive cars like the Audi A6/A8 and BMW models. The impact on the driving ability of the car was impressive as it held the road with no oversteer when put to the test.
In a practical sense, this new Mondeo is more powerful, faster and more economical than the car it replaces. The 2.0-litre diesel version is 20% more economical, with lower CO2 values and lower road tax rates.
The slight downside is that the fuel tank capacity has dropped from 70 to 62.5 litres.
While Ford pioneered the availability of the airbag for volume-selling cars with the Mondeo in 1993, this latest model will be available with new airbags incorporated into the two outer rear seatbelts. Ford claims that, in the event of an accident, the belt rapidly expands to disperse crash forces across a body area five times greater than that achieved by a conventional seatbelt. This is an optional extra at a cost of €200. Ford believes that most drivers will choose it, but it’s just a pity that they haven’t incorporated it into the overall price.
Ford makes a bit of a deal about the standard specification on the entry-level Zetec Mondeo. In spring 2015, there will be a more basic version of the car on offer at a lower price of €28,995.
Standard specification on an all-new Mondeo Zetec include features such as daytime running lights, trip computer, MyKey, SYNC, cruise control, power front and rear windows and auto start stop. For me, there is nothing very special in there for a car in this segment. There are a lot of extra options, but these all come at a cost. Ford’s new pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection is one of the new options. Ford claims that it can detect people in or near the road ahead. When it detects a potential collision, it automatically applies the brakes even if the driver does not respond to warnings. The new Mondeo active city stop will also apply automatic braking to avoid a collision with a vehicle ahead.
Ford dealers will be keen to talk Mondeo come December. This is a good car and one that’s worthy of a look. CL
Ford Mondeo Zetec
Engine 2.0-litre dieselEngine power 150bhp0-100km/hr 9.3 secondsEconomy 22.7km/litre Fuel tank capacity 62.5 litresCO2 emissions 115g/kmRoad tax band A4 (€200)Main service 20,000kmEuro NCAP rating Five starsTowing rating 1,800kgWarranty Three yearsEntry price €28,995NI price £20,795 
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: