USED Ford Mondeo Estate (00 - 07)

My car

I have had this Mondeo with autobox for 18 months. Apart from some minor problems with link rods on the rear suspension it has been faultless. It drives well in all conditions and cruises comfortably on motorway trips. Fuel economy and tyre wear has been very good.

I hope the new model due next year retains the virtues of this model. I would rate this as one of the best value for money cars for all round family use.

My car

Do What Car? ever read these reviews themselves? I have my doubts. For the Mondeo Estate they give 4 stars for reliability and state "Fords best efforts are unlikely to let you down". Yet here many owners, myself included are recounting tales of terrible quality and reliability. This is not unique to Mondeo reviews. Across this site owners have described unbelievably bad experiences with all sorts of cars that What Car? continue to praise for quality and reliability. Surely the contents of these reviews provide a valuable data base of real world experience that What Car? should include in road test reports.

ED - We do read and consider every reader review we receive. Click here to see our full response.

My car

I have been the happy and contented owner of a Ghia 128bhp six-speed for over a year now and must say that my experience with both car and dealer (Lindsay Ford, Coleraine) has been without parallel. The car was 11 months old and had been run by one of their branch managers, so it had taken that first big drop in value.

The car is a dream to drive - the engine is silky smooth and delivers an abundance of performance with a 47mpg average. I use cruise control where ever I can and when it is appropriate do so.

I recently had a Mercedes C220 Avantgarde auto out on test for an afternoon and was very glad to get back into the more comfortable and responsive Mondeo. Even a test drive in a 153bhp Mondeo left me disappointed, I expected performance to be noticeably different/better than my 128bhp model - not so. (Superchips have, apparently, found 128bhp Mondeos to be pumping out 143-145bhp in standard form)

I have found my Mondeo to be a surprisingly comfortable, fast, economical, well specified and finished car. Based on my experiences with car and dealership I would have no hesitation in recommending the Mondeo and am waiting eagerly for the new model to appear.

Gripes - why only one remote key?

My car

I had this mondeo for six months and it never let me down once.

It handled really well for such a large car and returned a good mpg

September last year though it was involved in a massive crash with two other cars (not my fault)at 50 mph. If you saw the car you would think it was fatal but i managed to walk away all be it with a fractured pelvis. The car saved my life

Don't take any notice of the "yeah but it's a mondeo" brigade. THEIR WRONG. There are reasons why they're rep cars:-

They're Reliable, Economical, Comfortable, Practical, Safe and very well equipped. Enough said.