Item: Used Ford Mondeo 2007 - 2014
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

The Mondeo’s arch rival is the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/insignia/hatchback/review/n17370">Vauxhall Insignia</a>, which went on sale in 2008 and looks classier inside and out. However, it’s cramped in the back and nowhere near as enjoyable to drive, due to limited grip and a choppy low-speed ride.

Volkswagen’s Passat is much more worthy of your consideration. Like the Mondeo, it can seat four adults in comfort, and, while it’s no classier inside, it has a more logical control layout and is a quiet and comfortable cruiser that makes light work of long journeys.

Another car that should be on your shopping list is the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/hatchback/review/n39">Skoda Octavia</a>, which comes with the same range of efficient diesel engines as the Passat.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter <a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

Most Mondeos are solid and reliable, but there have been some engine issues reported, with a few 2.0-litre diesels cutting out unexpectedly while being driven. Dealers can solve this with a software update to the car's ECU.

The keyless entry and ignition system on high-spec models can stop working, stranding owners or locking them out of their cars. The problem is an intermittent fault, however, and doesn't always show itself.

Data from CAP Derwent – a scheme which pools repair information from some of the UK’s biggest vehicle leasing firms to predict when parts will need to be replaced – shows that the Ford Mondeo gets through bulbs and wiper blades faster than the average family car.

However, while a typical rival suffers problems with its electrics after 58,000 miles and needs its air conditioning serviced or regassed after 33,000 miles, a Mondeo can generally go at least 65,000 miles before either of these things need attention.

The Mondeo is also slightly easier than its rivals on brakes. And it can typically cover more than 100,000 miles before you need to worry about the cambelt, clutch, diesel particulate filter, engine or suspension.

The Mondeo is reasonably reliable. A reliability score of 67% in our latest survey isn’t the greatest, but neither is it appalling – so if you find a car that’s been well looked after and keep it maintained properly, it should look after you in return. What’s more, it’s worth keeping in mind that when Mondeos do break down, they’re usually cheap to fix.

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Hatchback

Ford builds some of the most popular cars in the UK, including the Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks.

This success is partly down to longevity and the fact that there’s a Ford dealer around every corner. However, it’s also because Fords tend to offer good value and be among the best cars in their respective classes to drive.

The company’s huge range also helps; it offers everything from the small – but surprisingly practical – Ka+ to the large and lavishly equipped Edge SUV.

Meanwhile, other highlights of the range include the S-Max and Galaxy people carriers, the Mondeo executive car and the Ranger pick-up.

FORD

MONDEO

This Ford Mondeo is still one of the best family cars you can buy, because it relaxes you as much as it exhilarates you, and has all the space you’re likely to need

Used Ford Mondeo 2007 - 2014

Servicing the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/ford">Ford</a> Mondeo isn't too expensive, but it's worth shopping around because main dealers' prices can varysignificantly, and it’s also worth considering competent independents.

Depreciation is one of the biggest costs with a Mondeo, and by buying used you’ll avoid that initial hit. However, its value will continue to fall throughout its life, and choosing the right model will make a massive difference.

The larger petrols are very thirsty, so only buy these if the price is very low. Also remember that you shouldn’t pay a big premium for a Titanium car, no matter how many optional extras are fitted.

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This Ford Mondeo is still one of the best family cars you can buy, because it relaxes you as much as it exhilarates you, and has all the space you’re likely to need

Older Mondeos with super-high mileages are available for a couple of hundred pounds, but this third-generation car starts at about £1800 for examples that haven't quite been to the moon and back. Expect to pay between £2000 and £4000 for a car with an average mileage for the year, a full service history and one bought from an independent dealer.

At the other end of the scale, you’ll pay about £10,000 for a late, low-mileage 2.2-litre diesel in range-topping Titanium X specification. Alternatively, for about £5,000, you can have a 2013 car with an average mileage.

Of the petrol-engined Ford Mondeos, the most sensible choice is the turbocharged 1.6 Ecoboost from 2010 onwards. The others are either underpowered or will cost a disproportionate amount to run compared with the value of the car.

Of the diesels, it’s the 2.0 TDCi that provides the best blend of power and parsimony, and there are plenty to choose from.

As for specifications, the entry-level Edge has the essentials, but stretch to a Zetec and you'll also get alloy wheels, climate control and rear electric windows. For value, the Zetecs are hard to beat.

Our favourite used Ford Mondeo: 2.0 TDCi 140 Zetec 5dr

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of practical space </li> <li>Low running costs </li> <li>A comfortable ride </li> <li>A healthy equipment list </li> <li>Quality materials and thoughtful touches inside </li> <li>Rock-solid reliability</li></ul>

Family cars arguably have the toughest brief of all: they have to be good at pretty much everything. They’re used as the daily drive, on the school run or work commute (often both), and have to be able to cope with a family’s clutter on weekends and holidays.

The Skoda Scala is a relative newcomer, but it's&nbsp;already carved out a name for itself in this segment.&nbsp;If you're looking for a moderately priced car that combines a supple ride, neat handling, a spacious interior and a capacious boot&nbsp;it's well worth a look.&nbsp;Alternatively, if you're looking for entertaining handling then the&nbsp;BMW 1 Series may well be for you. It's great to drive, rides well&nbsp;and also comes with a top-notch interior, featuring one of our very favourite infotainment systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Toyota Corolla&nbsp;is another great choice. This latest version of one of the world's best-selling cars of all time can be had with a choice of two different petrol-electric hybrid engines, both of which should mean&nbsp;potentially lower fuel bills. It's comfortable, well equipped and should be very reliable, too.&nbsp;

Family

While high mileage need not necessarily be a problem, you do need to check the car has been properly maintained. Try to ascertain the type of use it has been subjected to; a Mondeo that has racked up the majority of its miles as a company car on the motorway will be less worn than one used for private hire that has spent its life in towns and cities, or another that’s regularly towed a caravan.

Many owners complain of loose or rattling interior trim, especially around the dashboard and driver's door, while there have also been reports of seat problems, with the side bolsters of some cars collapsing after only a short time.

The Mondeo was subject to a few recalls during its life, and while these didn’t affect many cars, it’s important to check if they apply to any model you’re considering buying – and if so that the work was carried out.

Large executive hatchbacks like the present-generation Ford Mondeo haven't had such a good time of it recently. The family car buyer has gravitated towards the trendy SUV of late, leaving just the business end of the market to snap up most of these cars, the majority of which are now seen only as motorway mile-munchers specifically for middle management to quarter the country in.

However, this third-generation Mondeo was always immensely popular among those who drove and owned them. It’s hard to fault the way it drives, for one, and it's spacious and practical, too, as well as being reasonably good value to buy and cheap to run. True, the engines aren’t as efficient as those in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/passat/saloon/review/n28">Volkswagen Passat</a>, but the diesels are still far from thirsty. Petrol engines from launch included a 1.6, a 2.0 and fast but thirsty 2.3 and 2.5-litre units. It is the diesels that are the most popular, though, whether in 1.8 or 2.0-litre form or the later 2.2-litre twin-turbo.

Various new engines were added to the range throughout this Mondeo’s life, with significant additions being a 2.0-litre turbo petrol unit with up to 237bhp to replace the old 2.5 and, from the 2010 facelift, new turbocharged petrol and diesel engines of 1.6 litres. At the same time, Ford’s Powershift dual-clutch automatic gearbox was made available.

There was a healthy range of trims on offer, too, ranging from entry-level Edge, through Zetec, which was notably well equipped, with alloy wheels, climate control and a heated windscreen among a whole host of goodies, past Ghia and up to Titanium and Titanium X, which are lavishly equipped but inevitably cost a little more on the used car forecourts.

On the road, the naturally aspirated 1.6-litre petrol engines aren’t strong enough for a car of this size, and the 2.0-litre petrol is only just acceptable. The 2.3-litre petrol is rare and only comes with an automatic gearbox, while the turbocharged 2.5 is fast but thirsty. Instead, if you are going to buy a petrol Mondeo, the best option is the turbocharged 1.6-litre Ecoboost, which was introduced in 2010, at the same time as the Mondeo was given a mild facelift.

Diesel Mondeos are much easier to find, although it’s best to avoid the 1.8-litre because it has a poor power delivery that makes it hard for you to build – or even maintain – speed without making lots of gearchanges. The 2011-on 1.6-litre is much better, as long as you’re not in too much of a hurry, but it’s the 2.0-litre diesel that’s most suited to the Mondeo, with good performance delivered in a smooth and quiet manner. The 2.2-litre diesel doesn't offer much extra in the way of performance, so it's not worth paying a premium for.

Not only is it quiet and comfortable on the motorway, with whichever of those engines you choose, it’s great fun, too, with sharp steering and excellent composure in the bends. For a car of this type, it handles really well, with a balance unknown in other cars of similar size and age. The ride is comfortable, too, confirming that the engineers at Ford were at the top of their game when this particular car was on the market.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/mondeo/hatchback/review/n15">Mondeo</a> is also very spacious inside, with loads of head and leg room for those in the front and the back. Meanwhile, a very large boot and split-folding rear seats add to the practicality.

The limited rear visibility is more of a problem, particularly when parking, and, while the top of the dashboard looks smart and is pleasing to the touch, some of the lower panels feel distinctly cheap.

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Used Ford Mondeo 2007 - 2014 review

Every 2021 Electric and Hybrid Car Awards winner

Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Ford Mondeo hatchback?