Ford Mondeo 2000-2007 used car review
The Ford Mondeo is a spacious, family size car that’s great to drive.
The Ford Mondeo is a spacious, family size car that’s great to drive. Unfortunately, reliability issues make it a risky buy.
A conservative and relatively basic medium-size family car, this generation Mondeo was known for its excellent chassis and a big improvement in quality – it is a great car to drive. Sedan, liftback and wagon options are available. The wagon was popular with fleets and easy to find. Most Mondeos are New Zealand-new – only a small number of imports from Japan were available. It was named New Zealand Car of the Year in 2002.
Inside and out
The Mondeo follows Ford’s “Edge” styling theme - straight lines intersected by long curves. The front features a large, dark mesh grille and big headlights. The wheel arches are bold and defined, and roof rails are fitted to all wagons. At the rear, the taillights are huge and run from below halfway up the side of the car to the roof. Their location allows for a wide, low rear door and more visibility for safety.
The same design mix continues inside. Everything feels reasonably solidly built, with nice soft-touch surfaces. The steering wheel has a considerable range of reach and height adjustment. The gauges have a sporty look with their metallic rings and a black background.
The centre console features an oval clock, with the controls for the climate control air-conditioning sitting above the CD player stereo. Controls for the audio system can be found in an unusual pod sitting below and to the left of the steering wheel.
The seats are some of the best seen in a family car of this era – wide and comfortable with reasonable side support. The driver’s seat can be adjusted electrically for height and manually in other directions. Rear-seat head and legroom are good. The centre section is flat and wide, which allows three average-size adults to travel in some comfort.
The boot is massive and easy to use with a low and wide door opening. We think six or more large suitcases will fit in the 540 litres available. Rails on the floor make it easier to slide items around and there are four tie-down points for securing large loads. The rear seat splits and folds 60/40 for longer items. A load cover pulls out to shade your possessions from the sun and view.
On the road
Three engines are available in this generation Mondeo: a 2-litre four-cylinder petrol, a 2.5-litre six-cylinder petrol and a 3-litre six-cylinder petrol reserved for the ST220 performance model. The 2-litre is the most common and produces 105kW and 190Nm.
Transmission choices include a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic which can be shifted manually. Neither the engine nor the transmission is particularly smooth, sounding a little coarse and a little sharp shifting.
The way the Mondeo drives is excellent, one of the best in the class. Steering is well weighted, responsive and offers good feel. Grip levels are excellent and there is little body roll. For a large family car, the Mondeo can be enjoyed on a twisty road. Brake response is good as well.
Chunky rear corners restrict rear visibility in the wagon. Parking sensors and cameras were not fitted at the factory. A camera would be nice to have in this car – you can buy one to fit yourself from $50 or have a professional do it for you from $200.
The high tow rating is a pro for the Mondeo. It can pull 700kg unbraked (a medium-size garden trailer) and 1,875kg braked (a medium-size trailer boat).
Safety
RightCar lists the Mondeo (2003-2007) with a reasonable four-star ANCAP safety rating. Standard equipment includes front, side and curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes and electronic brakeforce distribution. Traction control was fitted to six-cylinder models.
There are no ISOFIX child seat mounts in the rear seat. All three positions feature full shoulder-type belts, which offer more protection than the lap-only type.
Reliability
The 2-litre engine rarely fails but it is known to develop oil leaks that need to be monitored and fixed if they get too bad. Engine mounts are also known to wear out at a higher rate than average. Accessing the engine can be a mission – the bonnet is opened by a lock on the front grille using the ignition key. This lock can wear out over time because it’s at the front of the car - it faces rain and road grit and is not well protected.
The manual can develop crunching noises when you're driving in lower gears and has a fragile clutch system; the automatics are known to fail. On your test drive, make sure the transmission shifts smoothly and doesn't make any unusual noises once underway. Replacement with a used transmission could cost $2,000.
Other small interior items such as electric window switches, buttons and door handles are known to be fragile and have ongoing issues. Cases are beginning to appear of headliner fabric separating from the ceiling. Replacement costs start from a few hundred dollars and they can rise if the area affected interferes with the curtain airbags.
Cost of ownership
Ford recommends servicing the Mondeo every 12 months or 20,000km, whichever comes first. Services cost $269. A large service, which includes replacing spark plugs and fuel filters, is required every 120,000km at a cost of $800.
RightCar estimates that over 14,000km of driving a year, a Mondeo will cost $2,460 to fuel. The 58-litre fuel tank will cost $160 to fill at $2 per litre and should take you 600km before the fuel light comes on.
A vehicle licence for the Mondeo costs $79.62 a year, with the car in the cheapest ACC levy group.
Trade Me Insurance estimates insurance for a Mondeo valued at $5,060 will cost $42.94* per month. This is $2 a month more than the Mazda 6.
Buyers' guide
Mondeo prices are low for what the model offers as its more fragile than Japanese models and not as desirable as the European brands. Cars are available on Trade Me for under $1,000 although these will have significant mechanical issues. Cars in driving condition start from $2,000, with lower mileage vehicles fetching up to $10,000.
Variants
- LX - Features steel wheels, CD player stereo, electric driver’s seat height adjustment, climate control air-conditioning, cruise control, steering wheel audio controls and remote central locking.
- Zetec - Adds alloy wheels, leather steering wheel and fog lights.
- Ghia - Adds body kit, wood trim, leather seats, electric driver's seat and premium stereo system
- ST - On Zetec model, adds sports seats, body kit, sports suspension and sports gauges.
- ST220 - Based on the ST with the addition of a more powerful 3-litre six-cylinder engine.
A small number of this generation Mondeo was imported from Japan, either in GLX - essentially a Zetec - or Ghia specifications.
Timeline
- 2000 Launched globally
- 2001 Launched in New Zealand
- 2003 Given cosmetic facelift
- 2007 Replaced by new model
Details
2005 Ford Mondeo station wagon
$4,000 to $9,000 for models which have travelled 70,000 to 120,000km
2-litre four-cylinder, 105kW/190Nm (claimed)
Four-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Four-star ANCAP
20,000km or 12 months
Space saver
8.8-litres per 100km (claimed)
Regular
4804mm
1812mm
1441mm
700kg (unbraked), 1875kg (braked)
11m
This review covers the Ford Mondeo for model years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Review vehicle supplied by Turners Cars.
*Our insurance estimates are based on a 35-year-old male with no accidents in the last two years, garaging the car in Mission Bay, Auckland. The car is not used for business and will cover 10,000km to 20,000km a year. We estimate with no option add-ons and $500 excess. Customise your estimate at Trade Me Insurance.
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