Ford Mondeo Estate (2015 – 2021) Review

Ford Mondeo Estate (2015 – 2021) At A Glance

4/5
Honest John Overall Rating
Although no longer available new, the Ford Mondeo Estate still ranks as one of the most roomy and versatile family wagons you can pick.

+Excellent blend of enjoyable driving and comfort. Spacious load area. Practical and well finished cabin.

-Volkswagen Passat Estate offers more technology and a better load area. 19-inch wheels impair ride quality.

Insurance Groups are between 17–30
On average it achieves 77% of the official MPG figure

Once upon a time, all an estate needed to be considered worthy was a vast load bay. Then the Ford Mondeo changed all that and successive generations improved on the formula. The 2015 Ford Mondeo Estate is one of the best of the breed in the used market thanks to its excellent driving dynamics, quality cabin, comfort, equipment and, of course, that big boot. Read on for our full Ford Mondeo Estate review.

In terms of size, the Ford Mondeo Estate offers 525 litres of space with the rear seats in place and 1630 litres with them folded. Ironically, the hatchback has more space with the rear seats up, but in reality, the estate is much more practical due to its boot shape, with a larger opening making it better for carrying bulky items.

The Volkswagen Passat Estate is a little more practical than the Ford Mondeo Estate and it offers even more high-tech features. A Mazda 6 Tourer delivers a keen drive, but is not as refined as the Ford Mondeo Estate, while the Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer can’t match it for all-round appeal.

Only the Skoda Superb Estate edges ahead of the Ford Mondeo Estate in every area that matters. With low running costs, competitive prices, a spacious load area and excellent driving dynamics, the latest Ford Mondeo Estate is a terrific choice.

As with the hatchback, it offers a great blend of enjoyable handling and comfort. The Ford Mondeo Estate rides quietly and smoothly, even over rougher road surfaces, yet offers a good level of engagement and precision through twists and turns. That said, the ride quality is upset by the fitment of larger optional alloy wheels.

The engine range is broad, with two petrol options and three diesels. The petrol range initially kicked off with a 1.5-litre 160PS Ecoboost, while there was also a 240PS 2.0-litre, which was joined by a 1.0-litre Ecoboost in April 2015.

Diesel options comprise a 1.6-litre with 115PS and a 2.0 TDCi with either 150PS or 180PS. Ford also offered the Hybrid engine with the estate body towards the end of the car’s production life.

The 1.6-litre diesel manages a low CO2 figure of 99g/km, making it free to tax. The more powerful diesel options aren’t much more expensive to run, however – and they offer far more useful performance, especially on the motorway.

The Ford Mondeo Estate has up-to-date safety and convenience technology, including adaptive cruise control, lane assistance, automated parking and the latest SYNC 2 infotainment system. This is far easier to use than previous Ford infotainment systems, with intuitive controls and a clear display.

Fancy a second opinion? Read heycar's Ford Mondeo Estate review.

Ask Honest John

Best estate car to fit fishing gear in?

"I need a small van or estate car to put my fishing gear in. It will not do more than 1,000 miles a year. I do not want to spend more £2,500 on it but need to fit rods, an items up to seven feet long. What would you suggest?"
Skoda Octavia Estate or Ford Mondeo Estate. Avoid diesel engines and automatic gearboxes at this price point, as the maintenance and repair costs will be huge for a car that's 10 or 12 years old.
Answered by Dan Powell

Best estate car for a taxi business?

"I am considering buying a three or four-year-old Ford Mondeo or Skoda Superb estate for my taxi business. Are there any issues with the auto gearboxes, on either of these cars?"
Yes - the Powershift automatic gearbox used in the Mondeo can be troublesome. DSG gearboxes uses in Skodas can be problematic, but we've not had many issues reported with diesel Superbs. If you want the ultimate in reliability, I'd look for a Toyota Avensis.
Answered by Andrew Brady

What's the best petrol estate for £10,000?

"I am keen to buy a mid to large petrol estate, good to drive, room for four adults and gear. I do 5k to 8k miles a year - mixed town and country and want something with a perky modern and economical engine. Would a Mondeo 1.5T EcoBoost do? Or something else to consider? I can spend around £10k."
A Mondeo sounds like a reasonable choice if you can find a petrol one. Our money would go on a Mazda 6 but test drive one first - its 2.0-litre petrol engine might not appeal if you're after a small, turbocharged unit. Also consider a Honda Civic Estate - it's smaller but very practical and should be reliable.
Answered by Andrew Brady

Is the Ford Powershift automatic gearbox reliable?

"I've got about £8k to spend on a big auto estate - so naturally the Ford Mondeo is an option. However, I've heard bad things about Ford's double clutch Powershift gearbox - tales of it failing at low mileages and needing existing repairs. In your view am I taking back risk buying a car with this box?"
The six-speed wet clutch Powershift in a Mondeo can be okay as long as the fluid and filter are changed every three years or every 38,000 miles. But most owners refuse to go to that expense (£200 +) and that's why the wet clutch Powershifts fail and gain a bad reputation. Dry clutch Powershifts (in Fiesta, etc) do not require a fluid change, but the dry clutch packs in them fail anyway and they deserve their poor reputation. Ford has now ditched Powershifts in favour of six-speed and eight-speed torque converter autos in everything.
Answered by Honest John
More Questions

What does a Ford Mondeo Estate (2015 – 2021) cost?