Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Sat 7 Jan 2012 18:20
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - 475TBJ

According to Ford, 1,349,571 Mondeos have been sold in the UK since launch.

MkI 1993-95: 333,844
MkII 1996-99: 384,877
MkIII 2000-02: 227,960
MkIV 2003-06: 226,105
MkV 2007-09: 126,370
Mk VI 2010- 50,415

Seems people are falling out of love with the Mondeo. No doubt buying prestige brands, small 4 x 4 or the ever practical MPV.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 7 Jan 2012 18:25
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - jamie745

Ive said before that the Mondeo's problem is its too expensive for its core market - fleet buyers. Company car tax is based on list price (making discounts irrelevent) and emissions and the Mondeo simply doesnt stack up on both counts. Any middle management company car driver will tell you a BMW 3 series is better value than a mid range Mondeo.

The new Mondeo is also too big and too expensive, sales of the Fiesta and Focus are evidence that the British public arent falling out of love with Ford as a brand. 10 years ago a Mondeo was that default affordable family purchase, not anymore.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 7 Jan 2012 18:30
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - tanvir

This is all due to sales figures for that class of car falling. Nowadays a 'family car' is a small MPV/4x4/Crossover thing.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 7 Jan 2012 18:33
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - jamie745

Well thats a fair comment. If you compared the Insignia's recent sales figures to the Vectra's figures in 2002 it'll probably show a reduction. Same goes for the equivalents from Peugeot, Renault etc. The sales figures show 8 of the top 10 for 2011 are small hatchbacks (Corsa, Focus, Fiesta, Astra, Golf etc).

The Nissan Qashqai outsells the Mondeo now.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 7 Jan 2012 18:31
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - 475TBJ

I'm puzzled the BMW 3 series competes with a Mondeo. I expect it does on price but not size.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 7 Jan 2012 18:35
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - jamie745

I'm puzzled the BMW 3 series competes with a Mondeo. I expect it does on price but not size.

Because size isnt everything. The 3 series outsells Mondeo's on the private market also with plenty of people swapping to smaller cars now as small cars arent small anymore. The typical company car rarely sees its back seats get warm, all they want is something nice to drive which wont break down with iPod and phone bluetooth etc. 3 series has plenty of room for laptops, carpet samples and all the other crap a modern sales rep needs.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 7 Jan 2012 19:42
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - bazza

it's a competent car but it's gone too large for everyday easy use. The damn thing is huuuge! Too big for driveways, parking spaces, etc. i believe it's a bigger car than the old Granada, which was massive. And like Jamie says, competition from the so called premium brands on lease costs and snob appeal.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 7 Jan 2012 19:44
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - daveyjp
Current Mondeo is larger than the last of the Granadas.

It is far too large, as the OP states an MPV makes more sense for a family. The 2.0 tdci auto I had as a courtesy car was a dog, very noisy in the cabin. Ford skimping on sound insulation.

Last week I saw a Mondeo saloon, I didn't even know they were available!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 7 Jan 2012 20:45
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - outlier

The BM has a better diesel injun than the Mondeo. For Co car drivers it is monthly leasing rates, not the purchase costs: this favours lower depreciating vehicles over those with higher built in discounts.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 7 Jan 2012 23:24
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - Avant

I agree with Jamie and others: this class of car is mainly sold to fleets and a user-chooser, unless (s)he really needs the space, given the choice between a 3-series and a Mondeo will go for the BMW every time, with the blessing of the fleet manager who gets a car which will hold its value much better.

The Mondeo's direct ancestor was the Cortina, and I think the current Focus is about the same size as the original Mark 1 Cortina.

The other threat to the Mondeo is of course Skoda: the Octavia and Superb are both cheaper than equivalent Mondeos, good car though the Mondeo is.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 7 Jan 2012 23:51
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - colinh

The large size is a function of Ford's "world" models - presumably they have to design for "large-boned" Americans.

The (not very good) photo of the next version of the Mondeo seems to show it hasn't decreased in size:

www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/260786/

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 8 Jan 2012 00:01
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - jamie745

Well thats just it isnt it. The people the Mondeo needs to appeal to are fleet buyers, those are the people the Mondeo's numbers have to stack up for and the fact is they dont. They've made a car which doesnt make sense to its core market and is too big for most private buyers. Its the same length and wider compared to a 5 series which leaves the Mondeo competing with Merc C-Classes and BMW 5-series' which is where it was never supposed to be and it cant compete in that sector either.

Whoever mentioned the Granada is right, the Mondeo is longer and wider than the last generation Scorpio which in the late 90s was deemed pretty large! Its not even like the Mondeo comes with all the toys and leather as standard, the old Granada's were Merc-luxury for Ford money, it felt like getting something for nothing but the market has changed since then and the big-saloon-with-rubbish-badge just doesnt sell anymore. Thats what killed the Scorpio/Omega/etc.

The Mondeo's direct ancestor was the Cortina, and I think the current Focus is about the same size as the original Mark 1 Cortina.

Its interesting you mention that as i know for a fact the mk5 (last generation) Cortina saloon was about the same size all round as the mk1 and mk2 Mondeo's. We can say all cars have inflated in size but i still theorise the Mondeo's problems came when the Ka was introduced. Ford's flagship small car - the Fiesta - then got bigger, the smallish Escort was replaced by the bigger Focus and the Mondeo is now shoved into massive-executive size segment. Its like everything had to move up a class when the Ka came in and the Mondeo essentially occupies a class which Ford hasnt operated in since the Scorpio ended production.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 8 Jan 2012 00:42
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - unthrottled

Cogent thoughts Jamie. I suppose making a car bigger is an easy way to make it appear 'better' than its previous iteration. Since the width of a car is governed by the size of existing infrastructure, the largest model eventually becomes too large to be practical and is then retired.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 8 Jan 2012 07:51
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - 475TBJ

the big-saloon-with-rubbish-badge just doesnt sell anymore

Apart from Skoda!!!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 8 Jan 2012 07:56
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - Trilogy

Ford said there wasn't a market for that size of car when the Scorpio was dropped. Seems they've been proven correct.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 8 Jan 2012 08:20
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - 475TBJ

jamie, Its interesting you mention that as i know for a fact the mk5 (last generation) Cortina saloon was about the same size all round as the mk1 and mk2 Mondeo's. We can say all cars have inflated in size but i still theorise the Mondeo's problems came when the Ka was introduced. Ford's flagship small car - the Fiesta - then got bigger, the smallish Escort was replaced by the bigger Focus and the Mondeo is now shoved into massive-executive size segment. Its like everything had to move up a class when the Ka came in and the Mondeo essentially occupies a class which Ford hasnt operated in since the Scorpio ended production

100% correct! V W has done the same thing. People are saying how wonderful the new VW UP is by being small etc. Really its just a replacement for the Polo MK1, albeit 30 years late!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 8 Jan 2012 09:44
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - RT
Its interesting you mention that as i know for a fact the mk5 (last generation) Cortina saloon was about the same size all round as the mk1 and mk2 Mondeo's. We can say all cars have inflated in size but i still theorise the Mondeo's problems came when the Ka was introduced. Ford's flagship small car - the Fiesta - then got bigger, the smallish Escort was replaced by the bigger Focus and the Mondeo is now shoved into massive-executive size segment. Its like everything had to move up a class when the Ka came in and the Mondeo essentially occupies a class which Ford hasnt operated in since the Scorpio ended production.

Ford, like GM, have made each new version of established models a little bigger, better equipped, more expensive and more profitable than it's out going version - this required the Fiesta and Nova/Corsa to be introduced underneath the Escort/Focus and Astra - more recently the Ka and Agila needed to be introduced beneath the Fiesta and Corsa.

At the top end of the range, the big Granada was replaced by the Sierra-based Granada/Scorpio which was in turn replaced by the ever bigger Mondeo - GM have done exactly the same, replacing the Senator by the Omega which in turn was replaced by Vectra-C/Insignia.

So the Cortina which was 2nd in a range of 4 models (Anglia, Cortina, Corsair, Zodiac) has been succeeded (eventually) by the Mondeo which is the largest of 4 models.

It's clever marketing - it gets an ever increasing revenue from brand/model loyal customers.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 8 Jan 2012 17:47
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - ChannelZ

Perhaps people are just keeping their Mondeos for longer?

I used to change cars every 18 months when I drove Vauxhalls, then I bought a Mondeo. I've had it 2 years now, and no intention of changing it any time soon. It's 7 years old with 70k on it, and it's not busted and old feeling like the Vauxhalls were by the time they were 5 years old.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Jan 2012 00:10
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - IRC

"Perhaps people are just keeping their Mondeos for longer?"

Sounds reasonable to me. I've had my 2002 1.8LX Mondeo for 6 and a half years and the plan is to replace it at the end of 2013 or early 2014 if it keeps passing MOTs with minimal work. At under 70K it'd still on it's original clutch, exhaust and hasn't cost much other than wear parts like brakes tyres etc.

I do a low mileage so I don't need great MPG. I'm 6ft2 so I like a big car. The ability of the Mondeo boot to swallow the odd big load like a sideboard, a washing machine, or a bike is great.

As for replacing it? I thought about MPVs. But I like the Mondeo handling and it's superb for the infrequent long motorway trips I do. I agree the Mondeo is getting huge but that isn't an issue in my driving areas or for parking at home.So it's looking like I'll buy another 3-4 year old Mondeo. I've driven various other makes and models at work and the Mondeo holds it's own with them. A great car.

By the way, as a newbie here my thanks to all the contributers here. It looks like a great forum with a lot of knowledger and good discussions where people retain the ability to politely disagree as well..

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Jan 2012 00:27
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - Avant

Welcome to the forum, IRC. Nice to hear from someone who's happy with their car: in the nature of a forum like this you hear more about problems.

A 3-4 year old Mondeo is a great choice if you do a low mileage: someone else has suffered the initial (huge) depreciation and iof you choose carefully you've got a good car with lots of life left in it - and good to drive too.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Jan 2012 11:09
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - TeeCee

I think it's just basic economics.

People have worked out that buying a pricey new car with the blue oval of depreciation stuck on it is not a good idea.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Jan 2012 19:37
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - mss1tw

Have Ford sorted their rust problem on the Mondeos?

A mate's 53 plate Focus has bubbles starting on the arches, and his N reg mk 4 Fiesta I had for a while was riddled with corrosion - structural and cosmetic.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 Jan 2012 09:45
Ford Mondeo - Falling out of Love - simonrh

Well for what it is worth, I have just taken delivery of a brand new mondeo estate as a company car.

I want / need something big as a I have to tow heavy stuff for work occasionally and also sail boats at the weekend (whilst having to transport a baby too and fro) all of which needs weight and room. I just do not want an MPV they're just not my thing (and due to having a weaker floor pan becasue of the clever seats the galaxy can tow less).

I tried a hyundai santa fe (perfect but far too tax heavy)

I tried a skoda superb elegance (nice enough all round but continually couldn't get seat comfy, no 7 digit postcodes in sat nav, horrible wheels on "eco" version and boot was OK sized rather than huge, phone system wouldn't work correctly with my iphone when I tried it)

Looked at new passat (tax light but thoroughly uninteresting in my price rangeand unlikely to get a discount - we buy direct, small company)

I had an insignia estate up until April this year so knew what to expect from those.

I tried the mondeo "eco" and thought - with all the options I could get in my budget - that is was by far and away the better car. Big useful boot, super comy leather seats with power and memory (like skoda), first class driving / cornering (much better than all the others), and in Titanium X trim a much nicer looking car in the right colour compared to the skoda et al. It feels so much better assembled that Insignia and can hold more while be easier to navigate because it has "square" corners that the insignia didn't.

It's not fast but then a 115BHP diesel was never going to be, but I get to keep much more of my salary for the year.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link