Ford Mondeo (2015 – 2021) Review

Ford Mondeo (2015 – 2021) At A Glance

4/5
Honest John Overall Rating
The Ford Mondeo once served as a barometer for the state of the country. Now it’s been pushed aside by SUVs, but remains a comfortable, capable family car.

+Impressive quality and refinement. Rides well with keen handling. Very spacious and practical interior.

-Steering isn’t as sharp as previous Ford Mondeos. Bumpy ride of ST-Line models. Some of the diesels are quite noisy.

Insurance Groups are between 17–29
On average it achieves 76% of the official MPG figure

Politicians used to talk about ‘Mondeo Man’ as a mythical average voter. Those days are long-gone as SUVs have replaced the Ford Mondeo in many people’s affections and driveways, but it remains a sound used buy thanks to its spacious interior, comfort, fine driving manners and all-round ability. It’s always stacked up well next to the Mazda 6, fleet favourite the Vauxhall Insignia and the redoubtable Volkswagen Passat, so read on for our full review of the Ford Mondeo.

The Ford Mondeo still makes a strong case for itself by providing premium quality and comfort at a price that most family car buyers can afford.

Like the previous Ford Mondeo, this is a big car. In fact it’s only slightly shorter than the Jaguar XF but has the same wheelbase as its predecessor. Ford worked wonders with the styling, adding a dash of coupe-like flair to the profile that makes it appear a lot less bulky than the model it replaced. 

Yet it still has huge amount of space inside, with a massive boot and lots of rear legroom that rivals the Skoda Superb and makes the Ford Mondeo a comfortable fit for up to five adults on a long journey.

The cabin is refined, too, and the high level of standard equipment on the later models (built from 2018 onwards) means you get the likes of touchscreen navigation, dual-zone air-con and a centre armrest for the rear seats. 

Consequently, it’s an ideal motorway cruiser helped by economical engines, low road noise and a supple ride quality. The engine line-up includes a 1.5 TDCi diesel that emits just 94g/km and will average more than 78mpg according to the claimed figures.

Originally, the engines started with a 150PS 1.5 four-cylinder Ecoboost (manual or six-speed auto), 1.5 TDCi diesel and Ford’s trusty 2.0 TDCi. The top engine remains the 240PS 2.0 SCTI Ecoboost, which comes fitted with a six-speed torque converter auto, in contrast to the 2.0 TDCi’s PowerShift auto.

For the first time there was also a Ford Mondeo Hybrid.

Running throughout this Ford Mondeo is a feeling of quality previously unseen on any model from the firm. As a used car, it remains an attractive and very capable choice for families.

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

Ask Honest John

Does my Ford Mondeo have DAB+?

"I have owned a 2016 Ford Mondeo Titanium Mk5 from new and the vehicle has been highly satisfacory and trouble free. However I am concerned that the advent of DAB+ will render many stations unobtainable. I am having difficulty in establishing whether or not the radio is DAB+ and if not, can it be changed, modified or fitted with an adaptor?"
Whether your car can received DAB or DAB+ depends on when it was manufactured, so it may already have this facility. One way you can check this is to go to the Digital Radio UK website here: getdigitalradio.com/post-code-checker/ and see which DAB+ stations are transmitting in your area and see if you can receive them in your car. Your SYNC system may require an update, so we would also suggest resetting and rescanning the available stations on your audio system. It is unlikely that your system can be made compatible with DAB+ if it is not already, although you may wish to consult a car audio specialist. Alternatively you could stream DAB+ stations through your smartphone, or replace the audio system with a more modern aftermarket system.
Answered by David Ross

How much is my Ford Mondeo worth?

"I gave my car to a local garage to have substantial repairs done. The repairs were largely completed and the owner of the garage was giving it a last test drive in person after running the car on a ramp. I am advised that the car started smoking, caught fire and is a write off. I have not seen the car in person. The owner of the garage is insured but his preferred route is to pay me out personally. My insurers won't advise the cars value unless I go through their claims process. The car is a 63 plate (registered February 2014) Ford Mondeo Estate, Titanium X with Business Pack. Unusually, this car had a 1.6 turbo petrol engine and not a diesel. The engine was also replaced under warranty by Ford so had less miles than the car. The mileage of the car is 138k, the new engine had only done 102k miles. The car had a full Ford Main Dealer service history. The car had a new catalytic converter and stainless steel exhaust fitted that I we had agreed a cost estimate of £1500 (I have not paid anything for the repairs). May I ask what you think the car is worth?"
This is unfortunate and it appears that your garage wishes to reach an amicable resolution, but this doesn't take away your right to make an insurance claim if you can't reach an agreement with the garage. In this case we would estimate you car to have a replacement value of around £4500-£5000 so you should be looking to get this back from the garage. If they agree then this seems a fair solution, but if not then your insurer can claim against the garage.
Answered by Craig Cheetham

Can you recommend a car with electric memory seats?

"My wife and I share one car (Toyota Avensis Tourer estate) which we are thinking of replacing within 12 months. We have a height difference of 10 inches between us and have found the memory function on the electric driver’s seat to be really useful. Unfortunately, most new cars, including the Toyota Corolla, don’t seem to offer it. Can you please help identify any that have this feature?"
There is still plenty of new cars that offer electric memory seats but it's often restricted to the high-spec versions or optional equipment. It's more common in larger family cars than the Corolla, (the outgoing Ford Mondeo has electric memory seats on top-end versions) but the Peugeot 308 SW GT lists it as optional equipment and the Vauxhall Astra Ultimate gets a memory function as standard.
Answered by Lawrence Allan

Economical car for £10,000 budget?

"I need an extremely economical and reliable car to last three years whilst I go to university. I have £10,000 to spend. I’ve got about 100 miles a day of motorway mileage most days to commute to uni. I’ve looked at the Honda Civic, Ford Mondeo, Kai Optima, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, I just don’t know what to go for that is the most economical. I will probably spend the extra and get a warranty for three years to give me extra peace of mind but I am so lost as to what to go for."
A diesel Volkswagen Golf would be a good option. It'll be very frugal and you'll get a newer car for your money compared to a 5 Series/E-Class etc. You could also look at the Skoda Octavia - not quite as classy as the Golf but bigger and mechanically very similar. Check out our Real MPG for an idea of real-world running costs: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/real-mpg/
Answered by Andrew Brady
More Questions

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