SECONDHAND SENSE: When this column began, the current Ford Mondeo was still quite a new car and didn't quite fall under our remit. Now with the next generation Mondeo not all that far away another cycle will be complete and the car that has given us the phrase "Mondeo Man" will be destined to accommodate a whole new generation of commercial and average family drivers.
The Mondeo is the lifeblood of Ford's production in Europe and the car has had to compete at every level to capture the kind of sales required to justify the investment in it. And the car has, in fairness, done a remarkable job of being pretty much all things to all people, combining practicality with style, price competitiveness with customer appeal and reliability with good engineering.
The current model has been around since 2000 when it replaced the old jelly-mould Mondeo as a car that had a decidedly modern appeal. A new design philosophy at Ford at the time dragged the company into the 21st century with cars that had an edginess we had seen before. The new Mondeo did look a little conservative but it was a lot sharper than most of the competition.
The fact that the Jaguar X-Type is built on the Mondeo platform says a lot about what the Mondeo really represents. The car is solid, roomy and practical. When you sit into it you will have a good seating position, except in the rear where the roofline is restrictive for tall passengers, and you will feel safe. Ford deserves every credit for going all-out for safety with the Mondeo. All cars have multiple airbags, ABS and a strengthened passenger frame.
The car drives well with a good combination of ride and handling. Even the base model has a slightly sporty feel to it and you will not feel any excessive roll in corners. The steering is also very good. The interior also feels reassuring with practical and well-located switchgear and most things well thought out. Five passengers will travel in comfort and some degree of style. The boot is also generous and practical to load and there are split folding rear seats.
There is a huge choice of options with the Mondeo, including engines from the entry level 1.8 to big and beefy 2.5-litre petrol options. The diesels are some of the very best in the class and although a little clattery by today's standards, excellent workhorses. Mondeo has a really good reliability record and has had less than 500 cars recalled in recent years for problems with the handbrake and yaw sensors which caused some cars to brake unexpectedly.
This really is an impressive engineering record from Ford.
The car achieved a four-star rating in the EuroNCAP crash tests in 2002 but was criticised for having relatively high passenger and driver chest loads. However, the car was judged to have a "good, balanced occupant safety profile for front and side impacts" and child safety was "particularly good".
Lots of Mondeo sales mean lots of good second-hand options at good prices. Try to avoid very high mileage cars, however.
A 2004 model with a 2.0-litre diesel engine and 26,000 miles on the clock (air conditioning, CD, multiple airbags, ABS and electrics) costs about €20,000. A hatchback 1.8-petrol with 22,000 miles and the same equipment costs about €17,500. A 2002 diesel model will cost about €13,000 for a car with 40,000 on the clock and a petrol one with 36,000 miles will cost about €13,000.
FOR: Great overall package with excellent reliability.
AGAINST: You won't stand out in the crowd.