Ford Mondeo Estate Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Ford Mondeo Estate range
Prices: £16,945-£27,045 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 7-14
Emissions: 156-222g/km
Performance: [TDCi140] 0-60mph 9.3s / Max Speed 130mph
Fuel Consumption: [TDCi140] (urban) 37.2mpg / (extra urban) 57.6mpg / (combined) 47.9mpg
Safety: Twin front & side airbags, twin airbag curtains, ABS, ESP
Dimensions: Length/Width/Heightmm 4830/2078/1512mm WHO TO SEE:

ESTATEMENT OF INTENT

Our Rating: 7.9 / 10

Like the Ford Mondeo but need more luggage capacity? Say hello to the Mondeo Estate. Steve Walker reports

Given the choice, I’d take the estate version every time. Actually, let’s qualify that a little. There’s always the odd rogue monstrosity that people use to beat you over the head with after this kind of sweeping statement so let’s say that where one is offered, I prefer the estate versions of most modern cars. The bigger boot obviously helps but a saloon or hatch will often look better in estate form. It’s the visual lengthening and lowering of the car’s silhouette by the flat roofline that tends to tip the balance and Ford’s Mondeo Estate is prime example of the estate effect in action.

Aesthetically, if not in terms of sales, the estate has benefited greatly from the proliferation of MPVs. With these bluff, boxy people-movers becoming the staple choice of family buyers looking for ultimate space and practicality, the modern estate as been freed to grow sleeker and more thrusting in appearance. Now more likely to be titled sport wagon or sport tourer rather than plain old estate, these vehicles tend to deliver a more cohesive design proposition than before. They’re also less commonplace on the roads and you get the extra practicality of that bulked-out load area in the rear to boot.

The Mondeo Estate is available with the full range of engine options meaning the entry-level choice is a 108bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine which is alternatively available in 123bhp form. The 2.0-litre 143bhp unit comes next, then there’s the 159bhp 2.3-litre option and the range-topping 2.5-litre 217bhp five-cylinder turbo unit. This most powerful petrol option has real character and pace, capable of 0-60mph in 7.5s whereas the refined entry-level choice takes 12.6s to do the same. Mainstream diesel customers get either 1.8 or 2.0-litres but the 1.8-litre is offered in 98bhp or 123bhp form while the 2.0-litre comes with either 128bhp and a 6-speed automatic gearbox or 138bhp and a 6-speed manual. There’s also a 175PS 2.2-litre TDCi engine in the flagship Titanium X Sport model. The automatic option is also available with the 2.3-litre petrol. The most powerful diesel takes 8.1s to go from 0-60mph and the entry-level model takes 12.4s. Around 70% of all Mondeos sold will be diesels.

Ford really has got the dynamics of the latest Mondeo well sorted. Some have bemoaned the loss of a little directness from the steering and feedback from the wheels but most Mondeo buyers will be delighted to pay that price for its exemplary comfort and low noise levels when cruising. Besides, it’s still just about the best handling car in the medium range sector, standing comparison with the top offerings from the compact executive class above. The suspension can clunk over potholes and drain covers when you’re pressing on down your favourite B-road but it’s beautifully balanced as it carves through corners and can be genuinely enjoyable on any road. The estate is available with self-levelling suspension at the rear to help it cope with big cargos and the lift back bodystyle actually has almost 160% more tensional rigidity than the its predecessor, which accounts in part for that polished driving experience.

At 4.8m long and nearly 1.9m wide, the Mondeo Estate is a big car and the impression of size stays with you whether you’re in the back seat, at the wheel or standing outside looking at the thing. Most buyers will be attracted by these capacious dimensions rather than the Mondeo Estate’s elegant lines and with a massive 542 litres available in the boot, who can blame them? Fold down the 60/40 split rear bench and that capacity more than trebles to 1,733 litres. That’s one big boot and its usefulness is enhanced by tie-down points in the floor and fixing hooks for a luggage net. There’s also a 12v power supply in the rear for charging your appliances and the Estate comes with a full length load cover to shield the car’s contents from prying eyes.

The design team has also paid great attention to interior detailing, and examples of this include new generation infotainment systems, plus the next generation of Ford's Human Machine Interface (HMI). This easy to use system features the same steering-wheel toggle switches seen on new Galaxy and S-MAX, but introduces