2013 Ford Mondeo Graphite 1.6 TDCi Econetic from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Best all round car for the money

Faults:

Not much in my one year of having it. Suspension a little rattly at the front, will get it checked out soon, but no advisories at last service/MOT.

General Comments:

My "Graphite" Mondeo is a fairly rare lower range model (most are zetec) but still has lots of electrics and alloy wheels. The car also has a rear spoiler and privacy glass in the rear; I suspect someone specified some options when new. In general if you want more electronic toys however go for the "Titanium" models.

Interior is very, very comfortable. Vision is good all round for a modern car. The car handles excellent and is smooth in town and on the motorway.

Everyone says the 2.0 TDCi is the one to go for, but I beg to differ, this 1.6 TDCi "Econetic" may have lackluster performance, but give me fuel economy any day especially now with the current cost of fuel. It is not that slow and you will get a genuine 60 mpg all day with various driving conditions, compared to the 2.0 diesel which realistically will only get about 50 mpg at best.

Overall I just love this car, and the 2008 - 2014 Mondeo was the best one in my opinion.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th November, 2022

2013 Ford Mondeo Eco Titanium X 1.6 TDCi from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Nice, but avoid the 1.6 engine

Faults:

Suspension ball joints needed replaced, had the brakes done as well at MOT time, I have done every service and the car has full history.

A/C is weaker, and the driver's console display is a bit slow to load up.

Cosmetically the car is OK for its age, though there is rust starting just beneath the driver's door.

General Comments:

The comfort levels on the Titanium X Mondeo are as good as it gets, this car has everything. Leather, heated / cooled seats, all electrics inside, you name it, it has it. I think it looks really good as well, especially in metallic panther black with original alloy wheels, and rear windows tinted.

The ride is smooth and the car handles brilliantly. So this brings us on to the car's biggest disappointment - the 1.6 "Eco" diesel engine may be very economical allowing you to get 60 mpg +, but it takes around 12 seconds to get to 60 mph. Not a fast car at all. Buying again I would go with the 2.0 TDCi - no irritating start/stop, nice performance and a solid 50 - 55 mpg, I can live with that.

For now I can also live with the 1.6 diesel though, I suppose it is not so bad given the current cost of fuel, economy is sought after. In short people always say the Mondeo is the perfect all round car, and I would agree, but be very choosy with engines and specs and do a lot of research first yourself to make sure you get the right car for yourself.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 13th October, 2022

13th Oct 2022, 18:23

There are worse engines though. There is a bog standard 1.6 petrol that is neither fast nor economical. A later 1.6 "ecoboost" is supposed to better. And the 2.0 petrol performs great but 37 mpg is rubbish nowadays and that's what it does.

For diesel there is an earlier 1.8 TDCi which wasn't too great as far as I am aware, the rest is just 2.0 TDCi engines with varying levels of horsepower, but all are supposed to be good. I'd say your 1.6 diesel probably isn't that bad, somewhere in the middle of all those engines.

2013 Ford Mondeo Zetec Business Edition TDCi 2.0 turbo diesel from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Love this Mondeo

Faults:

Nothing much beyond what I would call normal wear and tear; I have the car serviced on time and it has given little trouble. Suspension ball joints at the last MOT were the biggest expense, but no big deal at the age and mileage. Air con is no where near as good as it used to be.

General Comments:

What a great looking car in dark blue with the rear window tints and 17 inch alloy wheels, plus subtle boot spoiler, this car looks amazing. The Zetec Business Edition is the one to go for if you cannot find a top of the range Titanium model Mondeo. Even the base models are well equipped with electrics.

Driving this car is relaxing and the interior is huge. Seats are very comfortable and the driving position is excellent. A little blind spot as per modern cars, but overall visibility is good. The 6 speed manual can take a bit of getting used to if you are only to used to using 5 speed manuals as I had been for many years before. Handling is smooth and responsive.

Ford claim this car will do over 60 miles per gallon; in reality you'll get 50 something. I dare say the smaller 1.6 diesel could manage 60+, but this 2.0 TDCi is the one to have - far better performance and is still reasonable economy and cheap enough to tax also.

It has been my personal car for 5 years now and has been one of the best all round cars I have even had, and I have had lots of cars. The Mondeo will never be anything special, but it is respected by those in the know as a reliable economical car. I gave running costs a little lower scores because some repairs can be expensive (especially to diesels), but that is the reality of modern motoring as applicable to all cars. I also plan to keep this even longer, not keen on the more modern 2015 onward's Mondeo, far too many electronic items and stuff I just do not care about. The 2007 - 2014 Mondeo was the last of the proper Mondeos in my opinion, and there are lots of used examples out there to choose from, highly recommended.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th January, 2022

2013 Ford Mondeo Zetec 1.6 TDi from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Good all-rounder

Faults:

The car came with a full service history and appears to only have minor wear and tear repairs/consumable items. No major faults thus far.

General Comments:

Decent looking car in metallic blue, the Mondeo is a good all rounder, handles well and is very comfortable. Only had this a month or so, but put a couple of thousand comfortable, reliable miles on it.

Interior is OK, a bit too plastic for my liking, but hey it's a modern car. Climate control is better laid out than most I've seen on modern cars - I actually intuitively understand the controls this time for change.

The 1.6 TDi is a good all round unit with decent acceleration and averages over 60MPG if you drive carefully. The Zetec model is mid range with electrics and good equipment levels as standard.

Compared to my previous car, a 2007 Volvo S40, it is bigger and just as sharp to drive. Before that, many years ago I've had lots of cars, including a Mercedes C-class and a Ford Mondeo MK1 from the early 1990s. All great cars which lasted a long time, so my only concern is will this car last? This sparked a bit of a debate in my previous review, but the facts about modern cars are this - they are expensive to repair and seem to only last as long as the average car from two decades ago. Being a diesel, I've heard horror stories of DPF and dual mass flywheels causing mayhem, and various other expensive electronic repairs. I hope as long as I look after this one, there should be no major problems, but any sign of trouble I will likely sell it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th May, 2019