For example, the Ford Mondeo comes from AutoBild’s 100,000 kilometer test

This is striking during the complete dismantling of the Mondeo by Dekra:

The Dekra has discovered a bit of rust at the axles. That hadn’t been necessary. On the other hand, everything is very solidly built.

Corrosion on the floor near the luggage compartment.

The hollow parts of the body, on the other hand, are completely covered in anti-corrosion wax.

A star for the transmission, only marginal wear on the magnets in the gearbox.

All blades of the turbo are intact and there is no play on the shaft.

During dismantling, the heat exchangers appear nice and dry.

How did the Mondeo fare before the disassembly?

A trifle like a wrong screw almost brought AutoBild’s endurance test Mondeo to a complete halt. That is a pity, because they have come to know it as a wonderful long-distance car, with well-functioning, modern techniques. He lives up to expectations.

After 58,562 kilometers, the AutoBild endurance tester stood in the workshop, helpless and stripped of its engine. What had happened? A screw from the intercooler had vibrated loose and now the mechanics wanted to know if that was disastrous. In short, the red station wagon had stalled, puffing white steam and losing coolant. End of story or can they drive even further, that was the point now. The AutoBild editors had nothing to complain about the Ford Mondeo. It lived up to the values ​​that the large middle class had been known for for generations: large, spacious and inexpensive.

Mondeo 1.5 Ecoboost

The base price was €37,700; some extras brought the counter to €39,550 for a car with a 160 hp, but 1.5-liter small four-cylinder petrol engine. On the other hand, a top speed of 217 km/h is no slouch and it initially proved to be almost as modest as a diesel with a consumption of 7.2 l/100 km. But the doubts about the small displacement continued to gnaw, all the more so because the engine confirmed a well-known disadvantage: if you pressed the gas more than three quarters, it suddenly started to drink. As a result, the average consumption over the entire endurance test amounted to 9.8 l/100 km, which is a different story. This consumption was the result of frequent autobahn use, where speeds are higher than on Dutch roads.

Well, the little one had a few things to drag along. With a loading length of just under two meters, you can store a lot more in the back, where most (expensive) competitors fail. It didn’t have deep storage compartments in the floor, but mounting rails with lashing eyes (an option) and the accompanying loading system prove once again that Ford knows how to build a station wagon. It would be nice if the belts in the back were a bit longer, because then children can fasten them themselves. The soft seats of the front seats were also too short. Inside it is wonderfully quiet during the ride (double glazing). The infotainment system and electronics, on the other hand, could be better. For example, meters and hands quickly disappear behind the button-strewn steering wheel. The menu info display is too small and the monitor on the center console reflects too much, sometimes reacts slowly and you had to master the operation first. That could be better. This also applies to the keyless entry that unlocks the car quickly, but often closes it again before you have the door handle. Very nice is the fast media connection and the presence of five USB connections in the car.

The electronic suspension control (an option) detracts greatly from a traditional Ford strength, complained one of the German editors. “Comfort mode feels spongy, Normal is so so and Sport is especially hard. Extra stability is hard to find”, he grumbles in the log. The result? Well, passengers in the back complained about bumps, while the stiffly sprung front axle still transmitted bumps from the road surface all the way up to the steering wheel.

In its attempts to make the previously somewhat stiffly tuned suspension more comfortable, Ford has failed to find a good compromise. In addition, strong crosswinds unbalance the Wagon. An AutoBild colleague felt the same way when he wanted to go out with the caravan, but the electrically operated towbar did not come out. At first he looked for the cause in the hard-to-reach fuse box. However, a defective control module turned out to be the culprit upon further investigation in the workshop. It was repaired under warranty.

4.5 liters of oil per 100,000 kilometers

It was also not possible to gauge the oil ourselves, unless we did this with a cold engine and on a flat surface. Only then was the dipstick reasonably readable. Still inconvenient, because the engine still consumed 4.5 liters of oil at 100,000 km. And that is a disadvantage of downsizing the cylinder capacity.

So we are back to the crisis situation with which we started. Has the coolant leaked through a crack caused damage to the engine? However, the compression turned out to be fine and the engine ran normally. So it was installed again and AutoBild was able to continue the endurance test. Afterwards they learned from Ford that this problem has occurred in only thirty Mondeo’s. From that moment on everything went according to plan. Almost then. One bad day, a truck hit the rear. The damage was limited, but during the total dismantling at the end of the journey, the Dekra discovered the first deposit of rust on the underside of the Mondeo.

Ford’s response to rust problem

“The Mondeo with 1.5 EcoBoost engine sold around 6,000 units in 2017. Seven of those cars had the same problem. There were thirty cases across Europe. As a result of this problem, we slightly adjusted production at the end of 2016. Since then a different type of screw has been used. We assume that this has resolved the problem.”

From the last generation Ford Mondeo commonly used ones for sale. Prices start at €8,000 for early 2015 copies, in the last year you could only get the car as a Wagon Hybrid. Copies of that last shift with low mileage are for sale for amounts just under €43,000.

AutoWeek did an endurance test in 2016 with the S-Max 1.5 Ecoboost. Under the skin, that is the same car as the Ford Mondeo Wagon that AutoBild had in an endurance test. In this video you can see what the experiences with the beautifully designed MPV were like.

We made the penultimate Ford Mondeo in 2019 this buying advice video.