1999 Ford Mondeo Si 2.0 16v petrol from UK and Ireland
Summary:
Does anything you ask of it
Faults:
Vacuum pipe split
Thermostat went faulty stopping the engine warming properly.
General Comments:
An utter bargain at 3 years old.
Practical, well engineered car that does most things very well. Good performance from the 2.0 Duratec engine, but it can be a little vocal at higher revs.
Jackie Stewart's influence (chief chassis consultant during the design phase) still detectable in the handling and the feel of the controls. Of course it's no Porsche beater, but the weighting of the steering is near perfect, the gearbox is slick, the brake servo assistance beautifully judged and the turn-in crisp. Takes my old A4 apart as a driving tool in every respect.
Lots of interior space with a good sized boot. Rear seats fold flat to give a vast load area for a hatchback.
Very plasticky and cheap looking inside after the A4, but build quality better than appearances suggest. It's the materials that are the problem.
Excellent reliability - car has a very tough, unburstable feel to it.
Dealer backup fair - plenty around and reasonable labour charges as main agents go, but they're not the last word in customer care.
Zero image, and it looks a bit long in the tooth these days, but still one of the best compromises between drivers car and family workhorses on the market without spending ten times as much. Not a car for badge snobs, but the family man who likes to enjoy himself in a car when the kids are safe at home won't do better for anything like the money. A joy to drive hard.
Recommended.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 16th October, 2006
7th Jun 2010, 07:08
I am from Africa Kenya and I own a 99 TD Mondeo, it's a beautiful car and very rare to find on this side of the continent.
My experience with this car has been a very good one, considering that getting spares for this can be frustrating experience. I've had it for three years and I got it with 150000kms, it's a very economical car, and if you adjust the fuel advance valve, it becomes a powerful beast, especially when overtaking because of the torque surge.
The ride and handling fact is a high score for me compared with the Japanese cars I've driven eg Toyota Premios, Mitsubishi Galants etc, considering that it's still a family car and not a sports car. It's been a very reliable car, and I would recommend it any time to anyone.