Ford Mondeo Zetec 2013 Review

Ford Mondeo Zetec

Price: $37,740 (MRLP)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 149kW / 300Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch
Wheels / Tyres: 17x7.5 / 215/50
Fuel / CO2: 8.0L/100km / 187g/km
Safety: Seven airbags / Five-star ANCAP

ON THE ROAD
The oldest of all models in this comparison, the Ford Mondeo is still a major player in the Medium car segment. It out-performed newcomers and segment veterans alike when it came to on-road behaviour and dynamics in general.

The Ford’s tractable manners were invaluable when it came to cornering and overall steering feel. Perfectly weighted and joyfully accurate, the Mondeo’s steering was point-and-go at its best.

Powering through challenging corners on our test track and the road, the well-balanced chassis and torquey engine of the Mondeo more than proved its worth. And the dual-clutch transmission worked flawlessly – right gear, right time with a smooth, unruffled gear change. It devoured the long sweeping bends and steep-descending corners of our test track with ease.

Despite being equipped with the most powerful engine on test (11kW and 50Nm more than its nearest rival, the Mazda6) and the only turbocharged engine here, the Mondeo felt the heat in performance testing. It finished equal second with the Mazda6, edged out by the smallest of margins (see breakout box) by the top-performing Camry.

It was a shame, then, that the Mondeo’s braking performance was not as good. The Mondeo ranked as the second-worst stopper in this company finishing only a mite better than the Honda Accord.

The Belgian-built Ford was frugal, averaging 7.3L/100km – making it second best in this company.

At the end of our testing, there was little debate as to the superior nature of the Mondeo’s on-road credentials. It was the judges’ choice for its predictable behaviour and on-road vigour, and was let down only by its poorer braking performance.

The omission of satellite navigation was perhaps the Mondeo’s biggest value bugbear, especially when three of its four competitors offered satnav standard. Additionally, each competitor had a reversing camera; the Mondeo made do with front and rear parking sensors only.

Metallic paint is listed as a $385 cost option; making Mondeo one of only two to charge for the glittery privilege.

On the plus side, the driver’s front seat did offer electric height adjustment and the telephony system was equipped with voice activation.

Where it fell down in equipment levels, Mondeo gained in after-sales support. While the warranty mimics the industry standard (three years/100,000km), 12 months of roadside assistance is included.

Ford’s capped-price servicing plan is also the most comprehensive here, with seven years/105,000km(whichever comes first) covered. Service intervals are every 12 months/15,000km, with the first service fixed at $330.

In terms of resale, RedBook.com.au advises that a 2010 Mondeo Zetec (the commencement of the current MC-series bodystyle) retailed for $36,240 when new and now returns a median private-sale price of $18,500. This corresponds to a retained value of 51.05 per cent – third-best on test.

Pairing a smartphone with the Mondeo required the deletion of one other previous user first and it was not altogether intuitive. Once paired, however, the smartphone readily streamed music through the audio system as it should.

The sound system must be switched on in order for the Bluetooth hands-free to function. So those who want to drive without audio will be sorely disappointed, if slightly dismayed.

The graphics for the readout in the LCD display in the audio system head unit are low resolution and ‘very’ orange.

In the instrument binnacle, there's a much higher-resolution menu of icons, but they're hard to fathom initially. What looks like a Bluetooth symbol, for instance, actually represents 'radio'. Another icon for external music source input looks like a slide-out shelf for a workstation.

Being at the forefront of the information and entertainment technology revolution in 2007, the Mondeo misses out on some of the more rational ergonomic updates in more recent models.

Other elements pointing to the Mondeo's age include the key-locked ignition barrel, rather than a push-to-start button.

Sound reproduction from the audio system was far and away the worst on test and there was no separate locking button for the doors.

The Mondeo came with hill start assist, obviating one specific reason for its lever handbrake, but plenty of people still prefer that over the foot-operated parking brakes of the Accord and Camry, or the electronic brake of the Malibu. The Mazda6 was the only other car in the comparo reliant on a lever handbrake.

The Mondeo remains a great drive but for the comfort and convenience features 90 per cent of buyers want in their cars, it has fallen below the required standard.

The bottom line suggests otherwise, however. On test, the Ford proved to be a middle-class runner in overall packaging, with the smallest boot, and real-world interior dimensions that placed it behind the front-running Accord and Camry.

It measured up well in terms of front headroom, but was mid-field in rear headroom, overall legroom and shoulder room. And its 528-litre boot fell short of the biggest-on-test Malibu’s 545 litres.

Of course, sheer space isn’t everything. What the Mondeo offers in terms of passenger and cargo capacity needs to be weighed up against other criteria. Indeed, the hatchback configuration actually makes it more versatile than any of the sedans featured here – especially that of the Honda Accord.

In the sub $40,000 Zetec form as tested here, it proved to be a slightly sparse in terms of standard gear – virtually no power adjustment in the seats (driver-height only) and cloth trim where some others had leather.

The seating was comfortable (although some testers found the cushioning a bit too firm) with good grip provided more by its fabric covering rather than its fundamental shaping.

The Mondeo’s driving position is on par and sight lines are satisfactory – until you get to the obstructive hatchback rear three-quarter view.

A solid feel to the action of the doors set the Mondeo in good form, as did an interior boasting a clean contrast of hard and soft plastics lifted with cloth and faux-metal garnishing. The leather-clad steering wheel was neat and the navigation of most controls was easy to understand, if a little fiddly (the heating and aircon controls especially).

The Mondeo’s carpet was among the best here and the appearance of the passenger and cargo compartments was both uniform and visually clean. There were no real NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) issues to speak of and no annoying rattles.

Paint finish was above average in this company and the panel gaps uniform, despite being a little wider than most on test. We also noted that the hatch was quite heavy to operate and the reach to close it was difficult for shorter drivers.

Unfortunately it wasn’t all good news. The engine bay’s exposed insulation matting on the firewall and loose wiring adjacent to the loom connectors was a letdown.

We also noted extensive use of raw black plastic in the grille apertures which lowered the tone of an otherwise tight front fascia.