CarVertical: The History Checking Service Use this link or code "JAYEMM" for a discount! www.carvertical.com/gb/landing/v3?b=1e4c9523&a=JayEmm&voucher=jayemm&chan=jayemm
@@JayEmmOnCars mild correction - it did come in a 4dr saloon but that wasn't common. It was mainly either a 5dr Hatch (but the lip at the back gave it a saloon look akin to a Skoda Superb), or the estate which as you say also looks smart. I have the Titanium X Sport 2.5T and I think it edges the Titanium X in looks overall as the body looks more stanced, the spoiler is subtle but looks purposeful and the front bumper and rear diffuser add a nice touch.
I discovered these with the 2.5 engine a couple of years ago after watching the Cornish Car Collectors on TH-cam. Since then I was on the search and purchased a beauty in grey back in September. I absolutely love it.
A genuine unsung hero, from the days when Ford knew how to build quality family cars that also were good to drive. Excellent machines. Thanks for taking the time to review it.
@@ChrisPatrick-q6k Only one replacement at 170000ish, original Ford but bought on ebay so money wise it wasnt the end of the world, also the car is quite simple to work on, so I don't mind giving it to the cheapest garages
Mondeo MK3 and MK4 are excellent cars, I have owned both and they were very reliable. Still got a 14 year MK4 and it is still great and the space in the back is like having a little van with the seats folded down. Can't fault them.
Fun fact: Ford had a 2.5T estate at Lommel (their test track in Belgium) as their driver training car for a long time. It was completely stripped out with a roll cage and bucket seats from a racing puma and was an absolute blast to drive
One of the best cars i ever owned. I had a 57 plate, blufin mod to 280bhp. The beauty of it, it looked liked every mondeo, just a littke 2.5 on the side. Really well specced. Great car.
I've had a 2013 2.0 titanium x sport estate for coming up to 10 years now, best car I've ever had. Handles well for a big car ( powerflex bushes help) and it can get a move on with stage 2 mods.
As a 20 year old I do own one of these as an estate which I got for just 600 quid because the auxiliary belt tensioner went and shredded the belt then dragged it thru the timing cover and jumped the timing but after replacing all 20 valves and other bits it has only cost me about a grand and I do love it as a daily driver while my e46 328 is being welded back together.
I’m not a Ford guy but about 15 years back I bought my wife a cheap Ford Ka for a run around and I have to say to you what a brilliant little car to drive, the chassis and steering where brilliant so much so that I found myself driving it more often than my own car.
They also made a Titanium X Sport, which you could spec with this engine. It really looks the part, subtle unique bodykit, 18 inch alloys, lower suspension and fantastic air conditioned seats. That's the one to have.
Yes, I think that came about 2009. You could also choose the reasonably powerful 2.2l diesel, giving 175 hp / 400 nm which in the FL model became 200 hp / 520 nm. I've owned the 2010 pre FL one for 10 years, and it's a brilliant car. Not a race car by any means, but it pulls really well, and still looks good!
I had it in Titanium X with the 2.2 diesel and it was hugely practical, generously specced and went like a train, even with its huge boot full of stuff ❤
I've had 2 of these both in estate form same colour both titanium x trim. during my 20+ years on the road and having got my way through over 100 cars i can hands down say these are the best cars I've owned. all the car you need capable of any challenge you put Infront of it
Remember a Top Gear or Grand Tour Episode where the only car which all three of them would agree was a good car was the Mondeo. Think it was the one when they were mourning the death of the Mondeo
I remember the episode where they were blindfolded and sat in the car with the Ford badge on the steering wheel covered up, and they all drove it, and loved it, even after they found out it was a Ford.
I remember when i was a trade plate driver i collected a Ford S Max and was confused why it had twin exhaust and when starting it realised it was a 5 cylinder engine and it was the same as this one... a great surprise but apparently they put it in the Kuga too
My Father in Law is still tooling around in a 2009 2ltr Petrol Mondeo Edge, absolutely poverty spec with steel wheels and keep fit windows in the back. Its on 197,000 miles and has never missed a beat. As he's 85 I guess it will be his forever car?
Had a 2012 facelift version of this, with the 240bhp 2.0 Ecoboost from the MK3 ST. Was a lovely car, roomy and quick and very well equipped. Did plenty of trips from Hampshire to Newcastle in comfort. Was very sad when it was written off in March.
They’re good cars i own one with the mighty 2.5T bought it with 98K on the clock now im at 155k still going strong after my Focus ST225 is the best purchase
I really love cars that don't attract many second looks but go like hot poop off a plough share. The Mondeo, Volvo V70, 3 Series touring. Fun to drive, practical, doesn't attract "just-stop" type attention, perfect.
Similarly, the 2.5T early S-Max is definitely worth an honorary mention. They're very rare too now (1 on Autotrader on a 56 plate @ £2.5k). All the best bits of the mk4 Mondeo but with even more space/seats and quite a handsome vehicle to boot.
The seats were way worse on the SMax. You were just standing higher but had less thigh support and overall leg space... Only the Galaxy had more space than the Mondeo.
I had a mk3 Ghia and a Mk4 Ghia. In my opinion they were both competent cars, but the mk3 was superior in every way, particularly in build quality, comfort and had far less road noise in the cabin than the Mk4. Thanks for sharing. 👍🏻
I had one of these. 08 Estate Tit X. I still consider it the best car I ever owned. It was cavernous, comfortable and fun to drive. Mine had heated and cooled seats too which was awesome in the summer. I had it remapped and it wasn't far off the pace of the other car I had at the time, which is impressive as it was an dc2 Integra type R.
I had three Mondeos in a row… Mk3 ST TDCi, Mk4 Titanium TDCi, and then the Mk4.5 (facelift of the 4) Titanium X Sport. Loved every single one of them, did everything, without complaint and never let me down. Saw me through a honeymoon, newborn children, caring for elderly parents and many different jobs. Damned shame that Ford UK dropped it from its range. Bought the new Focus (which I love also) but miss the prestige of driving a high spec Mondeo…
I used to have the facelifted variant of this car. Mine was a titanium X sport with the 2 litre diesel engine. I loved that car. It did everything well. It had a colossal boot, it was refined, comfortable, handled brilliantly, was pretty economical and looked good too on its 19" wheels and lowered suspension. Unfortunately my wife put it through a farmer's hedge one night and wrote it off. I still miss that car.
Bro, lol, we have that car, its good, but refined? Are you on drugs? Its noisy, vibrates a lot and cant filter for shit any hops or imperfections on the road. It is way too rough (sporty?) even on standard 17" wheels with plenty of tire.
I have an estate one of these, which I've owned for about 3 years now. Absolutely lovely car. An easy drive, with an innate ability to get on it and shuffle when you need to. Slap some lowering springs, sport shocks, some PilotSport rubber, exhaust, an RS DMF/Clutch and a tune, you're laughing! If you have a heavy foot like me however, don't look at the fuel economy. Too much fun will cause disagreements with your bank...
These are great cars James. I had a 2014 2.2 Titanium X Sport which I absolutely loved. It was super reliable over the 4 years and 120k miles that I had it for and owed me nothing when I sold it. You did'nt mention the seats which have a perforated alcantara mid section as the front seats are not only heated but cooled as well and is one of the many great things about my car I miss along with the huge interior space. Dont get me wrong the 3 series F30 I have now is a lot better in so many ways but the Mondeo had a lot that I miss now.
In Australia they offered mk4 Mondeo with this engine as Mondeo XR5 Turbo. At the time they also offer Fiesta ST and Focus ST as Fiesta XR4 and Focus XR5 Turbo. In line with Falcon XR6, XR6 Turbo and XR8 Ford Australia offer at the time.
Was originally looking at a Mondeo XR5T, however went for the Focus XR5T instead as it suited my needs better... In saying that, the Mondeo XR5T is a better long distance cruiser, has more space, and tend to be less abused on the used market...
I was only recently looking for a cheap car with plenty of space and did look at these, but went with a 2.5 Mazda 6 MK2 instead as I figured this was a bit too big and too expensive to maintain as a daily drive. Now you're giving me buyer's remorse, damn you James!
Useless fact, (from memory at the time), the Mondeo used in the Bond film was actually a mule as it was only the body shell. It was fitted with a basic electric motor to move it along. Sound was then added for the final cut.
I had the original Mondeo V6 24v back in 1995/1996. A cracking car to drive: a great engine and the chassis was streets ahead of the Cavalier 2.0i I ran before it.
Terrific cars, I ran one as a company car for four years. Ford were onto a geat thing from the first Mondeo. It proved that a repmobile could be good value and still great to drive
We have a 2008 Galaxy Ghia 2.3 petrol with the "Converse+" cluster, and a 7 inch colour touchscreen, adaptive dampers, pan roof and full leather- all of which I'm told are rare options!
My friend's Dad had one as a company car in Titanium X Sport. Loved the car. So much better than the Mondeo that came after. I think it was a much better car than our family C-Class too.
I own a 2008 Volvo V50 T5 for which I took delivery in Sweden (I live in California). It also has the same 5 cylinder 2.5L Turbo motor. It is based on the Ford platform, assembled in Ghent, Belgium (along with European Mazda 3 & Ford Focus). I had the opportunity to drive this Volvo from Sweden to Italy & back in 2008 (6 weeks). Upon completion of my European driving adventure, this car was shipped to me in California. I love the broad power band of this turbo motor, pulling strong through out the RPM range.
Came here as I used to have a 2.5 mondeo, only to realise it’s all filmed in and around when I went to school lol. The humpback bridge @ 17:09 is where we used to watch the local Barry boys try and do jumps during our lunch breaks.😂
That T5 engine is very tuneable so this car makes a great base for a nice practical family sleeper. Ditto the S-max with the same engine. Being a Volvo unit they are pretty durable too, unlike the Ford Ecoboost (aka ecoboom/bust) that replace them. These cars are definitely worth saving!
I hope the gent kept his backboxes....hen's teeth are easier to get hold of! Lovely car, mine's similar, but badged up as the Aussie XR5t. Another great video James!
Had a 2.2 TDCI went very well and handled lovely . Would do 60mpg on a run , all you would ever need. So I sold it and got a Subaru Legacy GT turbo Spec B. It doesn't do 60 mpg but it has gold wheels 😁
I had three Mk3 Mondeos, all estates, two manual or automatic which was the Ghia X version. I really miss that car so wanted it's nearerst equivalent so now I drive a Jaguar X Type estate, 2.2 diesel auto in Sovereign spec which is an excellent car. My son drives a 2.2 ST mk3 Mondeo which has been mapped and is very, very quick but averages 50+ mpg on the motorway. Both his Mondeo and my Jag have identical engines and they are reliable and easy to work on and we're really happy with both cars. This 2.5 litre turbo engine is also in the Volvo V50 and I think that would be a very quick and interesting car to drive.
I have one of these. Bought it for £500 with timing issues. Put a new belt on it and its been faultless since. 192000 miles. Nothing beats the amazing noise from that 5 cylinder. Dont want to comment on fuel economy though 😬
LOL - The late George Best at a free bar would ahve drunk less than the 5-pot, still worth every penny of the petrol bill just to hear that engine note!
Lovely video James, thanks for being such a down-to-earth person, who can appreciate an old Mondeo, even though you have Ferraris in the driveway 👌 A Year ago i was choosing between a MK4 Mondeo ST (yes it exists in Denmark and Germany) estate and a Volvo V70 2.5T AWD. Thought the Volvo would be the better choice, but boy was i wrong! It's such a diva, constantly throwing codes and faults, only accepting OEM parts and such. Everything is so expensive to fix and the interior creaks and rattles quite a lot, especially to my dead silent previous Octavia MK2 Combi. Should've gone with the Mondeo 🤦
I agree with all said about the Mondeo. I rented one some years ago and drove from Ukraine to Warsaw. The roads were terrible back then, much worse than British roads, yet I could confidently throw this car around on very bumpy roads, and overtake (in dodgy situations as they always are in Poland-I've seen three cars overtake in parallel on single-lane roads). I reckon I set the fastest time I would ever manage in any car, but also because it is a car I am not scared of breaking. I have no evidence for this but I believe Ford took a lot from Jaguar and the later Mondeos are possibly very close to the XF, maybe set up a little more aggressively at the front suspension. James does very well to describe how this car feels; I would add that it is much like an XF.
I never got around to buying a Mk4 Mondeo. I loved the styling of these things at the time - I saw the new Mondeo at Casino Royale and thought that was one very good looking Ford. I had wanted one then. But Ford in Australia didn't do a particularly good job of marketing them, selecting rather odd trim levels being the base "LX", the Zetec, and the very same Titanium X with the 5 cylinder turbo that you tested, was sold in Australia with a rear spoiler, sports body kit and those fancy Y-spoke alloys (similar to that on Ben's Focus ST), and badged as an XR5 Turbo, which was the only one available with a manual gearbox. That didn't appeal to me as I had my eye set on a Ghia at the time, which wasn't made available here in Australia. I also heard stories about the rather poor air conditioner which was next to useless in the Australian summer. I now drive a Mk5 Mondeo, top spec (in Australia) Titanium but unlike UK Titaniums, ours were specified to the nines with full leather, panoramic glass roof, and everything down to the steering wheel was electrically adjustable. Oh, and the air conditioning is brilliant.
Shhh... Some of us still want to keep the secret! I tell myself I'm going to buy another to replace my written off one. (Some tool backed a skip wagon into it) They are a proper sleeper. I've had T5 Volvo's but people always associate V70s with turbo'd 5 pots so they don't suprise Mr 2.0 diesel as much.
Hi James, I have a 2011 TitaniumX estate with the full bodykit, full heated leather,sunroof and Ford supplied Eibach uprated suspension!! It's got the econetic TDCi engine with a remap, goes really well and gives around 800km to the tank. Space in it is class leading. Great review as usual, cheeRS from Ireland 🇮🇪. P.S. my T-16 Celica is returning from paint this weekend😊, I can't wait!
I bought one back in 2015, but it decided to crack its cylinder liner after a year of ownership.. so what did I do.. buy a Focus ST225 with the same engine 😂 but if you wonder over to Dadcars TH-cam channel you can see it featured there 😊 P.S Look forward to seeing you this weekend James! I’m a subscriber because of Ben lol
I had a 5 cylinder estate - not as quick as I might have hoped as it was a bigg-ish car. But it rode beautifully and sounded lovely. Awesome on A-roads and motorways. Engine and gearbox was solid but suspension bushes all needed replacing around 100k miles and it started getting expensive.
Ive got the estate version. I think only 300 were sold in UK? Its a pretty good car. Got loads of grunt, spacious inside and drives pretty good. I still prefer my old Saab 9-3 2.0 estate though. Feels nimble in comparison and looks cool
I had a 2.5 titanium x when I was 21 in 2009 as I couldn’t insure a focus st and got a few weird looks being that age but absolutely loved it it was fast and comfortable just got to ignore the fuel consumption…… EO57 VCJ was the reg if it’s still out there!
I like this gen on Mondeo, it's a handsome car and is aging nicely. I didn't know it could be spec'd with the 2.5 L5. I can see someone buying one because they need a daily family shunter and using the fact James Bond drove it as a justification. I know I would! I seem to remember there being an ST TDCI model which had a fruiter oil-burner but as far as hot Mondeo's that was the closest this gen got to my knowledge.
I'm from the States, and always thought this car was cool. I too am in my mid 30s, and i godda say the interiors you all have were soo much nicer than ours at that time. Mid 2000s , we had the 1st gen Ford Fuision and Edge, 500 Hundred and Freestyle. The interiors were soo simple. Mosty Anolog guages. Hardly any digtal screens. Our stuff didnt start getting nice until 2010-11 with the updated Ford Taurus, Explorer,and Edge. Great vid man!
I have MK4 Titanium X Sport with the 2.2 TDCI. It's a cracking car James, you really should try the diesel alternative. It's torque curve makes it great fun. It's worth noting the Sport version is more that styling, there's some basic suspension upgrades to lower the car and the interior is nicer too.
I heard a story about a lot of bigwigs in London being told to leave the Bentley at home and the company issued one of these to them so they would be "seen to be being frugal" during the GFC's wildest downturn period. Apparently they were rather shocked at how good they were, punching well above their weight.
I'm currently driving an XF S Sport Brake which is the Mondeo Ford should have made( minus the air suspension), having owned both 3 and 5 series Touring I would have taken a fast Mondeo estate any day of the week! I also have a broken S Max with the 2.5T which is a ridiculously stupid tail happy supervan.... when it works....nice one Ford
I assume that for scale economics a five cylinder was always going to be offered, but Ford were right in not offering a sportier kit. If you remember from Top Gear, one year saw more DB9s than ST220s sold, so that V6 engine found more than double the success on a car that cost four times as much.
I ran a 2009 XR5 Mondeo (the NZ & Australia top spec car with this engine) for five years, got a lot of strange comments when people realised what drivetrain the car was running. The Mk3 (previous gen) is still my favourite Mondeo and one of my favourite cars, I'd love to add an ST220 to my garage at some stage.
I only really have a soft spot for the mondeo cos I grew up with a mk3 zetec 2.0 from about 7 to 19. Before that a fiat brava and before that a rover montego...but I digress...the mk3 was great, took us everywhere, helped my dad do work on it when I was young and it never let us down in the 110-120k miles we had it and towed a caravan multiple times a year.
There is an original Bond spec Mondeo with this 5cyl engine around the corner from me. It's the Tonic Blue with the silver trim on some of the outside. Apparently quite rare. It does look quite nice, I believe that the blue used was only available for the first release. The body kit was custom made for the film, and the car wouldn't be on sale until a few months after the film.
The Mk4 Mondeo came as Saloon, Estate and Hatchback (I think the one in the video is a hatchback, not a saloon, the saloon was dropped in the facelift and is fairly rare). These cars do have 'proper' keyless entry/start. You never need to touch the key to lock or start the car, and the car will unlock when you pull a door handle (if you have the key on you), maybe the one in the video is broken? Sunroof was an option, as were bi-xenon lights (rare on non-sports), adaptive dampers, rear sun blinds/privacy glass etc.
@Dazza2292 Maybe it was dropped for the face-lift or it was an option then (as I think it is on Porsche's, with a warning about it being less secure), my 08 Titanium X has it but my car is an odd specification.
@@varsas10 yeah I believe it became an optional extra. I'm quite happy with not having it to be fair. I have the summer pack with sunroof etc and satnav on mine I think that's about it
@Dazza2292 Ah, I think the only option I don't have (I even have rear blinds and privacy glass...) is a sunroof (maybe you couldn't get them on the saloon?), shame as I do like them! I guess there weren't many options on the 'sport anyway as it has pretty much everything standard.
@@varsas10 there's a fair few options, the summer pack mines is fitted with is sunroof, privacy glass and sun blinds, IR heat reflective windshields I also have the satnav but minus reverse camera and it's fitted with hill assist etc. It's missing the lane assist, keyless entry, fully electrice memory seats with auto tilt Mirrors and adaptive cruise. I don't think much else was available optional I already have the voice control etc
Happy to see a manual and not that awful powershift transmission. Lots of mondeos here in Australia for sale almost give away. Mint cond low miles stuffed transmissions. Just junk. My 08 tdci mondeo with the torque converter auto was great.
12:12 - *** ALSO comparitive Fords/Vauxhall's engine size tended to also give better performance than the equivalent BMW 3/5 series...1.8 Vs 1.8 etc etc
I bought a 2009 2.5T Titanium X Sport in 2012 for £10K. It was a bargain at the time. I suppose it was an odd choice for a 24 year old but I loved that car. Kept it for a couple of years before moving to an XF. Not sure I've had a car that offers as much capability for the price as that Mondeo since.
Sunroofs were an option, mine has one. I have the estate version of this, I paid a bit more than 2500 pounds for it (9000 euro 3 years ago). And yeah, it';s a bond car. Gearing is a tad too long though that makes it a comfortable cruiser, but the thing will seriously take corners if I persuade it to. Being a wagon it's seriously spaceous and a rebadge of the Volvo V70 at the time complete with the 2.5 Turbo 5 cylinder. It'll also tow quite a bit, 1800 kilos. More than it actually weighs and coincidentally, it weighs less than some sportscars that are supposedly nimble, like the 350 Z fairlady. Mine has a bigass screen in the radio as well... it's hopelessly dated since the satnav maps cost 300 euros to update and ain't nobody gonna do that. I was playing with the idea of getting an android double din head unit but I'll keep it stock. Also, I wish the torque stayed on longer, cause it makes no sense to wring 3rd gear all the way out to the red line, you're faster if you shift at 5500-5700.
Here in Australia, it pretty much was a sedan version of the facelift xr5 focus (essentially a st), but with cruise control. They are much rarer than the focus but weirdly much cheaper on the used market. I guess the appeal for the locally made falcon is much stronger
You all would have gone crazy over the Fusion (Mondeo) Sport from 2017-2020 if sold in Euorpe. Twin-turbo v6 325 hp 380 torque and a Lincoln suspension system that scans for potholes, preps the suspension independently for them and produces a really silky ride. On paper, its stats are comparable to the Panamera and Acura Type S but its more aimed at being luxurious than a track star..
I looked at Mondeos a few years ago to replace a Peugeot 607. One thing going for them is that the back seat is really wide (I had three teenage (now adult) kids), in fact as wide as the 607. In the end I bought an X350 XJ but Mondeos were tempting.
CarVertical: The History Checking Service
Use this link or code "JAYEMM" for a discount!
www.carvertical.com/gb/landing/v3?b=1e4c9523&a=JayEmm&voucher=jayemm&chan=jayemm
@@JayEmmOnCars mild correction - it did come in a 4dr saloon but that wasn't common. It was mainly either a 5dr Hatch (but the lip at the back gave it a saloon look akin to a Skoda Superb), or the estate which as you say also looks smart.
I have the Titanium X Sport 2.5T and I think it edges the Titanium X in looks overall as the body looks more stanced, the spoiler is subtle but looks purposeful and the front bumper and rear diffuser add a nice touch.
I discovered these with the 2.5 engine a couple of years ago after watching the Cornish Car Collectors on TH-cam. Since then I was on the search and purchased a beauty in grey back in September. I absolutely love it.
This is my favourite shape of Ford Mondeo. Even after god knows how many years it still looked modern.
A genuine unsung hero, from the days when Ford knew how to build quality family cars that also were good to drive. Excellent machines. Thanks for taking the time to review it.
@@stephendavies6949 True now all Ford make is unreliable junk well maybe not junk all the time but definitely not as good as they used to
Love its got a TDCi badge on it to confuse people when it runs off away from them.
Can’t run from my F82 M4C
@@ravss4594 Nope. because for that price you might outrun one but will be forever stuck behind the over nine
At least until the hear the 5-cyl growl..
@@ravss4594 Literally nobody asked
@@ravss4594it'd be pretty tragic if anything sub £3k did
I have a 2.0 TDCi with 300k miles and 17 years on its back. Still fresh.
That’s very impressive, I’m on just over 100k in mine. Have you had any significant issues with it?
Had a 2004 tdci 130 gave it up with 250k on the cook having done 130k....no real issues still went on and on
@@andyhunt457that engine has a cam chain to doesn’t it?
No Dpf or adblue system. So a good diesel car as long as you maintain it.
@@shanepatrick641 yes chain and non of this emission nonsense that saves nothing in reality
@@ChrisPatrick-q6k Only one replacement at 170000ish, original Ford but bought on ebay so money wise it wasnt the end of the world, also the car is quite simple to work on, so I don't mind giving it to the cheapest garages
I convinced my parents to get the Mondeo back when it first came out after seeing it in Casino Royale.
Mondeo came out in 96 I believe, mate
@@Pikilloification 92 even, first time we noticed it looked nice was in 2006 though when the mkiv hadn’t quite released yet
@@Pikilloification I'm talking about this specific generation, that was in the movie
Mondeo MK3 and MK4 are excellent cars, I have owned both and they were very reliable. Still got a 14 year MK4 and it is still great and the space in the back is like having a little van with the seats folded down. Can't fault them.
Fun fact: Ford had a 2.5T estate at Lommel (their test track in Belgium) as their driver training car for a long time. It was completely stripped out with a roll cage and bucket seats from a racing puma and was an absolute blast to drive
One of the best cars i ever owned. I had a 57 plate, blufin mod to 280bhp. The beauty of it, it looked liked every mondeo, just a littke 2.5 on the side. Really well specced. Great car.
MK4 Mondeos with the 5 cylinder engine are rare. They also put that engine not only in Volvos but in the S-Max as well.
@@Sid3300 and the focus st
@@lewiscarr5663 and the RS
@@wootlegion And the Kuga
Volvo T5
Well it’s a Volvo engine so ofc it was put in Volvos
I've had a 2013 2.0 titanium x sport estate for coming up to 10 years now, best car I've ever had. Handles well for a big car ( powerflex bushes help) and it can get a move on with stage 2 mods.
As a 20 year old I do own one of these as an estate which I got for just 600 quid because the auxiliary belt tensioner went and shredded the belt then dragged it thru the timing cover and jumped the timing but after replacing all 20 valves and other bits it has only cost me about a grand and I do love it as a daily driver while my e46 328 is being welded back together.
I’m not a Ford guy but about 15 years back I bought my wife a cheap Ford Ka for a run around and I have to say to you what a brilliant little car to drive, the chassis and steering where brilliant so much so that I found myself driving it more often than my own car.
They also made a Titanium X Sport, which you could spec with this engine. It really looks the part, subtle unique bodykit, 18 inch alloys, lower suspension and fantastic air conditioned seats. That's the one to have.
Yes, I think that came about 2009. You could also choose the reasonably powerful 2.2l diesel, giving 175 hp / 400 nm which in the FL model became 200 hp / 520 nm. I've owned the 2010 pre FL one for 10 years, and it's a brilliant car. Not a race car by any means, but it pulls really well, and still looks good!
@auduneggen4847 The black ones with the silver bits look great. Shame the diesel ones are not ulez. Otherwise, I would have one in a heartbeat
I had to hire a few of this model Mondeo when my sons went to University to move their stuff between 2006 to 2013, brilliant cars in every repect.
thats really interesting and looks to be really rare. though from some searching there is a Kuga version as well with the 2.5T in it
Oh my God! My daily driver got attention! Never thought that would happen
Me too…!!!..👍
Hahaha me too!
Me too
Me too 😊
I had it in Titanium X with the 2.2 diesel and it was hugely practical, generously specced and went like a train, even with its huge boot full of stuff ❤
I've had 2 of these both in estate form same colour both titanium x trim. during my 20+ years on the road and having got my way through over 100 cars i can hands down say these are the best cars I've owned. all the car you need capable of any challenge you put Infront of it
Love the Mondeo for a good sized family hatchback.
Remember a Top Gear or Grand Tour Episode where the only car which all three of them would agree was a good car was the Mondeo. Think it was the one when they were mourning the death of the Mondeo
A mk3. Great car.
I remember the episode where they were blindfolded and sat in the car with the Ford badge on the steering wheel covered up, and they all drove it, and loved it, even after they found out it was a Ford.
I remember when i was a trade plate driver i collected a Ford S Max and was confused why it had twin exhaust and when starting it realised it was a 5 cylinder engine and it was the same as this one... a great surprise but apparently they put it in the Kuga too
hilariously, it was the ONLY petrol option for the Kuga. a 5cyl turbo for a small crossover!
imagine doing that now!
Love these Mondeos, love the film, love Helldivers 2. Well done James. Nice hattrick.
My Father in Law is still tooling around in a 2009 2ltr Petrol Mondeo Edge, absolutely poverty spec with steel wheels and keep fit windows in the back. Its on 197,000 miles and has never missed a beat. As he's 85 I guess it will be his forever car?
Had a 2012 facelift version of this, with the 240bhp 2.0 Ecoboost from the MK3 ST. Was a lovely car, roomy and quick and very well equipped. Did plenty of trips from Hampshire to Newcastle in comfort. Was very sad when it was written off in March.
2.0 Ecoboost from the Mk3 Mondeo? I thought that car had a 3.0 non turbo V6
@@dtulip8 Never knew that car existed, in blue reminds me of the ST24 and I like it. All came with auto boxes it seems :/
MK3 Focus ST I should say, my brain just automatically knew what I was talking about!
Yeah all autos, was such a smooth and comfy car
They’re good cars i own one with the mighty 2.5T bought it with 98K on the clock now im at 155k still going strong after my Focus ST225 is the best purchase
I really love cars that don't attract many second looks but go like hot poop off a plough share. The Mondeo, Volvo V70, 3 Series touring. Fun to drive, practical, doesn't attract "just-stop" type attention, perfect.
Owned an ST220 in Dubai. They were as expensive as a Mustang and most Arabs chose the automatic Mustang rather than the manual ST.
My mate had a Vignale company car and loved it. It really did stand out and looked rather excellent!
Similarly, the 2.5T early S-Max is definitely worth an honorary mention. They're very rare too now (1 on Autotrader on a 56 plate @ £2.5k). All the best bits of the mk4 Mondeo but with even more space/seats and quite a handsome vehicle to boot.
The seats were way worse on the SMax. You were just standing higher but had less thigh support and overall leg space... Only the Galaxy had more space than the Mondeo.
I had a mk3 Ghia and a Mk4 Ghia. In my opinion they were both competent cars, but the mk3 was superior in every way, particularly in build quality, comfort and had far less road noise in the cabin than the Mk4. Thanks for sharing. 👍🏻
I had one of these. 08 Estate Tit X. I still consider it the best car I ever owned. It was cavernous, comfortable and fun to drive. Mine had heated and cooled seats too which was awesome in the summer. I had it remapped and it wasn't far off the pace of the other car I had at the time, which is impressive as it was an dc2 Integra type R.
I had three Mondeos in a row…
Mk3 ST TDCi, Mk4 Titanium TDCi, and then the Mk4.5 (facelift of the 4) Titanium X Sport.
Loved every single one of them, did everything, without complaint and never let me down.
Saw me through a honeymoon, newborn children, caring for elderly parents and many different jobs.
Damned shame that Ford UK dropped it from its range.
Bought the new Focus (which I love also) but miss the prestige of driving a high spec Mondeo…
I used to have the facelifted variant of this car. Mine was a titanium X sport with the 2 litre diesel engine. I loved that car. It did everything well. It had a colossal boot, it was refined, comfortable, handled brilliantly, was pretty economical and looked good too on its 19" wheels and lowered suspension. Unfortunately my wife put it through a farmer's hedge one night and wrote it off. I still miss that car.
I had the same model (I’m guessing Mk4.5)
Great looking thing.
So much so it was featured on Top Gear in 2020
Do you miss the wife?
@@Sergei_MnNo she's still around. Lol
Bro, lol, we have that car, its good, but refined? Are you on drugs? Its noisy, vibrates a lot and cant filter for shit any hops or imperfections on the road. It is way too rough (sporty?) even on standard 17" wheels with plenty of tire.
I have an estate one of these, which I've owned for about 3 years now. Absolutely lovely car. An easy drive, with an innate ability to get on it and shuffle when you need to. Slap some lowering springs, sport shocks, some PilotSport rubber, exhaust, an RS DMF/Clutch and a tune, you're laughing! If you have a heavy foot like me however, don't look at the fuel economy. Too much fun will cause disagreements with your bank...
These are great cars James. I had a 2014 2.2 Titanium X Sport which I absolutely loved. It was super reliable over the 4 years and 120k miles that I had it for and owed me nothing when I sold it. You did'nt mention the seats which have a perforated alcantara mid section as the front seats are not only heated but cooled as well and is one of the many great things about my car I miss along with the huge interior space. Dont get me wrong the 3 series F30 I have now is a lot better in so many ways but the Mondeo had a lot that I miss now.
In Australia they offered mk4 Mondeo with this engine as Mondeo XR5 Turbo. At the time they also offer Fiesta ST and Focus ST as Fiesta XR4 and Focus XR5 Turbo. In line with Falcon XR6, XR6 Turbo and XR8 Ford Australia offer at the time.
I had a Mondeo XR5 Turbo, and still miffed I actually sold it.
Was a brilliant car, especially with the 5 cylinder engine.
Was originally looking at a Mondeo XR5T, however went for the Focus XR5T instead as it suited my needs better... In saying that, the Mondeo XR5T is a better long distance cruiser, has more space, and tend to be less abused on the used market...
Still got my XR5 in Perth. It's a bit of a shed now but low kms and goes like stink.
@@Spookieham Nice... Mondeo or Focus?
still got my xr5 and love it. Insane specs for a 14 year old car.
I really enjoy the reviews of attainable automotive history... like this
I was only recently looking for a cheap car with plenty of space and did look at these, but went with a 2.5 Mazda 6 MK2 instead as I figured this was a bit too big and too expensive to maintain as a daily drive. Now you're giving me buyer's remorse, damn you James!
Useless fact, (from memory at the time), the Mondeo used in the Bond film was actually a mule as it was only the body shell.
It was fitted with a basic electric motor to move it along. Sound was then added for the final cut.
That's interesting!
ahead of its time
Whyyy?
@@aaalynch5706😂😂😂 Soon they’ll all be mules
I had the original Mondeo V6 24v back in 1995/1996. A cracking car to drive: a great engine and the chassis was streets ahead of the Cavalier 2.0i I ran before it.
Terrific cars, I ran one as a company car for four years. Ford were onto a geat thing from the first Mondeo. It proved that a repmobile could be good value and still great to drive
We have a 2008 Galaxy Ghia 2.3 petrol with the "Converse+" cluster, and a 7 inch colour touchscreen, adaptive dampers, pan roof and full leather- all of which I'm told are rare options!
What a WONDERFUL CAR!! (I'd love one) and a great, fair review too.
My friend's Dad had one as a company car in Titanium X Sport. Loved the car. So much better than the Mondeo that came after. I think it was a much better car than our family C-Class too.
I own a 2008 Volvo V50 T5 for which I took delivery in Sweden (I live in California). It also has the same 5 cylinder 2.5L Turbo motor. It is based on the Ford platform, assembled in Ghent, Belgium (along with European Mazda 3 & Ford Focus). I had the opportunity to drive this Volvo from Sweden to Italy & back in 2008 (6 weeks). Upon completion of my European driving adventure, this car was shipped to me in California. I love the broad power band of this turbo motor, pulling strong through out the RPM range.
Came here as I used to have a 2.5 mondeo, only to realise it’s all filmed in and around when I went to school lol. The humpback bridge @ 17:09 is where we used to watch the local Barry boys try and do jumps during our lunch breaks.😂
That glorious engine made any car that it powered feel fantastic - can’t beat the 5 cyl turbo petrol. - good review jay.
My v40 surprised a few ! Wanted an smax after seeing one once
@drd6416 s40 or v50 t5’s are rocketships. 🚀
That T5 engine is very tuneable so this car makes a great base for a nice practical family sleeper. Ditto the S-max with the same engine.
Being a Volvo unit they are pretty durable too, unlike the Ford Ecoboost (aka ecoboom/bust) that replace them. These cars are definitely worth saving!
I hope the gent kept his backboxes....hen's teeth are easier to get hold of! Lovely car, mine's similar, but badged up as the Aussie XR5t. Another great video James!
Had a 2.2 TDCI went very well and handled lovely . Would do 60mpg on a run , all you would ever need. So I sold it and got a Subaru Legacy GT turbo Spec B. It doesn't do 60 mpg but it has gold wheels 😁
I had three Mk3 Mondeos, all estates, two manual or automatic which was the Ghia X version. I really miss that car so wanted it's nearerst equivalent so now I drive a Jaguar X Type estate, 2.2 diesel auto in Sovereign spec which is an excellent car. My son drives a 2.2 ST mk3 Mondeo which has been mapped and is very, very quick but averages 50+ mpg on the motorway. Both his Mondeo and my Jag have identical engines and they are reliable and easy to work on and we're really happy with both cars. This 2.5 litre turbo engine is also in the Volvo V50 and I think that would be a very quick and interesting car to drive.
Similar attraction to a Skoda Octavia RS wagon, useful practical fun and quick enough
i had a 57 plate mondeo 2.5t. had it remapped at amd tuning. it put out 265hp. it went well. mid range pull was crazy,
Ive got the smax essentially the same platform. Its just an all round good car. Yes it rust, yes its a bit boring but its brilliant at being a car.
I wanted to buy one of these a few years ago, seemed like the ultimate all rounder. Great noise, tonnes of space and a bit of power.
I have one of these. Bought it for £500 with timing issues. Put a new belt on it and its been faultless since. 192000 miles. Nothing beats the amazing noise from that 5 cylinder. Dont want to comment on fuel economy though 😬
LOL - The late George Best at a free bar would ahve drunk less than the 5-pot, still worth every penny of the petrol bill just to hear that engine note!
Lovely video James, thanks for being such a down-to-earth person, who can appreciate an old Mondeo, even though you have Ferraris in the driveway 👌 A Year ago i was choosing between a MK4 Mondeo ST (yes it exists in Denmark and Germany) estate and a Volvo V70 2.5T AWD. Thought the Volvo would be the better choice, but boy was i wrong! It's such a diva, constantly throwing codes and faults, only accepting OEM parts and such. Everything is so expensive to fix and the interior creaks and rattles quite a lot, especially to my dead silent previous Octavia MK2 Combi. Should've gone with the Mondeo 🤦
I agree with all said about the Mondeo. I rented one some years ago and drove from Ukraine to Warsaw. The roads were terrible back then, much worse than British roads, yet I could confidently throw this car around on very bumpy roads, and overtake (in dodgy situations as they always are in Poland-I've seen three cars overtake in parallel on single-lane roads). I reckon I set the fastest time I would ever manage in any car, but also because it is a car I am not scared of breaking.
I have no evidence for this but I believe Ford took a lot from Jaguar and the later Mondeos are possibly very close to the XF, maybe set up a little more aggressively at the front suspension.
James does very well to describe how this car feels; I would add that it is much like an XF.
The Mondeo mk4 was based on a Volvo s80 platform. There's not one bit from Jaguar there.
I never got around to buying a Mk4 Mondeo. I loved the styling of these things at the time - I saw the new Mondeo at Casino Royale and thought that was one very good looking Ford. I had wanted one then. But Ford in Australia didn't do a particularly good job of marketing them, selecting rather odd trim levels being the base "LX", the Zetec, and the very same Titanium X with the 5 cylinder turbo that you tested, was sold in Australia with a rear spoiler, sports body kit and those fancy Y-spoke alloys (similar to that on Ben's Focus ST), and badged as an XR5 Turbo, which was the only one available with a manual gearbox. That didn't appeal to me as I had my eye set on a Ghia at the time, which wasn't made available here in Australia. I also heard stories about the rather poor air conditioner which was next to useless in the Australian summer.
I now drive a Mk5 Mondeo, top spec (in Australia) Titanium but unlike UK Titaniums, ours were specified to the nines with full leather, panoramic glass roof, and everything down to the steering wheel was electrically adjustable. Oh, and the air conditioning is brilliant.
Early Mk4 Mondeos seem a rare sight on the roads now, unlike cars of similar age from other manufacturers.
think cost of clutch killed alot of them.
i was thinking the same, they also were mile crunchers and got high mileage quite quickly
Shhh... Some of us still want to keep the secret! I tell myself I'm going to buy another to replace my written off one. (Some tool backed a skip wagon into it) They are a proper sleeper. I've had T5 Volvo's but people always associate V70s with turbo'd 5 pots so they don't suprise Mr 2.0 diesel as much.
Stage 1 remap adds another 45 HP + 75Nm and some good tyres. Nice sleeper !
No ST badge but the lovely five cylinder sound...
In Australia we had the XR5 mondeo. It looked very good. Sadly, when I bought a Mondeo, it was no longer available.
Hi James, I have a 2011 TitaniumX estate with the full bodykit, full heated leather,sunroof and Ford supplied Eibach uprated suspension!! It's got the econetic TDCi engine with a remap, goes really well and gives around 800km to the tank. Space in it is class leading. Great review as usual, cheeRS from Ireland 🇮🇪.
P.S. my T-16 Celica is returning from paint this weekend😊, I can't wait!
I wished Ford would have use this motor in the Five Hundred instead of the 200 hp V6. You guys get all the cool Fords over there. 😊
I mean, if we had actually gotten the Mk4 Mondeo as the Fusion (1st Gen) instead of the sad Mazda-based one we got.
I bought one back in 2015, but it decided to crack its cylinder liner after a year of ownership.. so what did I do.. buy a Focus ST225 with the same engine 😂 but if you wonder over to Dadcars TH-cam channel you can see it featured there 😊
P.S Look forward to seeing you this weekend James! I’m a subscriber because of Ben lol
I had a 5 cylinder estate - not as quick as I might have hoped as it was a bigg-ish car. But it rode beautifully and sounded lovely. Awesome on A-roads and motorways. Engine and gearbox was solid but suspension bushes all needed replacing around 100k miles and it started getting expensive.
Ive got the estate version. I think only 300 were sold in UK? Its a pretty good car. Got loads of grunt, spacious inside and drives pretty good.
I still prefer my old Saab 9-3 2.0 estate though. Feels nimble in comparison and looks cool
I had a 2.5 titanium x when I was 21 in 2009 as I couldn’t insure a focus st and got a few weird looks being that age but absolutely loved it it was fast and comfortable just got to ignore the fuel consumption…… EO57 VCJ was the reg if it’s still out there!
I like this gen on Mondeo, it's a handsome car and is aging nicely. I didn't know it could be spec'd with the 2.5 L5. I can see someone buying one because they need a daily family shunter and using the fact James Bond drove it as a justification. I know I would!
I seem to remember there being an ST TDCI model which had a fruiter oil-burner but as far as hot Mondeo's that was the closest this gen got to my knowledge.
I'm from the States, and always thought this car was cool. I too am in my mid 30s, and i godda say the interiors you all have were soo much nicer than ours at that time. Mid 2000s , we had the 1st gen Ford Fuision and Edge, 500 Hundred and Freestyle. The interiors were soo simple. Mosty Anolog guages. Hardly any digtal screens. Our stuff didnt start getting nice until 2010-11 with the updated Ford Taurus, Explorer,and Edge. Great vid man!
I have MK4 Titanium X Sport with the 2.2 TDCI. It's a cracking car James, you really should try the diesel alternative. It's torque curve makes it great fun. It's worth noting the Sport version is more that styling, there's some basic suspension upgrades to lower the car and the interior is nicer too.
Sunroof was an option mine has it. The sunroof drains on these block up really easily
I heard a story about a lot of bigwigs in London being told to leave the Bentley at home and the company issued one of these to them so they would be "seen to be being frugal" during the GFC's wildest downturn period. Apparently they were rather shocked at how good they were, punching well above their weight.
@@davocc2405 that’s what your wife said about you
@@recall2880 yeah but yours was so much nicer about it
They probably had to leave the Bentley at home a lot anyway, on account of it being broken most of the time.
@@Beer_Dad1975 do they still bar you from towing them during the day as Rolls Royce used to insist upon?
I'm currently driving an XF S Sport Brake which is the Mondeo Ford should have made( minus the air suspension), having owned both 3 and 5 series Touring I would have taken a fast Mondeo estate any day of the week! I also have a broken S Max with the 2.5T which is a ridiculously stupid tail happy supervan.... when it works....nice one Ford
I assume that for scale economics a five cylinder was always going to be offered, but Ford were right in not offering a sportier kit. If you remember from Top Gear, one year saw more DB9s than ST220s sold, so that V6 engine found more than double the success on a car that cost four times as much.
I ran a 2009 XR5 Mondeo (the NZ & Australia top spec car with this engine) for five years, got a lot of strange comments when people realised what drivetrain the car was running. The Mk3 (previous gen) is still my favourite Mondeo and one of my favourite cars, I'd love to add an ST220 to my garage at some stage.
I love Mondays between the years and around 1996 and 2014, mk 2 till mk4. In my opinion the mk4 Mondeo is my favourite
I only really have a soft spot for the mondeo cos I grew up with a mk3 zetec 2.0 from about 7 to 19. Before that a fiat brava and before that a rover montego...but I digress...the mk3 was great, took us everywhere, helped my dad do work on it when I was young and it never let us down in the 110-120k miles we had it and towed a caravan multiple times a year.
There is an original Bond spec Mondeo with this 5cyl engine around the corner from me. It's the Tonic Blue with the silver trim on some of the outside. Apparently quite rare. It does look quite nice, I believe that the blue used was only available for the first release. The body kit was custom made for the film, and the car wouldn't be on sale until a few months after the film.
The Mk4 Mondeo came as Saloon, Estate and Hatchback (I think the one in the video is a hatchback, not a saloon, the saloon was dropped in the facelift and is fairly rare). These cars do have 'proper' keyless entry/start. You never need to touch the key to lock or start the car, and the car will unlock when you pull a door handle (if you have the key on you), maybe the one in the video is broken? Sunroof was an option, as were bi-xenon lights (rare on non-sports), adaptive dampers, rear sun blinds/privacy glass etc.
@@varsas10 not entirely I have facelift x sport it has keyless start and thankfully not keyless entry
@Dazza2292 Maybe it was dropped for the face-lift or it was an option then (as I think it is on Porsche's, with a warning about it being less secure), my 08 Titanium X has it but my car is an odd specification.
@@varsas10 yeah I believe it became an optional extra. I'm quite happy with not having it to be fair. I have the summer pack with sunroof etc and satnav on mine I think that's about it
@Dazza2292 Ah, I think the only option I don't have (I even have rear blinds and privacy glass...) is a sunroof (maybe you couldn't get them on the saloon?), shame as I do like them! I guess there weren't many options on the 'sport anyway as it has pretty much everything standard.
@@varsas10 there's a fair few options, the summer pack mines is fitted with is sunroof, privacy glass and sun blinds, IR heat reflective windshields I also have the satnav but minus reverse camera and it's fitted with hill assist etc. It's missing the lane assist, keyless entry, fully electrice memory seats with auto tilt Mirrors and adaptive cruise. I don't think much else was available optional I already have the voice control etc
I loved the BTCC saloons and like the looks of this, it’s good to see one in such good order but I love my Omega more
Happy to see a manual and not that awful powershift transmission. Lots of mondeos here in Australia for sale almost give away. Mint cond low miles stuffed transmissions. Just junk. My 08 tdci mondeo with the torque converter auto was great.
The Mondeo was sold in N.America as the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique from 1995 - 2000.
And the last Ford Fusion also was the same car as the Mondeo mk5.
One of my fav reviews. Have you done a review on the Audi A3 (8p) model facelift version from 2008 to 2012?
12:12 - *** ALSO comparitive Fords/Vauxhall's engine size tended to also give better performance than the equivalent BMW 3/5 series...1.8 Vs 1.8 etc etc
I bought a 2009 2.5T Titanium X Sport in 2012 for £10K. It was a bargain at the time. I suppose it was an odd choice for a 24 year old but I loved that car. Kept it for a couple of years before moving to an XF. Not sure I've had a car that offers as much capability for the price as that Mondeo since.
This would make for a pretty nice sleeper; upgrade the turbo to a hybrid one, stick in better rads, injectors & off you go up to 300hp
They were an xr5 in Australia to match the focus xr5. It was lower and higher spec.
Here in Australia it was available as an XR5 Turbo with body kit etc.
Sunroofs were an option, mine has one.
I have the estate version of this, I paid a bit more than 2500 pounds for it (9000 euro 3 years ago). And yeah, it';s a bond car. Gearing is a tad too long though that makes it a comfortable cruiser, but the thing will seriously take corners if I persuade it to. Being a wagon it's seriously spaceous and a rebadge of the Volvo V70 at the time complete with the 2.5 Turbo 5 cylinder. It'll also tow quite a bit, 1800 kilos. More than it actually weighs and coincidentally, it weighs less than some sportscars that are supposedly nimble, like the 350 Z fairlady. Mine has a bigass screen in the radio as well... it's hopelessly dated since the satnav maps cost 300 euros to update and ain't nobody gonna do that. I was playing with the idea of getting an android double din head unit but I'll keep it stock. Also, I wish the torque stayed on longer, cause it makes no sense to wring 3rd gear all the way out to the red line, you're faster if you shift at 5500-5700.
I'm considering either that Mondeo or a Volvo V50 with the same engine (as fun but practical cars to replace my trusty old Civic)
Here in Australia, it pretty much was a sedan version of the facelift xr5 focus (essentially a st), but with cruise control. They are much rarer than the focus but weirdly much cheaper on the used market. I guess the appeal for the locally made falcon is much stronger
You all would have gone crazy over the Fusion (Mondeo) Sport from 2017-2020 if sold in Euorpe. Twin-turbo v6 325 hp 380 torque and a Lincoln suspension system that scans for potholes, preps the suspension independently for them and produces a really silky ride. On paper, its stats are comparable to the Panamera and Acura Type S but its more aimed at being luxurious than a track star..
I looked at Mondeos a few years ago to replace a Peugeot 607. One thing going for them is that the back seat is really wide (I had three teenage (now adult) kids), in fact as wide as the 607. In the end I bought an X350 XJ but Mondeos were tempting.
Mk2 Mondeo was a face-lift of the earlier car. Decent cars in their time
The suspension geometry was updated at the same time to remove stiction over small bumps.
I think Car magazine said the Mondeo was a better car all round than the 3 series, but people wanted the badge.