Available as a four-door sedan, five-door hatchback, or five-door wagon, the Fusion/Mondeo offers great value for money with tons of trunk space and of being a stylish work-horse. It also saw sporty good looks and some real style come to the fore both inside and out.
The Good
1. The hatchback and the wagon have so much room, you could pack up and go camping
2. Great driver and passenger space and it is a comfortable ride
3. Solid, reliable Ford engine capable of running up high mileage
4. Great handling and on-road presence
5. XR5 model gives plenty of power with a 5 cylinder 2.5 liter Turbo engine
6. Variety of models available in gas and diesel
7. Automatic versions have the duel clutch option of riding through the gears manually with ease
8. Popular model which helps when sourcing used parts (if needed)
9. Features the unique ‘EasyFuel capless tank orifice’ which only accepts the correct fuel nozzle in case you accidently go for a diesel pump on a petrol model and vice-versa
10. Used as fleet cars because of their reliability, you could pick one up at a fleet car auction
11. Ideal family car
12. The 2013 model upgrade took on a more aggressive front end and updated interior fittings
The Bad
1. Without rear parking sensors, it can be hard to navigate parking spaces when reversing
2. The 1.6 liter engine doesn’t have enough power for the size and weight of the car
3. If electronic windows start to play up, it can be a costly expense
4. Earlier Mondeo models from 2007-2012 may only be available as imports from the UK, Europe, or Australia.
The Essentials
Make sure the one you are interested in starts easily and idles smoothly. A roughness in the engine may convert to big bucks having to be spent unless it’s a tuning problem. Ensure all dashboard controls work as well as the electric windows and power side mirrors. Check for rattles and squeaks when driving as this can be a sign of the car being driven on rough, uneven dirt roads or over speed humps a lot at speed.
The Alternatives
Volkswagen Passat (2005-2019), Mazda 6 (2004-2018), Skoda Octavia (2005-2017)
The Verdict
My partner and I bought a used Fusion/Mondeo hatchback in 2015, and over a period of four years had no issues with the engine or road handling at all. It hauled many loads of homewares and furniture about over this time in the huge trunk space (with the rear seats down it holds even more). You’d want to purchase at least a 2.0 liter engine which cruises just fine, anything below this is a bit of a struggle unless you get the 1.6 liter turbocharged eco-boost model introduced in 2010. While the 2.0 liter is sufficient enough, we felt moving up to the 2.3 liter or the XR5 would provide the power this car deserves to take it one step further.