Ford Mondeo Hybrid – When swedes and Americans work together
Who knew that when you bought the Volvo V70, you actually bought a Ford Mondeo? Jokes aside, that is not so far from the truth. You see, Volvo was not as strong as it is today and it was owned by Ford during the early 2000s. Some models were developed side by side and the new Mondeo, which has certain features to make it look like a cheaper Aston Martin in the front, is basically a Volvo. There is however one certain trick up its sleeve the Ford has over the Volvo, and that is a hybrid for the people, so let’s give it a chance and see what Ford can deliver for the future.
The design theme is mature. The “new” Mondeo mkV was launched in 2014 and little has been changed throughout the years. Luckily, the tested car was a Vignale, meaning Ford’s luxury versions. That means extra chrome, posh and big wheels. This is what I was expecting Mondeo should be from the start. The sedan is a classic shape that is difficult to do wrong, and with the Mondeos exterior, it is certainly not worthy of the last place price, but as we swedes call it. It is a bit like “mellanmjölk”. Restrained, simple and a bit boring. The Mondeo platform has a lot of potential, and the front is definitely the best part of the car with its Aston Martin esque style, but as Ford is going to focus on SUVs and Pickups in the US. The future for the Mondeo seems very unclear with decreasing sales numbers all over the world.
Inside I find myself in one of the most advanced seats I have ever seen. Heated seats are old news. Ventilated seats with massage is the next big thing. If something helps you to relax during your daily commute, this seat is one of them. All in all, the interior is a nice place to be. The car is BIG which becomes extra evident when you sit inside. However, the bulky middle console sets the tone for the entire interior and even though the material choices are up to par, the age of the car is really showing. What has been keeping up is the technology. With the Vignale almost everything you can imagine comes as standard. Rear view camera, heated windscreen and emergency brake are some of the tech that you get.
The total power output is 184 hp which seems like it could make it a bit peppy, but don’t forget that some of that power comes from an electric motor. The engines are coupled to a “special” automatic transmission. That special is a transmission that seems to have no gears, a cvt to be exact. When accelerating, the revs are constant to make the engine as efficient as possible, which means that with a simple four banger the monotone sound when accelerating is dreadful. I needed to take a step back and reevaluate what this car is.
Let´s not forget. This is a big car and with an average of around 0.6 liter per 10 kilometer it is one of the most impressive numbers I have seen in a long time. That electric engine is also a real treat. If you are careful you can almost avoid starting the engine when driving in heavy traffic. This is however a non-chargeable hybrid, meaning that instead of loading the battery by putting in a charger, the car will automatically load itself. The electric engine can thus be seen more as a compliment to the ordinary engine.
Given the size and the hybrid technology, it is quite heavy, and that shows. The main reason behind this is a lack of feel from the steering wheel. It is simply very difficult to know what the front wheels are doing. Other than that, it is a stable car that eats up miles and I would have no problem using this for my daily commute.
With a very attractive price of around 37,000 euro here in Sweden it is one of the cheaper hybrid sedans on the market. The Vignale gives you a lot of standard equipment, but if the hybrid could be found in more basic models such as the titanium, you would look at an awfully interesting car.
