"Everyone" wants an electric or hybrid car. But if you need a real station wagon, there is a high probability that you will end up with a turbo diesel.
Real station wagon
We had to move out to secure some movable property from an abandoned apartment in the center of Oslo. Various coffee tables, a carpet and some curtain rods were arranged for collection. The editors' Tesla 3 would be too small. We threw ourselves over the car sharing portals to find a suitable vehicle. Should we choose a van (cheap) or an electric SUV (expensive). I thought that a good old fashioned station wagon would probably do. A car in which you fold down the back seats and fit everything you need to take with you. The choice fell on a Ford Mondeo station wagon with a 2-litre turbodiesel, 4-wheel drive and automatic transmission.
For us, the space was the most interesting. Would we bring all the things with us? Would the Mondeo be big enough? When I "googled" the boot dimensions, I saw to my horror that the height in the boot could be far too low. But then I discovered that I had found the targets for the Fords hybrid Mondeo with battery pack under the load compartment. Fortunately, I had picked out a station wagon with me turbo diesel. No battery packs that steal valuable height centimeters from the boot.
Certainly no Tesla
When you drive an electric car every day, you feel set back several years when you "fire up" a diesel that hasn't been started for a while. It feels politically incorrect to have a diesel driver inside a parking garage among pretty people in quiet electric and hybrid cars. But out on the road, the Mondeo ran quietly and nicely. The diesel sound is only heard when you start. The Powershift gearbox then lowers the revs to a comfortable low level. I can't help but compare with Tesla. There, all the power is present immediately from take-off, while the Mondeo first has to bring the engine to life from Start & Stop and then build up revs. Then the gearbox has to shift up a couple of times before you are up to speed. The two cars provide different driving experiences. The Tesla is without a doubt the most efficient, while the turbodiesel offers more entertainment.
Still a bit modern
The Ford Mondeo is in several ways a modern equipped car. It shows graphics when we move the car towards the right edge, or when a cyclist has moved into the blind spot. It has emergency stop and an alright infotainment system. But too many functions are based on buttons scattered around.
Feelgood
"Our" car has the "ST-Line" equipment package. It has red stitching in the seats and on the steering wheel. Black roof covering. Something that contributes to creating a good feeling in the car. Seating comfort is alright with electrically adjustable front seats in all directions. Apart from all the "knobs", all important things are where you expect them. Paddles on the steering wheel to shift manually. Switch on the center console for the electro-mechanical handbrake. The Mondeo is clearly a world car where "anyone" can get in and drive away straight away.
On the road
It feels like the emphasis is on comfort rather than sport. The chassis takes away most of it and gives the feeling of a big car. Even with half-worn studded tyres, it sits really well on the road in the bends. It gives sensations of both Volvo and Mercedes-Benz. I could have liked a little tighter steering resistance at speed. It is possible that it can be set. The 4-wheel drive makes the Mondeo a proper Norwegian car, but hardly particularly suitable for rocky cabin roads. It is possible that cars with ST-Line are lowered. In any case, we had to take it extremely easy over a couple of the speed bumps in Oslo's suburbs. Ground clearance is low.
Space for cargo
When I had loaded everything we were going to take with us, there was only one stressless chair left in the middle of the room. "Do we have room for that too?" asks the traveling companions. "Not really. We'll probably have to make two trips ." But first I wanted to see if the chair would fit. I dragged it from the 5th floor down to the Mondeo to try it out. After a little rearranging of the other things, it actually worked perfectly. Ready to go!
Prices
The car we drove was a late 2018 model. With 66,000 km driven, it would have had a street price of just under 400,000 kroner. A similar car costs 601,500 kroner today. The engine has been upgraded to 190 HP – the same torque as before – and with an 8-speed Powershift instead of a 6-speed. If you buy a new Mondeo today, you could end up with the last car sold in Norway. So far this year, only one -1- Mondeo has been registered – with a turbodiesel ( see sales ad here ). During 2020, only 97 new Mondeos were registered.
Conclusion
We started by arguing that if you are looking for a real station wagon, the 2,0 TDCI with Powershift and 4-wheel drive is a good choice. It is a car that has "everything" - and everything that Ford is good at.
If you are going to have a Mondeo, this is the variant you should choose.
Facts Ford Mondeo 2,0 TDCI
Weights and Measures
Length x width x height: 487 x 185 x 150 cm
Wheelbase: 285 cm
Net weight: 1628 kg (without driver)
Max useful weight: 627 kg
Max trailer weight with brakes 2000 kg
– without brakes: 750 kg
Luggage compartment: 500 litres
Luggage compartment with folded seats: 1605 litres
Max roof load: 75 kg
Fuel: 62 litres
Drivetrain
Engine: 2.0 TDCI 16V DOHC
Transverse common rail turbodiesel
Number of cylinders: 4
Displacement: 1997 ccm
Power 180 HP
Torque: Max 400 Nm between 2000-2500 revs, also very good torque between 1750-2750 revs.
Gearbox: 6-speed Powershift double clutch
4WD. Fixed FWD with rear wheel on "demand".
Performances
Top speed: 216 km/h
0-100: 8,2 seconds
consumption
City: 0,88 litres/mile (Mon.)
Country road: 0,53 litres/mile (Mon.)
Combined: 0,58 litres/mile (Mon.)
Own measurement: 0,69 measured over 80 km between Oslo city center and nearby towns.
Tires
Dimension: 215/60R16 99T
Type: Winter tire with studs
Brand: Continental
About the car
Place of manufacture: Valencia, Spain
Owner: ALD Automotive
Rented via the app Rent
First reg.: 06.2018
Mileage: 66885
Km driven: 80
Source: vegvesen.no, www.automobile-catalog.com
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