Ford Mondeo MD (Hatchback) Trend (2015-2026)

does everything well ! – in a world of suvs i cant understate the Mondeo , it does everything well, nothing is out standing , its not a race car , but will climb through the revs steadily right up to the 220 built in limiter , its not thirsty on gas ( but can be if you dont drive well ) it is set for economy ( clearly by the gearing) and only suffers a little on… Read more

inclines ( as it doesnt want to drop gears) a little tap of the padels and your gtg , tows great with a weight capability that rivals a lot of the so called Utes! well kitted out interior that you will struggle to find anywhere, bloody shame they didnt keep making them , sigh , wont find another like it ,

Ford Mondeo lemon – Problem with sensors for engine co2 within week of purchase . Second year broken radiator housing twice cost of $3k to fix. 3rd year Now transmission issues of cost $6k to fix. Very disappointed with after sales service support waited weeks to be given a time to bring the car in to be looked at and waited week for reply. Show details

Great value for money, modern looks, lots of luxury features – We use this car as a daily driver for the school run, grocery shopping and going to work (20 mins each way). We only paid NZD 19,790 for a 2017 car with 69,000km; it had been a fleet car and done a lot of hot running. A few small stone chips on the bonnet/hood but nothing noticeable until up close. We were trading in a 2003 Ford Falcon BA so… Read more

any shift to a smaller engine was going to improve fuel efficiency. My wife and I decided EVs and hybrids were still too early in the product life cycle for us to adopt. Be warned that it requires petrol with octane rating greater than 95.

The Mondeo Trend is great value for money. Lots of features that would normally be expected in a luxury car came in our model, such as NZ GPS navigation, heated seats, proximity sensors, and lane change warnings.

All these gadgets can come at a cost. A friend of ours has a 2019 Ford Everest with the proximity sensors in the bumper (similar to the Mondeo). He says he only grazed a bollard and was up for a $5,000 repair as the entire bumper plus sensors needed replacement. Doubtless he has lost his no claims bonus!

The ride is assured and acceleration into traffic is effortless. A very quiet car.

I'd recommend reading the manual as there are lots of gadgets and warning lights and sounds to be aware of, otherwise they could be dangerous distractions when driving under certain conditions and situations.

The cabin size is in fact bigger than that of the Falcon so it is roomy. We were able to fit a full sized cello and its case in the boot. Our 17 year old son is 6'5" and can sit comfortably in all seats, including the driver's seat.

The driver's seat position can be recorded under 3 profiles and each can be selected with a touch of a button.

The Synch 3 infotainment system is easy to navigate and connected to all our family's Android phones without hesitation but the GPS maps are only updated when you have the car serviced at an authorized dealership.

My brother in law just bought a 2016 Audi A6 for NZD 30,000 and I know I got the better deal.

Highly recommended.

Updated 4 March 2023: Someone else liked our Mondeo too, and we made the mistake of leaving the keys in the car. A Newbie blunder as this is our first keyless ignition car. So, its been stolen. I know what a disaster. Insurance was supportive and we have replaced it with a 2019 Ford Mondeo Trend with only 16,000 km on the clock. NZD 24,985.

This time we got crisp white instead of silver. Still smelled new. Works fantastic. Only difference is the handbrake has swapped sides on the center console.

Great car. Fast, reliable, spacious, comfortable, great on fuel – I got the car brand new. 4 years/75,00km later, all I can say is... what a great family car. It is very spacious, has great boot space, great acceleration even at highway speeds. No major issues of any kind. Highlights: - great diesel engine, fantastic gearbox, great acceleration - excellent fuel economy (6.9 litters) - feels solid, performs… Read more

really well through a band/great cornering - quiet for a diesel car, especially at highway speeds, pure joy to cruise at 110-120km/h - comfortable, especially the front seats - heaps of space in the boot

Not so good: - poor front visibility due to very wide front windscreen pillars; this is, in fact, the only real problem with this car, and it is a serious one - sits very low, doesn't like bumps (but it corners like it's on rails)

Best buy in its segment. Understated.

Great vehicle .. early Mondeo tarnished this one for no reason – We had a 2009 petrol Mondeo for 6 years and only problem was manifold swirl flap solinoids went faulty with a code coming up . Cost was $150 to replace. That also increased the performance of the engine too. Please of leg room in the back and a very generous hatch area.  Show details

What a great car – We have for many years bought ford focus cars as they were very good but this year we decided to buy a Mondeo and we are truly very very happy with it .I love everything about it and it goes very well (petrol turbo not diesel turbo ) After driving it now for close on 6 months the only thing I don't like is the auto headlight dipping and I am sure that if I read up i will find a way to stop this making it in my eyes perfect  Show details

Great family car – Excellent value for money. Fresh and attractive design for this category, more than enough room inside, perfect set of options for family use (driver seat memory really helps when people with significant difference in height both drive the car interchangeably, front parking sensors in addition to rear sensors and camera) plus lots of convenient helpers. After Toyota Camry feels like a prestige car.  Show details

My Second Mondeo Diesel – There is previous Mondeo MC and a MD Wagon review by me on this site elsewhere. My previous Mondeo MC Zetec Diesel Wagon was very reliable and I only sold it as it was time for a new one. I chose a July 2016 build Trend Diesel Hatch over the Wagon as I thought it would be slightly quieter over bumps as the wagon has a firmer suspension and… Read more

firmer tyres based on the load carrying duty.

I try not to repeat what other had previous reported as I concur. I have done 600 km so far, and I conclude that the MC and MD are different designs, something like a Mazda 6 / Mondeo / Volvo 60 all built of the same box of sub parts. The MD is a clone of the US Fusion rather than the Euro fettled MC.

It is a soft car, floatly like the US likes, rather than Euro or Mazda Zoom Zoom. It just feels like a US Cruiser now, though it does attempt to have good handling, it heart is an American Freeway.

Which bring me to the American issues, the bonnet release on the LH side foot well, the electric brake on the LH side of the centre console, (with 2 water bottles in the console, It's bleeding obvious why the US want it there; the arm angle is unnatural for us, but right for them), the Owners Manual with LH drive photo's of the wiper and indicator stalks.

What I would like to see is Digital Speedo. The Trend speedo needle is too wide to clearly see the difference in 10 kph segments. Policing here is a rumoured 1.5 kph tolerance.

The SYNCH 3, cannot be asked for DAB+ stations, only AM + FM, presumably another USA quirk and you cannot make a memory 'favourites' of AM, FM, DAB for the steering wheel memory button. You have to wind your way through all 15 DAB's, all 12 AM, all 15 FM's unless you use the Touch screen.

The background colour of the Touch screen, Radio, Sat Nav is light blue and gets a bit too much in daylight, but can be dimmed (still too attention getting) and can be toggled to Black and white for night.

SYNCH 3 is better than SYNCH 2, but still too complex for my needs of a simple car radio.

The radio based proximity key, is not my idea of fun. If I leave the key in my pocket, close the drivers door with the engine running, and walk around the front to the LH side door and open and crap that door, the car horn blasts out twice and scares the blazes out of me.

My car has all electric seats, but the seat back motor has too high a gearing and the lumbar can't be raised vertically up or down, just more or less via pump and bladder. I find the seats to confining across the hip width.

An option can be selected to move the seat back 3 " for easy exit. But when you re enter, please do not put the seat belt back on, but press the engine start button to the accessory position, as then the seat will move forward itself and you won't get strangled by the now over tight seat belt.

The idea is good, but it's frustration to just jump in, click the belt on, press the button and then find as you didn't press the foot break pedal down hard enough, the car doesn't start, the seat rolls back and the radio wants to close down. You need to practice this!

The auto stop start. If you only press lightly on the break pedal, it keeps the engine running which is useful for creeping traffic, but if you press harder it stops almost immediately, but it does benefit the fuel economy.

This feature is USA biased of course, as their traffic lights have a red time of 2 to 3 times ours.

Fuel economy of 5.4 L/100 km is often seen and is better than the 6.6 of the MC Diesel.

The car interior has been quietened down, but this Diesel engine is noticeably 'tickier' than the MC. I could never hear the old car's motor, but can this one, and it seems to rev lower which is the cause I think.

The noise on rough sealed roads intrudes via the car suspension rather than the springs and dampers, the same as the MC which is disappointing. Good roads and it's great, where the MC was just good.

Update, now 2500 km:

No real problems experienced so far. Dealer first check over service is 500 km away.

The only real issues that stand out now that I have done so 2000 km since the above initial feedback is that the indicator clicking is far too soft for me to hear, and the windscreen washer jet of water on the front and rear windscreens is a weak mist rather than a stream of water. Like it has run out of water, but the bottle is full. I suspect that detergent has thickened as it looks like a blocked strainer gauze at the common bottle.

Update, now 3500 km : Complementary 3000 km service

I didn't report to the Dealer any issues for adjustment or repair.

The car was delivered back with the steering response changed.

I said :" It is a soft car, floatly like the US likes,". . ...

Well I very pleased to say that has gone. The tyre pressures have not altered, but the feel of the steering is more 'on centre' and heavier than as delivered as new. I was told no story about anything, so I conclude they had an update for the ECU computer and now happily it feels the same as my previous MC Mondeo which I like.

The MC has hydraulic power steering, and this MD has electric.

So I assume Australian feedback has forced Ford to alter it from the US sister car preferences.

Other than that all is good, and the A/Cond. worked great through the summer heatwaves, cool banana's Mondeo.

Very happy with my purchase – I have just recently traded my 2013 MC mondeo diesel for the new 2016 MD mondeo petrol. The MD is a massive step up from the Mc model . The best thing about this car is the styling , espically the front grill . The drive us much more quiet and handling is slightly better . The transmission in the MC was very rough and noisy but the Md is the… Read more

complete opposite, Can't even feel the gears change and is a pleasure to drive . Best car I have ever owned .

Newer is better? Depends on your point of view! – I've moved from an MC Zetec TDCi Mondeo to the MD Trend TDCi and there are plenty of differences to like and dislike, listing them below. Likes: Cabin is a lot quieter Marginally better handling Increased electronic driver aids such as Lane Keeping, Collision Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic High Beam etc. Sync 2 touch screen ICC… Read more

Dislikes:

Electronic driver aids in my opinion are there to aid, not distract, as someone else has noted. The pre-collision alert is incredibly sensitive and in city traffic is a distraction.

Automatic high beam - I've just turned if off, keeps coming on for a couple of seconds and then has to turn off.

Simple things over engineered - replacement of headlamp bulbs takes almost an hour?

Still no full size spare, its not even an option

Having mud spats on the vehicle, negotiating every speed bump is a challenge with the spats impacting them.

Poor lighting in comparison to the MC Mondeo, the projector lamps do a good job of containing the light, but the OEM lighting lacks intensity.

For me I'm still getting used to the vehicle, but for anyone transitioning from the older Mondeo to the MD, will likely face similar challenges. However, when you compare the entire package, you win some you lose some, but overall package is pretty good.