Ford Mondeo BASE Real Road Test! 

Always remember seeing these with broken bumpers with foam hanging out of them lol.

I can't remember the last time I saw an original Mondeo - quite a shocking realisation! I remember thinking the same thing about Sierras 10 years ago and Cortinas 10 years before that!

Nice to see an old "mundane" poverty spec car of this age which has been looked after and is in good condition. Genuinely a rare thing.

base model = less to go wrong, love mondeo's

Love this era of simple, straight forward, honest to goodness cars designed solely to deliver people and things from one place to another in comfort and without fuss. And not an alloy wheel or stupid multimedia touchscreen in sight. Marvellous.

There's something about absolute base cars that appeals to me. I think it's the minimalist in me. I would love to find a Camry CE.

The survival of his car in this condition means somewhere in the mid/late 90's a minicab driver was out of work lol

My late Dad had one of these as a company car back in 1994 or 1995. I remember it well and this video helps bring it all back. Of all the company cars he had over the years, the Ford Mondeo MK1 is probably one of the best in my opinion. He had it for about 2 years or so and then it was changed for the MK2 model. Looking back, I much preferred the MK1 model just like the one in this video. The MK2 model is really a facelift model of the MK1.

I too love simple older cars - 90s interiors were cool - not bloody black like EVERY sodding new car these days. Bring back velour!

I had a red 2.0 Si saloon from new in 1993. Full body lit and Carlos Fandango wheels. It looked awesome, went like stonk, had a massive boot, could comfortably carry 5 adults and still be economical if you wished...or surge up to over 130 mph. What a car!

I don't know why, but i love reviews of base model cars. I think it's because Magazines/TV shows tend to show the top of the range (or one under the top of the range) or the sporty models but in reality the base model is much closer to what most people end up buying (usually buy one up from Base model....so in Mondeo language, LX?).

Finally got round to watching this - my dad had a 2.0 Ghia Auto that he inherited from his dad when he gave up driving. Was a lovely pearlescent red and had spoiler on the back which really looked good, and I hardly ever saw another like it (think I saw 2 with the same spoiler). I know you are all about the base models, but the Ghia had a 10 CD changer! Hardly any other car were fitted with 10 (even years later), the standard seemed to be 6, but somehow, it still didn't have A/C, or leather. Sadly it succumbed to scrappage in 2009, which was a real shame as apart from a dent in the door it was pretty mint, whereas every other example I saw had been 'modified' with gaffer tape.

Wasnt the 'blanking plug' above the light switch / by the side of the heated rear window switch a secret until lit warning lamp for the fog lights? The cost for Ford to engineer a manual window mech for the front doors can't have been worth the effort cost wise, same for a non tacho cluster....sure it was a rouse to sell better spec models & be able to quote a "range starts at xxxx" but in reality they never wanted to sell any! I've had a few mondys of various ages, the first company car I drove was an L reg 1.8LX. Ps the flasher unit was on the column switch assembly on most '90s European Fords which is why you can feel the indicator tick tock through the wheel. Never minded it myself. I never particularly liked the smell of the interior of 90's Fords though, always a sort of stale burned smell....to be fair though the Mondeo was pretty much bang on straight away, the same era Escort & to lesser degree Fiesta not so much. Cheers for the vid.

The series 1 Mondeo was actually better built than the series 2. Ford literally threw the kitchen sink at it, due to the escort being heavily criticised after launch. Series 2 suffered from notable cost cutting.

I bought a mk1 Mondeo 1.8 glx from a neighbour as a stop gap car for the grand sum of £60 back in 2008,still had a decent amount of mot and tax on it..Ended up keeping it for 3 years,only needing front coils a clutch and a new cat in the time that I owned it,great car for the price and always started on the button even in the coldest of winter mornings..A great reliable car for minimum of pounds spent on it.

I had a L plate turbo diesel in red. I changed the oil every 5k. I sold it with 250k still running well and good bodywork. Missed it as the BMW I replaced it with was a little boring.

I sold these new. They were great cars and genuine class leaders, but I don’t recall many base spec ones going out the door at all. Most were 1.8 LX and GLX. The 1.8 was the nicest engine, usefully quicker than the 1.6 but much sweeter, and less gruff than the 2.0. Ford also gave the 2.0 lower gearing to make the 0-60 better but it made them noisy on the motorway. The 1.8 was just a genuinely nice car to drive.

I learned to drive in an L plate Mondeo saloon. It was a hell of a lot more reliable than the Cavalier it replaced. I didn't have anything to compare it to but we fit six in it for holidays with not much trouble.

I’ve got a 1998 mk2 in Ghia X trim with the 2.5 V6 and manual box. It’s an awesome car and I love driving it. Ever since you pointed out the “triangle of doom” I can’t help but notice it everytime it rains!!!

I think the Mondeo is a stand out car. It made all manufacturers reconsider there offerings and as a result cars in general took a leap forward in design, quality, equipment etc.

I had the 1.8 diesel base. Had it for 5 years (from second hand) and apart from new tyres and brake pads it never let me down. When I sold it I put an add in the local paper (no eBay then). I had 5 phones calls and two people offered me full price without seeing it. So I sold it to the guy that turned up first with the cash.

I wish liftbacks were more popular in the US, I would love one cause sedan trunks never suit my needs but I like how they look

Great engine the silver top Zetec,bomb proof bottom end. Mondeo MK1 a great car too didn't rot like the later ones- however Zetec and Mondeo together was a curate's egg- luckily they were very reliable as if you had to work on them in the very cramped engine space they were absolute hell- many a Mondeo was killed by a worn clutch as you had to dismantle most of the front end, which sometimes sent the garage charges into 4 figures if it had the later fitted DMF flywheel.

Always hated Fords until one of these was foisted on me as a company car. Changed my view for ever. Quietly brilliant.

Always been a fan of 90's Fords. A few years ago I bought a T-reg 1.8 Mondeo from a retired gent with just 50k on the clock for £750. Best purchase I ever made. Made the mistake of doing a car swap with someone I know. Last I heard, it was sent to a scrappie (but due to the condition they just kept it as their own car). I kick myself for that all the time. People keep slagging 90s Fords off, but really, the petrols of that era were unkillable.

Like that solid blue colour, SO early 90s! along with the blue cloth seats. My dad had one of these, a dark green 1.8 LX with "truffle" (prosthetic beige) interior. Very comfy over long distances and economical on the motorway as you would expect. Complete rust bucket mind, but cheap and dependable.

I had 2 of these Mk1s one petrol ,1 diesel. Both brilliant cars.

Nice test. Evoked memories of my Mondeo 1.6LX manual bought second hand from Derek's of Bangor, Gwynedd in 2002. mine was Henley Blue with the Blue seats, dash and steering wheel. Rare now. Loved it and covered 40k miles in it without any issue. Incidentally, my greyhound really loved lounging on the back seat!

I was 9 or 10 when this came out and a family friend took me out in his LX and was amazed at how it looked at the time

I had a 95 1.8LX Saloon with a factory body kit and fancy wheels, I swear it's one of the best cars I've ever had for handling, that was coming from an Astra Merit Diesel 1.7D though

I remember seeing a mondeo in this colour at a ford dealership when I was young and was impressed and wanted one when I got older but never did get one! I can believe that was 25 years ago!

My first Mondeo was a N plate I had bought from a friend for £100 and had lasted over 5y without a major repair. I sold it because I had a Focus and an Omega, and didn't bother to take it through another MOT... Comfy car.

I miss velour seats, far more comfy :o(

My '96 1.8 LX did everything I wanted it to for donkey's years without a fault. I should never have let it go.

Lovely! My relatives in the UK always had a Mondeo in the driveway. Never released in Canada we did get a cousin of it by the name of Contour .. Eventually! That blue interior tho 👌 my 94 Ford Aerostar was just as blue! And base to boot! Tho I believe I had air con and cruise control ahah. Great videos friend!

I remember a whole line of new K reg cars parked outside a local business opposite my house when I was 10 and remember being quite impressed with the styling. Not sure why now haha...

Ian, I have possibly driven as many cars as you, well maybe nearly, but I still talk about my red Mk1 estate mondea. 1.8LX It is by far one of the best cars I have ever owned, and I can say that after owning several new cars in the past 5 years.

The original Zetec was perhaps a bit gruff but it was a great and very sturdy engine. I'd love a car like this Mondeo now, modern yet still simple by today's standards. Think I'd prefer the 1.8 though.

Arguably the worst triangle of doom ever!

This blue Stage velour interior is probably my favourite of all the Mk1s, even more than GLXs and Ghias. The more common colour scheme on this spec was a grey-beige colour known as Opal, which is hideous. Makes it look like a proper old man’s car. At least this blue (or Atlantis) interior made the car seem a bit more cool, though that’s mainly because I remember my uncle having a 1.8 LX with this interior with a dark blue paint job (I’d assume the Isis Blue) and he usually had his Ministry of Sound anthems on full blast with one of those loud radios where the volume dial lit up in blue. I think of a lot of younger owners used to replace the standard radio with those since only top spec models had CD players.

I had several mondeos. A red mk1 1.8 glx. A chardonnay red mk1 2.5 v6 si, a silver mk1 2.5 v6 ghia x with cloth trim. A mk2 2.0 glx. I now have a silver mk4 2.0 duratec petrol in 'zetec' trim that does 37mpg! I was also a capri fan before the mondeo owning several of ford's finest coupe. My friend had a blue mk1 mondeo 1.8 Base similar to that in the video with the same blue interior but in a lot worse condition but then he only paid £50 for it! He went everywhere in that car!

I remember reading Jackie Stewart's biography. He was working for Ford and help to tune the Mondeos handling, if that's the right phrase. He found a fundamental flaw in the design of the car's steering which the Ford bean counters said they couldn't afford to redesign. So he tuned it out. The flaw is still there but only someone like a professional racing driver would notice it. Result though, the best handling car in its class for the time. Although I seem to remember the reviews said the Primera ran it close.

My Mum had an early dark blue Mondeo 1.6 LX The reg was K315 TEB. First Registered in March 93. It was a lovely car. Replaced by a Peugeot 605.

There is a 1998 or 99 Mercury Mystique (U.S. cousin to the Mondeo) for sale near me. It is a top spec model with V6, automatic transmission and full power accessories. It doesn't look quite as nice as this example, but I agree, these are quite good looking. The U.S. market only ever got the 4 door saloon, no hatches or estates, no diesels or AWD, either.

Ahhh...that took me back! I had 2 of these in the mid 90’s as company cars when I worked as a sales rep (what else!). First I had a 1.8 diesel which was rubbish when pulling out onto roundabouts but good apart from that. Then I had a 1.8 petrol which loved accelerating...great fun. Really liked them both, the only real problem is the tailgate would piss water into the boot when opened on a wet day, a problem much more recent or even new Mondeos still have so I hear!! Thanks for the video.

Lovely Ford Mondeo Mk1. I think there is very generous head room space for back passengers, when compared to the latest Mondeo MK5, which hasn't at all got a very generous head room space due to the very curved shape of the top the car from the back end. I wonder why car designers don't consider such things as head room allowance for back passengers. This is that only major error in the Mondeo MK5. The head room allowance in the MK4 is ok though.

One of the main models built at Ford Genk. (1964-closed 2014)

My had the ford mondeo zetec estate (1997 i think it was) 2.0ltr 16v. Was a good car until the garage forgot to put the radiator cap back on and nearly blew the engine

Hubnut: I get that windshield " dribble " on my Ford Fusion, the sister car to the latest generation of the Mondeo, so they STILL do that. I generally like my Fusion, but Ford U.S. didn't see fit to install a rear wiper on this car and it really needs one.

I had a mk 2 2.0 Zetec S reg and it was lovely, comfy, reasonably powerful. Honestly preferred it to 2 german mid size cars ive owned. Very under rated imho

89bhp! Even though the Zetec was based on the CVH, which in 1.6 8v fuel injected XR3i guise produced 105bhp, with a twin cam 16v head it produced 16bhp less. How did Ford manage that?

My uncle had one of these in black. I got a shot of it one day, and somehow managed to smack the front bumper off a bollard in Asda's car park. Guess I misjudged the length when parking it, and I was so scared to tell him. He just sort of shrugged and wasn't in the slightest bit upset.

I used to religiously read Which? Car guides when they came out each summer and I remember these being the first car to score a 10 for safety possibly due to the standard airbag whilst even Volvo had them as a £700 cost option.

I think it was the Contour in the U.S. One common complete was the small back seat. No hatch either.

I’ve got a 2l mk2 ghia x with full opinion extras. The car for the time is absolutely superb can’t rate it enough

Ah the Mondeo Aspen. They were pretty rare even in period as even company buyers generally went for the LX and upwards, and usually at least the 1.8 in petrol form as the 1.6 was often described as being inadequate for that size of car which was complete rubbish. On the road the 1.6 didn't feel any slower than the 1.8 though the larger engine was a touch happier on the motorway, 5th gear in the 1.6 seemed a touch short which is something that is still the case in my 1.6 Focus (same engine, different box) which is a decade newer. One thing that did come across in the video is the much reduced sound insulation in the Aspen, higher trim levels were much quieter, especially at motorway speeds and a diesel Aspen was really quite noisy, I drove an estate back from Cardiff to Portsmouth and I had a thumping headache by the end of the journey. It's nice to see the original Mondeo get some attention, I had a 2.0Si 4x4 as a company car for a year and 60,000 hard miles from late '95 and it was a fantastic car, the only thing that ever went wrong with it was the stereo (3 times, Ford stereos weren't great then and they haven't really got much better though they did sound good when they worked) and it liked tyres needing a set about every 20,000 miles though my driving probably didn't help extend their lives...

Mk2 Mondeo wipers are exactly the same too. Quite a poor windscreen wipers design. But really nice those Mondeos!

I've owned two of these and can honestly say they were among the best cars I've ever owned. Very reliable and comfortable. I had a 2 litre petrol GLX manual hatch followed by a 2 litre Ghia X 4 door saloon with an automatic gearbox but preferred the manual as the fuel consumption was much lower. I have a 1.6 petrol Focus Mk 2.5 now which is also very reliable. I always have my cars serviced regularly which helps. I do love these early Mondeo's though.

I'm never bored by reliable, cheap motoring. I can't think what I'd ever use a rev counter for unless i was reviewing the car. Lovely video.

My parents had a dark green Mondeo 1.8 LX for years and they did a colossal mileage in it, I spent a lot of my childhood in the back seat on weekend trips. It got crashed into by a boy racer at one point and the old mondeo just shrugged it off, it needed a new wing and front bumper but kept going for many years after that. The boy racer's Corsa was wrecked. Sadly rust got to it in the end like so many other 90s Fords, so they got rid and bought the next generation of Mondeo.

We had lx mondeo fitted glx trims 1993 10995 cost We then got glx after 18months on ford options

My mum had the 1.8 petrol with 200000 on the clock it was a great car it never wanted for anything

I had a Mondeo 1.8 TD estate bloody good work horse until the diesel injector gave up the ghost.

Still one of my all time favourite early HubNut videos.

Had a metallic blue 1997 Mondeo ST24 and it was a lovely car. Head gasket went and I was totally skint at the time so I had to get rid of it for something horrible. I think Mondeo's and particulary ST24, ST 200 and ST220 will be the next classics so start looking for low mileage minters and squirrel em away. Sierra's are going for £7k to £10k now and rising

Used to work on these when I was doing my apprenticeship in Ford around 1994, used to drive all different models, favourite was the 2.0 plenty of poke! We also had plenty of base model LX hire cars which were still quite tight and well equipped and modern feeling without being too futuristic feeling. The only downside was the taxis were all using Sierras and they took half an hour to do a clutch, Mondeos took about 6 hours, book time was about 12 hours, also weren't as big in back as Sierra so it took a while for taxi approval.

My dad had an L reg 4dr Mondeo 1.6LX as a company car back in 94. It took us everywhere and would easily tow a caravan. I remember it very well.

Got 1996 mk I, 1.6 sedan 14 yrs now, reliable but gas guzzler

I like these first gen Mondeos the most. The seats are more comfortable than the newer ones I think and there is enough room for four people provided that the front seats are not moved all the way back. I cannot sit comfortably in a 2012 Ford Focus either in the drivers seat or in the front passenger seat unless I have the front seat all the way right back which means no one can sit behind me. I am 6 foot 3 inches tall and it seems to me that newer cars have less room in the cabin than the older ones and the seats feel harder too.

I worked as a mechanic for Ford Motor Company New Zealand many years ago, I've never bought a Ford car since :)

I loved the Mk1 Mondeo, we ran these as taxis as well with the 1.8td, great car.......I owned a 2.0si which was a little dreary, and a 2.5 ST24v which was epic, the tidy handling is what remains one of my most fond memories of this car, besides being a nice drive overall, one of the first cars which felt like a modern interior wrapped around the driver with nice materials IMHO.

These are great videos I'd love to see you do a video of a MK2 Granada Ghia X 2.8 if you could get your hands on one ,my all time favourite car !

That Ford dealership is still there selling Fords. Been there for years before that Mondeo was sold there

I had a 1997 Escort which had the same thermostat issue from new. The thing wouldn't warm up. Same engine as this Mondeo. Good on the motorway though with its long top gear. Had a mk1 Mondeo Ghia X 2.5 too which went like merry hell. No blanking plates on MY dashboard..... The 24v badge on the boot used to incite Nova GTE and XR3i drivers to race me off the lights everywhere I went. It only ever went one way though, with 178bhp and an auto 'box. Love the channel Ian, thank you Sir.

Very nice. As for the wipers - have you checked that they are correct size and fitment? They are usually longer on one side, and it seems the one on the driver side is too short. Worth checking :)

This brings back so many memories! My grandparents had a Mk1 Mondeo, very late model from 96, Hatchback in dark green with the 1.8 Diesel. It was the very first car I rode in, but they eventually sold it with just over 170.000km (~105.000mls). Unfortunately, I was too young back then to have driven it myself, I only recall my mom complaining about how slow it felt in the city before the turbo kicks in (she was used to a 75hp Toyota Starlet, so that's not a fair comparison). The one thing I truly loved about it even back then was the interior; My grandpa fitted it with aftermarket wood that actually looked very nice on it, and this green/blue/black pattern, it was lovely. What I hated though was, that the rear windows wouldn't go down all the way.

Had a 1.8 2000 mondeo , was the best car I ever had. Great power, brilliantly comfortable, never let me down once , drove great and was a better drive then my 2012 a4 I drive now , that something brakes in every 3 months

The rear legroom isn't all that great. Neither is the headroom. I'm not surprised the Ford Taurus outsold the Contour/Mondeo in the US. Not to mention the Taurus got a V6 and an automatic transmission for not much more money. Smoother ride, too. The Mondeo however makes perfect sense for Europeans. Comfy enough, roomy enough, multiple body styles, sporty yet smooth ride, not too big yet not too small. Good little car for the money.

remarkably quiet and reliable! great car and it can be bought with a bag of coins

I was an apprentice at Fords when these bad boys came out and I instantly fell in love with them and got to know them inside out and still do ,what I would do to find a mint mk1 fully loaded ghia ,great video and thanks for the memories 😊👍.

These were sold in the USA as the Ford Contour / Mercury Mystique. My recollection is, the reviewers at the time knocked it for having relatively tight interior space and heavy curb weight for the size.

Not exactly a simple Mondeo but I love my ST220

Always liked the Mondeo, the 2.0 Si was a lovely drive, a nice balence between practicality and speed. didn't get to see many for repair until they got really old and smoky, so pretty reliable in my experience.

1.6 Gl Cortina in 1981 had 85bhp! so twin cam technology didnt advance things much!

i now have a mk1 td at last and its lovely.its a 96 1.8 turbo diesel intercooler,drives straight and pulls well and v.comfy.

The bluebird brakes are indeed very sharp. I drove a Mondeo 2.0 8 valve for a while (company car) and I remember it driving a bit like a boat. I was used to the sharp handling of my Citroen AX GT at the time.

Had a 2.5 V6 Ghia X Nreg 168,000miles Paid £300 One of the best cars ive owned

We had a mk1 mondeo for a hire car! It was bright red lol brand new as well. I remember always seeing them with black duck tape to cover the foam on the rear bumper when someone backed into something and shattered it lol. Either that or they try to paint the foam the same colour of the car :). Those Ford radios always needed a code or something. It may want a new ticker as that does sound horrible.

My grandad had one of these for years. Believe he bought it back in ‘95 and had it until 2014!. Very plain and simple but did the job perfectly for his needs and he never really had much trouble with it :)

I've had the pleasure to sit in this precise car and admire its blue interior. It is indeed a thing of wonder and probably my favourite 90s car.

I was in junior school when I first heard the mondeo name used

Subbed. Your vids are cool. Like a council estate Top Gear ☺ Great job. Ive had a 1.6 and a 2.0 both silvertops. Great simple reliable cars. Hence the fact shedloads were taxis.

This one is easily your best triangle of doom rant.

These Mondeo’s were great! Had a 1.8 LX Turbo Diesel on an N plate about 10 years ago, drove and handled really well, and economical too. Great Vid, thanks! 👍

That key was even used on Australian made Ford Falcons during the early ’90s. My Mum had an ED Falcon wagon with a 4 litre straight 6 and 4 speed auto (pretty standard for an Australian car) and it had that same key. X300 Jags have the same Key as well. Ford Australia used it until the BF series Falcon around 2006.

And thus the Triangle of Doom was born.

I remember the MK2 equipment levels been worse relative trim to MK1. A lot of standard equipment became options. Ford wanted to recoup it's investment. Saw one of these in an auction with the door lock smashed to the size of a tennis ball and it was still secure. In my mind the first car to combat the 1990s car theft epidemic

mine had this interior, but I had the passenger airbag which was VERY rare! I love the steering wheel on these early airbag efforts

One like this is gonna be my first car in a month or so 😊😊😊

Nice video I Never Owned a Mondeo at the time they were very expensive compared to a Cavalier