Ford Mondeo LX 130 PS 2003(03) 2.0 TDCi hatchback - used car review

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Replacing the Sierra in 1993 with a $6bn new car programme (one of the most expensive ever), the Ford Mondeo has become one of the most popular mid-size vehicles in the UK market. It’s no coincidence that its reliability has made the Ford Mondeo the favoured car for fleet owners of any size. 

The current MkIII (mark 3) model Ford Mondeo was introduced in 2000 after the MkII (mark 2) mondeo was discontinued 3 years after its inception in 1997. The third generation Ford Monde was launched in 2000, and addressed the 2 main criticisms of its predecessor: the modest legroom and sluggish diesel engine. The legroom is noticeably bigger and the pull of the straight-four-cylinder, turbo-intercooled, 16-valve direct-injection TDCi engine is a marked improvement. The chain-driven camshafts also rectified a common problem in the earlier models. 

The security of the Ford Mondo MkIII is also an improvement on its predecessors, including the Intelligent Protection System (IPS), anti-lock brakes and electronic brake distribution. No wonder it frequently featured as the most popular car in its class at the turn of the new decade and ranked as high as 8th top selling car in the UK.

The review

We purchased the Mondeo LX 130 TDCi as a 3½ year old diesel vehicle with 85,000 miles on the clock and full Ford service history.

To look at the MkIII (mark 3) Ford Mondeo is still a modern looking car, and with 85,000 miles on the clock neither looked nor felt tired. The light metallic blue paint gives it a bright, happy look, and although the wheel trims don’t have the same effect of the alloy wheels (alloys) of the zetec or ghia models, this LX is still a great looking car. With the dash and centre console following the lead set by the 1996 Volkswagen (VW) Passat, and a nice dark charcoal upholstery, I was looking forward to getting behind the wheel for the roadtest.

On the road I wasn’t disappointed, and the extra 15 PS made the 130 PS TDCi faster than a lot of its petrol rivals I came across that tried to add an extra minute or two onto my journey time. The handling was fine, brakes sharp, and the increased torque was just enough to keep the ride ‘pokey’ without the slip-and-slide of a lighter competitor. And it even has lower emissions than its 115 zetec counterpart...

In summary a good pedigree, good handling, solid build quality, generous equipment, roomy interiors and low cost servicing. And when you can get 200 to 300,000 miles from a well serviced TDCi Ford Mondeo LX 130 for only £5495 on the road, you won’t be disappointed with your investment.