Constrain yourself to one of Ford’s Econetic diesels in particular and you’ll keep your running costs relatively low. It’s when you opt for a petrol engine, all-wheel drive or an automatic gearbox that costs start to climb.

At launch, tested under the old NEDC emissions regulations, with a claimed average of 74.3mpg was the 1.6-litre TDCi. Emissions are kept in check too, with a CO2 output of 99g/km. 

Choosing the 240hp 2.0-litre EcoBoost for the Mondeo Estate will give you the least efficient package, with claims of 37.7mpg and CO2 emissions of 174g/km. 

During 2019 Ford announced a facelift for the Mondeo range, including the introduction of a Hybrid model that combines a petrol engine with an electric motor. System output is 187hp, but CO2 emissions are from 101g/km and fuel economy is up to 64.2mpg.

A new range of 2.0-litre diesel engines also joins the lineup, offering between 117-130g/km depending on power level, and fuel economy of 57.6-62.8mpg.

All other running costs for the Mondeo Estate will be comparatively low – Ford is well known for reasonable servicing and maintenance. Insurance shouldn’t be too onerous either, though the facelifted car should fare best with its added safety tech.

Since the Mondeo was launched we’ve seen the introduction of the new WLTP emissions standard, which means all the figures quoted before aren’t correct. That said, Ford claimed 99g/km was the lowest and 174g/km the highest.

However, the new tests are more stringent and usually produce higher numbers, so that’s why the 2019 Mondeo Estate Hybrid will ‘only’ manage 101g/km of CO2 emissions. That doesn’t make it less efficient – these days the tests are more so.

The diesels introduced at the same time as the Hybrid are efficient too, with emissions rated between 117-130g/km.

Reliability

• Owners report decent reliability
• Low cost of repairs if the worst happens
• Check recalls have been addressed when buying used

Considering how long it’s been on sale, the Ford Mondeo doesn’t have a huge amount of owners’ reviews on Parkers, but the majority are positive, with only one owner complaining of low-quality parts.

Ford is known for its well-priced spare parts, however, so if your car does break it shouldn’t cost the earth to fix.

There have been a handful of recalls issued for various versions of the Mondeo, but these issues should have been fixed by Ford for free, and shouldn’t pose a problem. Just ensure you check they’ve been sorted before buying a secondhand car.