What car is best; a ford focus or a ford mondeo ?

Richard53

I have had a Mondeo estate for the last 8 years and my wife has had a couple of Focuses (Foci?) in that time, so I can offer a direct comparison. From a Mondeo, you will find the Focus is a lot smaller inside, especially in the back, and the luggage space is tiny in comparison even to the saloon Mondeo. On the positive side, it is a lot more nippy and chuckable, easier to park, and generally more suited to town and short journeys. Going to the supermarket, I'd take the Focus, but anything longer including motorways and it's the Mondy every time. I find the Mondeo extremely comfortable over a long distance, whereas the Focus gives me backache.


Apples and oranges (Mondeo is diesel manual, Focuses have been auto, both petrol and diesel), but the Focus had poor economy. Focus petrol struggled to make 30 mpg, the diesel a bit better, whereas the Mondeo will give me 42/43 and better however I treat it. My guess is that a manual Focus would be similar, but there's no evidence that it would necessarily be *better* on fuel.


Lastly, I am a bit old-school and I would always go for a bigger engine. In a car like a Focus, a 1.8 or 2.0 is going to do the job with power to spare. However clever the technology, a forced induction 1.0 is going to be highly stressed in a car of this size, and I wouldn't be happy with that, even if it was worth an extra 3-4 mpg. Just my opinion.

forgotmyname

Read the reviews on the 1L ecoboost. Yes for a 1L the power is brilliant, Bit you do not get the wide spread of torque that a 2L engine will deliver.

Some of the reviews rave about the torque then when they have long term test cars and get it on a run fully loaded they find the torque is a bit lacking.

You need more gear changing to be in the powerband.

GwylimT

The mondeo is far comfier than the focus which has firmer seats.

I had a focus ecoboost 1.0l for a few days while my car was in the garage, I can firmly say there is no way I would ever buy one, noisy, under powered and slow to respond. The fiesta version however is fantastic.

With the mondeo I would go for 2.0l petrol personally, the only thing I don't like is the arm rest as you can't adjust it.

TonyMMM

I have a Focus with the 1.0 ecoboost engine - absolutely amazing power for it's size, but you do need to be in the correct gear to use it to its best. And it returns nearly 50mpg .... love it.

The Focus has also just had a new model launch so if you go for a pre-facelift 12 month old car you may get a good deal,

bigjl

force_ten wrote: »

what is that 1.0l ecoboost engine like for power

I am still old school and still think 1.0l engines are for the likes of micras, aygos and other shopping/town cars and 1.0l is to underpowered to run with the big boys

I know things have moved on with engine development but i would still consider a 1.0l motor to small in a car like the focus

I remember Fifth Gear tested the old 1.6 and a 1.0 Ecoboost in a drag race and the 1.0 won.

You never really drive a car flat out in the real world.

But the official figures are

0-60

1.6 12.3/10.9

1.0 11.3

Bhp

1.6 105bhp/125bhp

1.0 125bhp

Torque

1.6 111 lbsft/117 lbsft

1.0 148 lbsft

Road Tax

1.6 £130 pa/£130 pa

1.0 £30 pa

There seems to be two power specs for the 1.6, mybinfo is from the vehicle specs in CarGiant whichbu have always found to be accurate.

Trying to compare a 1.0 Ecoboost with a 2.0 petrol is daft as they were never meant to compete.

Like trying to compare a 1.0 Ecobbost Fiesta to a Fiesta ST a totally flawed conparison.

The 1.0 is a flexible little engine.

I would have one no question.

colino

While the standard recommendation for a family all-rounder is generally a 1.6 petrol Focus, spec and quality seem to have dropped in more recent models, though it really is horses for courses and I personally prefer the bigger Mondeo. You really do have to test drive a few to know you'll be happy in a car, especially if it is going to be in the family for a while.
I am intrigued though with the new tiny engines when put in the Mondeo shell, seriously tempted to buy a blazer blue, lowest spec., tiniest engine one to see if they do actually remain, "family cars".

forgotmyname

Compare the torque graph for the 1L compared to the bigger engines.

The bigger engines will have a much flatter torque curve. Not as peaky so less gearchanges required.

Marktheshark

Avoid the focus 1.6 TDCI like the plague, the engine has serious terminal issues with carbon build up.

worried_jim

I was in a mondeo estate taxi last night with 278,000 miles on the clock and I thought it was brand new! Absolutely amazed at the condition of the interior, no wear or tear in the back, a great advert for the build quality.

bigjl

forgotmyname wrote: »

Compare the torque graph for the 1L compared to the bigger engines.

The bigger engines will have a much flatter torque curve. Not as peaky so less gearchanges required.

Perhaps a consideration on a race track but not really a big issue for a car doing 8000 miles a year that will likely be mostly round town