Avensis Vs Mondeo

Berbatov · 05-07-2008 10:26pm #1

Right, I basically know feck all about cars. But I'm trying to choose between a new Avensis 2l diesel or 2l Mondeo Zetec TDI. I know some of you will suggest other cars in the same range but I can only choose one or the other. Anyone got any opinion, any advice appreciated.

Tks

E92 · 05-07-2008 10:31pm

Mondeo. Avensis will be replaced at the end of the year, meanwhile the Mondeo has just come out.

I won't say why for the moment; just wait and see the other responses and you'll definately get a very clear message by the end of it all:D!

Berbatov · 05-07-2008 10:40pm

all advice appreciated, as i said i know f all about cars!!

Redjeep! · 05-07-2008 10:44pm

I'd go for the Mondeo every time.

Mondeos have always been a great car to drive whilst every Avensis I've ever driven (and this is only my opinion) has been like steering a boat around corners (and I've steered plenty of boats as well !).

Completely unresponsive and devoid of any feedback.

Again, only my opinion, but that's all your asking for right ?

Berbatov · 05-07-2008 10:49pm

Yeah exactly, only looking for opinons as i can't form one myself having never driven either.

All appreciated.

Mezcita · 05-07-2008 10:53pm

Had one of the new Mondeo's while for a couple of weeks while my other wagon was on order. Very impressed. Interior is a bit bling looking but it's a solid car.

collie1 · 05-07-2008 11:07pm

i have one of the new mondeo's. its an absolute beast of a car. 1.8 deisel.lx model. i have never driven the avensis, but i highly recommend the mondeo

JHMEG · 05-07-2008 11:12pm

collie1 wrote: »

i have one of the new mondeo's. its an absolute beast of a car. 1.8 deisel.lx model. i have never driven the avensis, but i highly recommend the mondeo

Hmmm. A 1.8 diesel Mondeo. Absolute beast you say...

E92 · 05-07-2008 11:24pm

Where's that 1.9 TDI Passat when you need it? I've heard that engine is such a beast that Concorde had trouble keeping up with it:pac::pac:.

knifey_spoonie · 05-07-2008 11:26pm

JHMEG wrote: »

Hmmm. A 1.8 diesel Mondeo. Absolute beast you say...

PLAY NICE

Anywho, my guess is that you aint paying for it for it so all that matters is what you prefer, go in to your local dealership and ask to test drive both of them

It all depends on the money, why not look at a new 2.2 d4d luna avensis with 150 bhp, now they are a nice easy car to drive, with load of power to overtake.

but maybe you prefer the looks or drive of the mondeo, but the only way is to walk into the showroom act like proper customer, and bring them for a spin

JHMEG · 05-07-2008 11:30pm

E92 wrote: »

Where's that 1.9 TDI Passat when you need it? I've heard that engine is such a beast that Concorde had trouble keeping up with it:pac::pac:.

The word you're looking for is weapon

superjosh9 · 05-07-2008 11:34pm

Mondeo - driven the base petrol in man and the 2.0 diesel in auto. Found the diesel to be much heavier in the nose, which it is, but it was noticeable in the steering. This may also have been due to the bigger and wider wheels.

I found the bog-spec model to be surprisingly good fun..!

Have driven the Avensis also - it is a good solid car. Mondeo is a little bit bigger. I suggest you sit into both and make your mind up as to which place you enjoy being in more.

As mentioned, the avensis is due to be replaced soon. Historically, and I'm not sure about this, but I think the avensis has always held its value quite well. The same cannont be said for the Mondeo - but the new one is miles away from the previous gen so it will be interesting to see how this develops. Btw, it's platform is used in the Land Rover Freelander and Volvo S80/V70 to name but a few - and it scored very well in the NCAP.

All in all, if it was me, I would agree with the others and go for the mondeo. But still you should try both!

Berbatov · 05-07-2008 11:45pm

Thanks for all the opinions, seems that the mondeo is the most higlhy recommended at the moment! In any case i think i'll accept the advice given and test drive both before making a decision.

thanks again, any other opinions welcome

Anan1 · 05-07-2008 11:56pm

Berbatov wrote: »

Thanks for all the opinions, seems that the mondeo is the most higlhy recommended at the moment! In any case i think i'll accept the advice given and test drive both before making a decision.

Cars are quite a personal thing, you'll find the decision will probably make itself when you drive both.

TomMc · 06-07-2008 1:12am

Mondeo all the way. But hey test drive them both and I'm sure you will see why. The one and only time I drove an Avensis, I had some deja vu going on - it reminded me of a sit-on lawnmower.

Run_to_da_hills · 06-07-2008 1:18am

The Mondeo is a Ford while the Avensis is a Toyota and Toyota make the best built cars in the world. Says it all.

jonnygee · 06-07-2008 1:27am

If your not paying for it yourself then avensis = ugly and mondeo = class.
If you are paying for it yourself then buy a focus.

Scottie99 · 06-07-2008 8:21am

I'd go for the Avensis. Like Run_to_da_hills said Toyota are the best built in the world and as they are getting replaced in 2009 it seems a good time to buy at a great price.

Maybe you should test drive both

maidhc · 06-07-2008 12:10pm

Just buy a mondeo and get it over with.

bazz26 · 06-07-2008 12:59pm

jonnygee wrote: »

If your not paying for it yourself then avensis = ugly and mondeo = class.
If you are paying for it yourself then buy a focus.

None of these car are pretty to be honest so looks shouldn't be the deciding factor when choosing one over the other.

Cionád · 06-07-2008 1:41pm

Scottie99 wrote: »

I'd go for the Avensis. Like Run_to_da_hills said Toyota are the best built in the world

Ford. Designed for living. Engineered to last.

I'd go for the Mondeo myself

-Chris- · 06-07-2008 2:09pm

Another vote for the Mondeo

Zonda999 · 06-07-2008 2:50pm

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

The Mondeo is a Ford while the Avensis is a Toyota and Toyota make the best built cars in the world. Says it all.

No one ever said that about toyota.They said that about themselves!!Anyway, toyotas have definately come down in recent years.Just have a look at the new Auris, horrible looking, feels cheap and NOT exciting to drive.The old corolla was a better car.The Avensis has all the same traits as the Auris except the cheapness.Right now, i could not reccomend any new toyota car, Only the Land cruiser(Commercial only), Hiace, Dyna or Hilux, which are commercial vehicles.
I would definately reccommend the mondeo over the avensis.As for what other people were saying about retained values of the avensis, have you noticed how common they are??I'd say if you wanted to shift one at all quickly, you would have to sell fairly cheap.
Put it this way, the mondeo is; Better looking, More spacious, has more modern engines and is newer.No contest IMO

colm_mcm · 06-07-2008 6:55pm

Zonda999 wrote: »

No one ever said that about toyota.They said that about themselves!!

This is what Toyota says:

toyota.ie wrote:

Who says that Toyota is generally regarded as the highest quality manufacturer of passenger vehicles in the world? The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, that's who. It took the MIT 5 years and $5 million to study the world's car industry and reach that simple conclusion.

And who says that people who buy Toyota cars are happier with them than any other make of car? JD Power and Associates, that's who. JD who? They're an American firm who study people and their choice of cars and how happy they are with the whole decision. Some years ago, the study came to Europe, in partnership with the BBC's Top Gear. Then there's the ADAC, the German and Austrian equivalent of the AA. Year after year, a Toyota tops their table of the cars that report the fewest faults.

There's also the TUV, the German state authority that conducts their version of road tests. Every car on their roads has to be tested every 3 years, for total roadworthiness. And yes, you've guessed which manufacture's cars come first. Up to 3 years, 5 years, 7 years and 9 years old. That's the official story, from around the world.

Bluefoam · 06-07-2008 7:10pm

+ 1 for Mondeo. I've had 2 Fords and have nothing but praise for them. Reliable and don't cost the world to keep. Plus they generally handle well.

ninty9er · 06-07-2008 7:19pm

If you could get a few grand off an Avensis before it's replaced it's not a bad car....and since you say you know feck all about cars, the "handles like a boat" comments a re irrelevant.

Basically if you're looking for a means of transport rather than a toy to play with that happens to get you around buy an Avensis, but as mentioned get the 2.2 Luna. Has the same engine as the Lexus IS220, not sure if it's detuned for the Avensis.

If you're looking for fun there's probably no diesel car in the D segment that could be earn that title other than the Mazda 6. Petrol = fun, diesel = economical.

colm_mcm · 06-07-2008 7:47pm

ninty9er wrote: »

Basically if you're looking for a means of transport rather than a toy to play with that happens to get you around buy an Avensis, but as mentioned get the 2.2 Luna. Has the same engine as the Lexus IS220, not sure if it's detuned for the Avensis..

it's tuned to 150bhp in the Avensis, and not noticebly quicker than the 2.0 6 speed.

It's not worth paying €430 as opposed to €290 to tax, and not worth the extra €4k it'll cost.

Redjeep! · 06-07-2008 10:54pm

Bottom line is that you're the only person who can decide, and as it sounds like it's a company car then even if you get it "wrong" (not that there's any right or wrong decison) you probably won't get too stressed as they're both great cars.

BTW Toyota are widely recognised as having the best manufacturing systems in the world. That's generally acknowledged and they invented many modern manufacturing techniques that other car companies have struggled to adopt. It doesn't actually mean that their cars are the best in the world, but the overall quality would probably be better than a Ford. This probably wouldn't be the only factor thta you'd use to choose.

JHMEG · 06-07-2008 11:02pm

Redjeep! wrote: »

BTW Toyota are widely recognised as having the best manufacturing systems in the world. That's generally acknowledged and they invented many modern manufacturing techniques that other car companies have struggled to adopt.

Very true. Books like this are standard texts on some University courses:
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51PCGwNzixL._SL500_BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU02_AA240_SH20_.jpg

ninty9er · 06-07-2008 11:18pm

TOYOTA systems are the basis for modern "total quality management (TQM)" and I can vouch for it being on university courses, but not to the extent that a text is required in my case.

Same with ford and the birth of the assembly line.

maidhc · 06-07-2008 11:24pm

JHMEG wrote: »

Very true. Books like this are standard texts on some University courses:

I'm sure Fordism is studied in depth too. Either way there is no denying the impact Japanese engineering had on the automotive world in the 70s and 80s, but it does not necessarily hold true that a family saloon from Toyota in 2008 is a better car than that from Ford.

JHMEG · 06-07-2008 11:38pm

maidhc wrote: »

I'm sure Fordism is studied in depth too. Either way there is no denying the impact Japanese engineering had on the automotive world in the 70s and 80s, but it does not necessarily hold true that a family saloon from Toyota in 2008 is a better car than that from Ford.

Toyota's production systems are the envy of the western world. Ford would not be in the same league. Doesn't mean Toyota cars are better tho.

eamon234 · 06-07-2008 11:40pm

Mondeo wins on looks alone - Avensis looks like a Transformers arse.

E92 · 07-07-2008 12:15am

Toyotas have been slipping down the reliability surveys for the past couple of years. The "Best Built Cars in the World" slogan is out of date at best.

Anyway Toyota's European and UK slogan is "today tomorrow", in Germany it is "nothing is impossible".

I'd still wager that it is more reliable than the Ford but the Ford is still a vastly superior car.

pburns · 07-07-2008 9:40am

E92 wrote: »

Toyotas have been slipping down the reliability surveys for the past couple of years. The "Best Built Cars in the World" slogan is out of date at best.

Anyway Toyota's European and UK slogan is "today tomorrow", in Germany it is "nothing is impossible".

I'd still wager that it is more reliable than the Ford but the Ford is still a vastly superior car.

Yeah, I read that Toyota's head honcho is pulling out all the stops to reduce production costs on each unit. They've been in a ding-dong battle to replace GM as biggest car manufacturer in the world. As a result evidence seems to suggest standards are slipping a little. My mate's wife traded a Corolla for an Auris and my mate claims the older car seemed much more substantial & had better materials. The Avensis is an older model, not sure it's suffered from the penny-pincing yet.

If you're not into cars the 2.0D should be sufficent. 2.2D only available in Luna spec and pretty expensive (over €32 grand). There are much better options available for that money...

RobAMerc · 07-07-2008 9:54am

if you like your motoring a drive in the Mondeo will insure you'll take it over the Toyota.

If you don't then I would say the Toyota might be the better long term as you'll always get someone to take it off you, but it will be a truely joyless ownership experience.

Zonda999 · 07-07-2008 12:36pm

E92 wrote: »

Toyotas have been slipping down the reliability surveys for the past couple of years. The "Best Built Cars in the World" slogan is out of date at best.

Very True.IMO, that slogan only ever had any real truth in the eearly nineties.I would still think that a jap built toyota wouls still be a very reliable car but if its been made in europe specifically for the european market its to be avoided

mondeo · 07-07-2008 1:19pm

I dont like either of them, the mondeo will soon be tarnished with flashing blue lights and reflective green stripes when the gards start using them.
When the new mondeo came out I thought it looked cool so you better go and buy one before you start looking like an unmarked garda car.

*I dont have a mondeo anymore because people kept cracking garda jokes at me*

Now the avensis my god I would not buy one of them, you would cross as the most boring person in the world UUUGHHH:rolleyes:

regedit · 26-07-2008 8:27pm

I would always go for the current Avensis if given the choice Avenis or New Mondeo. It looks and feels better built.
Mondo has been here for less than a year while Avensis is around since 2003. Mondeo might look nicer (but beauty is in the beholders eyes) than Avensis but does not feel solid.
Ford do not have the reputation of Toyota's.
If I had to choose, I would go fo Mazda 6 and not the Mondeo.
If I had the option, I would hold back untill Jan 2009 and get the New Avensis (VI)

AugustusMaximus · 27-07-2008 12:57am

Mondeo everytime.

Avensis feels like a barge going around corners compared to the Mondeo which is fairly sweet and responsive at the wheel.

The spec in the Avensis is fairly poor too. Interior incredibly bland.

Damien360 · 27-07-2008 10:15pm

I have both cars, both 07.

07 1.6 petrol Avensis Strata for wife

07 1.8 TDCI Mondeo Zetec as my company car.

I will ignore the power comparisons as one is petrol and the other diesel.

The Mondeo is a quick car. Poor off the blocks in first but a rocket once up to 1900 revs and in third. It is a solid car and very comfortable. Sticks to the road like glue. It chews front tyres. 30000Km per front set. I had 2 of the last version as company cars before this and loved them and asked for the Mondeo. The zetec has 125bhp and 6 gears and climate control. It needs the 125bhp in my opinion and I thought the base LX 100bhp, 5 gear one was under powered when I test drove one. If you do a lot of miles the mondeo is for you. It eats diesel at motorway speeds. I get 43mpg consistently for mixed driving including motorway. It is big and takes some getting used to when parallel parking. The turning circle is poor.

The Avensis is not terribly quick but will get to 120Kmph before you get to the end of a motorway entrance ramp so it has plenty of poke for our needs. The dash is not exicting but it all works well. Both of us love the ride height of the Avensis (the mondeo ride height is very low and she hates it). The mid spec strata has air-con, 5 gears and mp3 cd player (which the mondeo does not have but it has aux in port). I prefer the Avensis in low speed town driving. The clutch is light compared to the Mondeo. The Avensis quoted mpg figures are very accurate. 30mpg around town always. Easy to park as the turning circle is tight.

In summary, both are good cars. Although you spec'd diesel in your opening comment, choose carefully depending on your mileage. Consider resale values of both, the Fords never hold value after 3 years compared to the Toyota. Also consider reliabilty. The Ford TDCI engines all have injector blocking issues. E92's comment on poor Toyota reliabilty relates to the current Auris and Corrolla which has more electronics than ever before and these are troublesome. The current Avensis is still in the "twisty knobs" era but they work reliably.

Best of luck in your final choice

JHMEG · 27-07-2008 10:26pm

Jeez, it's rare we have that sort of balance here. Nice one Damien, good post.

Avensis Vs Mondeo

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