What's the news?
Ford has said that it's going to expand its Mondeo Hybrid offering in 2019 with the addition of an estate model. Currently, the Mondeo Hybrid is only available as a saloon, or as an upscale Vignale model, and it does suffer from having a smaller boot than that of the standard model (thanks to the need to package the batteries).
Ford hasn't yet said whether it has come up with a neater solution, that preserves the vast luggage space of the Mondeo Estate, but the car will retain the same mix of Atkinson-cyle 2.0-litre petrol engine, paired with an electric motor and a 1.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The combination of engine and motor provides 187hp, and returns 99g/km of CO2 emissions on the combined cycle. Ford claims 4.2 litres/100km (67.7mpg) economy for the saloon model, but in our experience it's closer to 50mpg, albeit reliably so, in real-world conditions.
No word yet on Irish prices, specs, or an arrival date, but judging from the current Hybrid and estate prices in the Mondeo range, we'd say a price of around €37,000 for the Titanium-spec model sounds about right.
"For many customers the practicality offered by a estate body style is an absolute must, so we're excited to announce that from next year those drivers will also be able to reduce their fuel bills using the sophisticated petrol-electric powertrain of our new Mondeo hybrid estate," said Roelant de Waard, Ford European Marketing, Sales and Service vice president. "Electrified powertrains will continue to play a key role in our European product line-up. Ford is investing $11 billion and plans to deliver 16 fully electric vehicles within a global portfolio of 40 electrified vehicles by 2022."
Sales of the new Mondeo Hybrid estate should kick off in the spring of 2019.