It is the European market that is keeping the station wagon, or estate, body style alive. Everywhere else people have replaced the estate car with SUVs and crossovers. That, in our book, makes the estate car cool because it makes it unique. And it would be doubly cool if you go for a estate car that is understated, an uncommon sight, and undisputed beautiful – something like the new 2019 Ford Mondeo Hybrid Wagon.
Even if wagons are largely a Euro-style car nowadays, that doesn’t mean customers aren’t spoiled with choices in this segment. Trouble is, most of the available options in this market come from Germany, and they are all kind of, well, obvious. You got your T-Model Mercs, Touring BMWs, and Avant Audis. They are all great cars, but they are not unique in the way the new Mondeo Wagon is. The Ford is not as run-of-the-mil as something like a Volvo Wagon, but not as in-your-face as those krauts, either. It occupies a sweet spot somewhere in between. It looks pretty ordinary on the face of it, and yet when you see it out in the wild it draws your attention and keeps it for a time.
The quality – being powerfully understated – has been a characteristic feature of all Mondeos since the first generation. It’s just been boosted in this generation, and especially so with the 2019 Ford Mondeo Hybrid Wagon. But the goodness of this car is more than just skin deep. For one thing, the Mondeo is a lot more affordable than its German rivals, while lacking none of their joe de vivre. Then there is the practicality stuff, at which it excels (430 liters expandable to 1,508 liters) and in some areas even surpasses those cocky Deutche boys. What is more, the sleek and laid-back-cool design of this car is backed by sophisticated technologies.
On the engine front, the 2019 Ford Mondeo Hybrid Wagon features a hybrid petrol-electric self-charging powertrain. this system offers a fantastic compromise between efficiency and performance. You get 187 PS of power, the ability to drive in pure electric mode, and CO2 emissions of 103g/km. The car comes with a Ford-developed power-split automatic transmission that emulates the performance of a continuously-variable transmission. It also has exhaust gas heat recovery system that enables faster cabin warming, electric power-assisted steering and electrically-powered air-conditioning, powertrain cooling and vacuum systems. There is also the SmartGauge interface for monitoring fuel and energy consumption.
So you see why we think the new Modeno Wagon, with the hybrid engine, is the coolest estate car one can buy in 2019. It is modern, practical, affordable, and exquisite without trying hard like your BMWs and Mercs and Audis. Then there is the performance credentials, and the famous Ford handling, paired with the excellent fuel economy and up-to-the-minute technology features. This is the wagon for the family man who hasn’t relinquished his taste and class to the crushing weight of domestic life. At least not yet!
