So, that’s the story.
Each offers refined driving, dynamic road manners and effortless long highway legs. And with each returning better than 7.0 l/100km, even while working under load, both the Mondeo TDCi and Saab TTiD offer ‘big engine’ performance for micro-car fuel costs.
But which would we choose?
On balance, despite the superior dynamics, comfort and style of the Saab, it would have to be the Mondeo.
At $37,990 – and with a $25,000 price advantage in this comparison – the Mondeo TDCi represents remarkable value. It’s capable, swift, thoughtfully styled and offers engaging and appealing motoring. With the Falcon, it is a defining new model for Ford Australia and will have an important part to play in its future. When word gets out – and it’s been a little slow to date – the Mondeo will steal a lot of sales away from the likes of Jetta, Camry and Peugeot 407.
To buyers in this market segment, it sells itself as the sensible purchase.
(See, you’re thinking like an accountant already.)
The Insider’s big statement:
“2008 first-half results for Saab Australia show a 28.9 percent fall in sales. It’s a similar story elsewhere thanks mostly to a 9-5 that’s stiffed. The GM-owned Swedish marque needs some good products – like the impressive TTiD - if it is going to pull buyers back to Saab showrooms. The TTiD makes a strong case, but it’s hunting in a premium price category with the German heavy-hitters and the way ahead looks a tad uncertain. Without a showroom miracle for Saab, you can expect the cash-strapped GM to put this badge into the ‘For Sale’ bucket before too long.”
MONDEO TDCi
• Responsive, refined diesel
• Well-balanced ride and handling
• Edgy interior (with voice-activated controls)
• Interior room
• Fuel economy
• Front seats a little formless
• High boot obscures rearward vision
• Where diesel prices are heading
Mondeo TDCi specs
| Engine: | 2.0 litre Duratorq Turbo Diesel |
| Cylinders: | 4 in line |
| Valve gear: | DOHC 16V |
| Fuel system: | Diesel direct injection |
| Max power: | 96 kW @ 4000rpm |
| Max torque: | 320Nm @ 1750-2240rpm |
| Bore and stroke: | 85.0mm X 88.0mm |
| Compression ratio: | 17.9:1 |
| Transmission: | 6-speed adaptive automatic (manual mode) 6-speed manual |
| Suspension: | Front: Independent MacPherson struts Rear: Independent Control Blade multi-link system |
| Consumption: | 7.3 l/100km (combined cycle) |
| Price: | From $37,990 |
SAAB TTiD
• Ripper twin-turbo diesel engine
• Well-sorted chassis balance (under most driving conditions)
• Refined ride, free of jarring
• Comfortable, stylish seats
• Great fuel economy in a fun steer
• Down-market dash fascia
• ‘Hole’ in initial acceleration
• Counter-intuitive shift movement (when in manual)
• The price: though well-kitted, it’s too expensive
Saab TTiD specs
| Engine: | 1.9 litre two-stage twin-turbo |
| Cylinders: | 4 in line |
| Valve gear: | DOHC 16V |
| Fuel system: | Diesel direct injection |
| Max power: | 137kW @ 4000 |
| Max torque: | 370Nm (auto) 400Nm (manual) @ 1850rpm |
| Boost Pressure: | 1.8 bar |
| Bore and stroke: | 90.4mm X 82.0mm |
| Compression ratio: | 16.5:1 |
| Transmission: | 6 speed ‘sport mode’ automatic 6-speed manual |
| Brakes: | Front: Front: 302mm ventilated discs Rear: 292mm ventilated discs |
| Consumption: | 5.7 l/100km (manual: combined cycle) 6.8 l/100km (auto: combined cycle) |
| Price: | From $65,100 (auto) |
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Congrats on your first comparo guys!! Good read!!
Just a tip, if you have any interior pics of the Saab, it would probably be worth sticking it in there.
Fair point jbot. We were relying on Saab/GM having some available at their media centre but they don’t - not the Aero anyway - they take better interior pics than we do.
The Aero has a few unique touches, silver trim on the steering wheel, two tone leather etc. We will talk to our Saab contact tomorrow and see what they can get to us.
We are moving to doing more of our own photography (as in the exterior shots in this review), you’ll see it in some of the coming reviews ie Mondeo XR5 and others.
I know exactly what you mean Steane. Unfortunately the flash from most cameras ruin most interior shots! The article was a good read as always.
Hmmm red engine bay on a silver Mondeo
laurie
Appreciate the feedback as always too jbot.
Green Mondeo Laurie - its deceiving in the pics but its actually light green. The Mondeo we drove was stolen and resprayed quickly as the police were all over us - thankfully we got away with it and bumped into this guy who’d just stolen a Saab. Big photo opportunity ensued!
Seriously though, the engine shot is a Ford press image, they don’t have one in green, neither do we. You’ll be able to enjoy plenty of our own pics in coming reviews - we are getting our act together - promise.
More importantly, what are your thoughts on the cars in the review?
Stenane
Funny you say that as I have just got one and agree with your report BUT there are many,many items on a Mondeo that are extras on others took it for a drive to Kangaroo Valley and Macaquarie Pass today and it was sensational that diesel is punchy and VERY easy on the wallet love to see the 2.2L 400NM the Poms get
ps the Bluetooth and Voice Control is a bargain and she has a very sexy voice
laurie
Glad you like it. Personally, I’m a big diesel fan and had a few days with the Mondeo and liked it on the whole. I only had a couple of hours with the Saab (The Insider hogged the swede
) but instantly felt at home. In my opinion it was a noticeably superior car. Ride, handling, steering, brakes - it was my pick of the two - and at the price would want to be.
interesting, just how have saab managed to get the thing to ride, handle & steer better than the benchmark Mondeo particularly when it shares the categorically rubbish Vectra chassis.
My last experience with a saab gave me brusied kidneys.
Neat comparo. High praise for the Mondeo, indeed.
Yup, Mondeo sets a new high-bar and is a dead-set monty at the price. Was edged out here by the more-focused (as a sporting drive), but far more expensive Saab.
Interesting thing though Conquistador… don’t believe all you hear on Top Gear (Clarkson knows he’s nuts): the Vectra is not as underdone - I think Clarkson calls it “floppy” - as some would have you believe.
In normal UK trim, with a 90 kW 1.8 litre Family 1 Ecotec engine, or even with the 2.0 litre 129 kW turbocharged Family II donk, the Vectra’s GM Epsilon platform was up to the mark - even when under the whip for the occasional fast-blast.
(Er… better scrub the 1.8 there: “blast” is really overstating things - that donk would struggle with the proverbial greasy stick).
Now when Vauxhall put an Aussie GM turbo-charged 2.8 litre V6 with 205kW and 356Nm in the nose of the Vectra however - without adequately re-engineering the chassis for those extra ergs - that’s when things started to go astray.
But the Saab TTiD is a much friendlier unit (and even in their dark days, Saab engineers have produced some more than reasonable steers). Things are working pretty well with the TTiD and ‘that’ chassis. And, at just 1.9 litres, there’s not a lot of engine sitting over the nose: that may be the secret.
Funny thing about motoring writers is that they play follow the leader: if someone further up the food chain takes the hatchet to a car, then a bunch of others will slip into a feeding frenzy. Not many trust themselves to buck the trend.
There are not enough who can translate what they feel at the wheel into sensible comment about what’s really happening underneath, and where the engineering is actually failing.
This is not to say we won’t get it wrong sometimes, or even a lot. We will. But we won’t play follow the leader.
The Insider
Sometimes insider the scribes get it right. An unsophisticated chassis can feel much sportier than it actually is. To get control over such a simple suspension setup the engineers have to wind up the dampers and spring rates.
For the same reason to the uniniated an Astra can feel “sportier” than a Mazda 3. but ask the car to turn in, handle a bit of off camber with a bump or two and you can immediately tell the difference.
Besides i think the saab actually proves the point. Seems they binned the Twist beam rear end of the Vectra and put in a multilink. Not exactly a glowing endorsement of the vectra from within GM’s ranks now is it?
A nice read, I really like the Aero TTiD, and think I’ll have a go at test driving one soon. The Mondeo surely is great value, but I like to feel “special” in my cars, and the Mondeo doesn’t give me that feeling. Saabs however, have always felt unique.
I’ve just purchased a mondeo and i have to say compared to some of the others within the price range it was a sure winner. Possibly the only downside i could come up with was that they could thrown in a memory drivers seat as it does take a bit of setting up to get the driving position right. Compared this to the 3, 6, and a couple of subarus. Mazda, shock horror, felt very plasticky in the interior, which i’m surprised no one has really picked up on. I feel the mazda interiors have really weakened with their newer models (and i have had a 98 323 and a 2002 sp20!). Always fun to read a positive review about a car you have though
Oh, btw, good articles to read on this site. Great work!
Good stuff folks - Love that Saab over the Mondy anytime. Having driven the Vectra is 113Kw form its equally as good as the Mondy, I’d even say better on a long run. There was a slightly more sporty edge to it. So I guess the Saab on the same platform should be similar.
Conqestador - Don’t forget the post 2005 Vectras are slightly modified and are different to the earlier version, far nicer to drive. I have a 2004 Vectra 3.0CDTi wagon and also drive the later 1.9CDTi (hire cars) weekly and theres a noticeable difference. The insiders right ignore the gung ho Clarkson (can’t drive smoothly for toffies) comments, yep the car was dull to look at but its much better now. Pity you Aussies gave up on it in 2005, guess you voted with your wallets.
Picked up the Mondeo TDCi around release and it’s an absolute winner in every way. I do totally agree with Ricardo though, a memory drivers seat would be a welcomed addition. Coming from a 2002/3 model Focus, I was initially worried that I would be let down by the handling, but for a big car like this it’s amazing!
A new ad for the Mondeo wouldn’t go astray though.
I know this is late, but I only just read it! Once again another good TMR review. A little bit of humor is great. However there is one thing that gets me with Ford and the Mondeo oil burner. They use the Mazda MZR engine for the 2.0 and 2.3 petrol versions (as they do for most of their 4cyl engines with Ford heads), however they use the less powerful PSA 2.0 oil burner instead of the Mazda MZR-CD. 96kw/320Nm for the PSA vs 105kw/360Nm for the MZR-CD. I wonder why as the MZR-CD is a cracker of a diesel, plus it is a bit quieter with less clatter than the PSA 2.0. Maybe it is not in the contract…
I recently purchased the Mondeo TDCI and have many issues with it.
1. The blue tooth does not work properly. I can not tune any AM radio stations with it. The dealer told me to use a high pitched voice. When I did this it worked. Nice Job Ford.
2. The air conditioner turns off when the car is not in motion. This is very frustrating when I am stuck in traffic on a hot day.
3. Car has gone into safe mode twice requiring it to be towed back to the dealership for repairs. They tell me this is due to an ABS sensor failure.
4. The paint is changing color. It started with a tennis ball sized blotch which is slowly taking over the whole front bumper. Ford have offered to have my car go to a panel beater for the car to be resprayed.
I only have 6000kms on the clock. Perhaps I should have spent another 26K and received a more reliable car.
Frustrated Mondeo owner.
pfft, admit it, you bought a Lada Samara, why would you be asking for help on a forum when its a brand new car… warranty? wake up