Used buyer’s guide: Ford Mondeo pictures

There's plenty of room for three kids in the back, although an adult in the middle of the bench might find it uncomfortable on long trips. The dash is well laid out, but practicality is the Ford’s strongest suit – the estate offers up

The windows can open by themselves when the car has been left locked for a while, but there’s no way of testing for this fault. 

Condenser can fail prematurely on early cars; many have been replaced under warranty by now, but check it out anyway.

Some interior fittings are proving fragile, especially cubbyhole lids. Icons can also wear off the stereo buttons.

Remote central locking fobs can be temperamental, so lock and unlock any potential buy several times to make sure it works properly.