Ford Mondeo vs Volkswagen Passat
Figures updated
The Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat are two of the UK's most popular large family cars. We compare the Mk5 (2014–2022) Mondeo and the B9 (2024–) Passat on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 370,061 real MOT tests.
The short answer
The Volkswagen Passat comes out ahead, with the bigger boot, the better MOT record, lower fuel costs and more performance; the Ford Mondeo is close on everything else.
- The Volkswagen Passat has the biggest boot: 690 litres, 36 more than the Ford Mondeo.
- The Volkswagen Passat has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Ford Mondeo fails its MOT about 10% more often.
- The Volkswagen Passat is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £331 a year less than the Ford Mondeo at 7,500 miles a year.
| Figure | Ford MondeoMk5 (2014–2022), 5-door hatchback | Volkswagen PassatB9 (2024–), 5-door estate |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | – | £41,350 to £51,170October 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door estate |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 654 litres / 1,446 | 690 litres / 1,920 (best) |
| Length | 4,871mm | 4,917mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,911mm | 1,849mm |
| Height | 1,482mm | 1,521mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 150–190 PS | 150–272 PS (best) |
| 0–62mph | 8.9–10.4 sec | 7.1–9.3 sec (best) |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2019) | ★★★★★ (2024) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Petrol | Hybrid, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 34.4–78.5 mpg | 40.4–52.3 mpg |
| CO2 | 94–187 g/km | 7–159 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.4p a litre, today's UK average | £1,491 (39.2 mpg) | £1,160 (50.4 mpg) (best) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £1,269 (53.3 mpg) | – |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,269 (diesel) | £1,160 (petrol) |
| Car tax, registered 2001 to 2017Taxed on CO2; newer cars pay a flat £200 | £20 to £790 | £20 to £790 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 111Above average | 122Well above average (best) |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 32.9% | 28.6% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 17.1% | 12.1% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 14.6% | 13.9% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 32.8% | 29.8% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Position lamp (3.5% of tests) | Tread depth (3.4% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Nothing stands out | Nothing stands out |
| MOT tests analysed | 186,613 | 183,448 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Large family car | Large family car |
| Owners' average miles a year | 10,500 | 12,000 |
| On sale | 2014–2022 | 2024 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Ford Mondeo or the Volkswagen Passat more reliable?
The Volkswagen Passat. Like for like on age and mileage, the Ford Mondeo fails its MOT about 10% more often (reliability scores 122 and 111, where 100 is average). 28.6% of Volkswagen Passats and 32.9% of Ford Mondeos failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Ford Mondeo or the Volkswagen Passat?
The Volkswagen Passat is 46mm longer (4,917mm against 4,871mm). The Volkswagen Passat has the bigger boot: 690 litres against 654.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Ford Mondeo or the Volkswagen Passat?
Comparing petrol versions, the Volkswagen Passat costs about £331 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£1,160 against £1,491), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Ford Mondeo or the Volkswagen Passat?
Euro NCAP gave the Ford Mondeo 5 stars (2019) and the Volkswagen Passat 5 stars (2024). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Ford Mondeo or the Volkswagen Passat?
The Volkswagen Passat comes out ahead, with the bigger boot, the better MOT record, lower fuel costs and more performance; the Ford Mondeo is close on everything else. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.