First Drive: Falcon Ecoboost

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

I hope it helps with Falcon sales, but I can't understand why you'd buy a EB4 Falcon over a Mondeo with the same engine?

You bring up a good point, I guess the only way you'd really know for sure is to drive both of them back to back.
My guess is that the Ecoboost Falcon will be much easier to supply in short notice, especially in G6E.

IMO, Ford should be building next gen Mondeo here alongside Falcon and maybe an I-4 diesel or Ecoboost line at Geelong

[Joe5619]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

I hope it helps with Falcon sales, but I can't understand why you'd buy a EB4 Falcon over a Mondeo with the same engine?

That is one way of looking at it.. But in my mind it is "why would you'd Mondeo over an EB4 Falcon, now that Falcon has the same engine & pretty much the same fuel burn!!"

[4.0i OHC]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

I hope it helps with Falcon sales, but I can't understand why you'd buy a EB4 Falcon over a Mondeo with the same engine?

You have a good point there. I've defended the Ecoboost Falcon before (and consider it to be a much more sensible vehicle than a diesel Falcon), but by removing the inline six, you've taken the Falcon's major positive away from it. Yes, the I4 provides better handling and fuel economy than the I6, but the Ecoboost Mondeo provides slightly better handling and fuel economy again, not to mention the far better seats, rear legroom, sound system and more intuitive interior layout. I've never thought about it that way.

That said, some (not me) can't get past driving a front wheel drive car, and may prefer to buy something designed and manufactured in Australia. They may prefer a sedan over a hatch, or prefer the styling of the Falcon over the Mondeo (the FG MkII update really helped the front end IMO). Now that they've fixed the Falcon's aircon with FG MkII, those who live in warmer areas of Australia may prefer the Falcon because of it. Some may prefer the smoother ride, softer suspension and lighter steering of the Falcon; in many respects it's an easier car to drive long distances in. The Falcon also has a local heritage that the Mondeo can only dream of; it's heartening to think that there is a distant connection between the FG and the older Falcons that we grew up in.

While the Mondeo would be my personal choice between the two, people look for slightly different things in cars, and with the exception of the sound system and seats, the Falcon isn't any worse than a Mondeo, and the Falcon certainly does some things better.

Personally I wouldn't touch either car, as neither are available in manual. Sigh...

[4.0i OHC]

Originally Posted by jpd80

IMO, Ford should be building next gen Mondeo here alongside Falcon and maybe an I-4 diesel or Ecoboost line at Geelong

Couldn't agree more! I'd say that the I4 diesel line sounds like a good idea as our corner of the world seems to always be in short supply.

[jpd80]

This next two to four years is about Ford reconnecting with Falcon and Territory buyers and exploring those buyers needs....

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by 4.0i OHC

You have a good point there. I've defended the Ecoboost Falcon before (and consider it to be a much more sensible vehicle than a diesel Falcon), but by removing the inline six, you've taken the Falcon's major positive away from it. Yes, the I4 provides better handling and fuel economy than the I6, but the Ecoboost Mondeo provides slightly better handling and fuel economy again, not to mention the far better seats, rear legroom, sound system and more intuitive interior layout. I've never thought about it that way.

That said, some (not me) can't get past driving a front wheel drive car, and may prefer to buy something designed and manufactured in Australia. They may prefer a sedan over a hatch, or prefer the styling of the Falcon over the Mondeo (the FG MkII update really helped the front end IMO). Now that they've fixed the Falcon's aircon with FG MkII, those who live in warmer areas of Australia may prefer the Falcon because of it. Some may prefer the smoother ride, softer suspension and lighter steering of the Falcon; in many respects it's an easier car to drive long distances in. The Falcon also has a local heritage that the Mondeo can only dream of; it's heartening to think that there is a distant connection between the FG and the older Falcons that we grew up in.

While the Mondeo would be my personal choice between the two, people look for slightly different things in cars, and with the exception of the sound system and seats, the Falcon isn't any worse than a Mondeo, and the Falcon certainly does some things better.

Personally I wouldn't touch either car, as neither are available in manual. Sigh...

For the sake of the survival of some form of localised “Falcon” I hope many people DO choose the Falcon, but I’m not that confident and I still see it as a weird choice by Ford.
By definition, it’s an “Economy” model, so RWD doesn’t really come into it for me. I wouldn’t buy one for myself, maybe for her indoors, and provided it has traction control FWD is fine. Personally, I would still lean towards a Falcon even for her, but that’s just because I am a mad Ford/Falcon nut and have a huge softspot for the big Aussie plonker.
But Then I would probably buy her an LPG 6.
I’d forgotten that they’d stopped the Mondeo Sedan, so that probably helps the Falcon. Lack of a Wagon still hurts the big bird.
I also find it ironic that people think a Falcon ute with the Terri TD would take sales from the Ranger (a completely different car, with a completely different engine, in a completely different market segment) when the Falcon & Mondeo will have exactly the same engine in a closely overlapping market.

If Ford really wanted to “help” the Falcon, they’d drop the EB from the Mondeo in favour of TD. That would still be my pick IF I was going to buy a Mondeo.

What I would really like to see, is a fuel consumption camparo between the TD Mondeo, the EB Mondeo, the TD Terri, the EB Falcon, and the I6 Falcon,
Not on the standard tests, but when loaded up and driven with a bit of a lead foot.