Quick Summary Recommended. Much bigger than before - and roomier - good to drive, practical and generally very polished. Full Road Test This is the third generation Mondeo, and the best yet. Available as a five-door hatch, four-door saloon or an estate, this car is significantly larger than its predecessor, especially widthways, and provides more interior room as a result. But parking it will be harder, especially as it's not the easiest car to see rearwards from. Progress has been made on most fronts with this latest Mondeo - it's better finished inside, quieter (a weakness of the old model), comes with a much wider choice of electronic equipment that includes adaptive cruise control, voice-activated infotainment systems, collision mitigation equipment, adaptive damping and more. A particularly good feature is a fuel tank design that prevents the car from being incorrectly filled with petrol or diesel. But the essential character of the Mondeo is unchanged - it provides decent room for a family in a comfortable, convenient package that's economic to run, while preserving the excellent handling characteristics that have long made this Ford a good choice for keen drivers. The petrol engine range starts with a 1.6 and includes 2.0 four cylinder and 2.3 and 2.5 five cylinder versions, while diesels include a 1.8 and 2.0 TDCi. Trim levels start with the Edge and work through to Zetec, Ghia and Titanium X. The best engine, is the 2.0 TDCi, whose combination of strong performance, decent economy and sound refinement provide a package that's not only makes financial sense, but also provides the zest to make the best of the Mondeo's handling panache. But the more affordable 1.8 TDCi and 1.6 petrol are more than acceptable. The new car's additional weight does slightly blunt their performance, however. Though many will assume that being Ford-badged makes this a workaday and unexceptional car, the Mondeo is impressive for shading not only all its mainstream rivals like the Vauxhall Vectra, VW Passat and Peugeot 407, but also challenging premium models like the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4. These German cars might have the name and reputation, but in terms of capability this Ford has them beaten in many key areas - cabin space, ride quality and in many instances handling, to name but three - comes close to having a cabin that's not far short in terms of quality, and costs thousands less.

Verdict On Cars | November 21, 2007

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