We drive the new Ford Mondeo

It was a genius move by Ford to get James Bond driving the new Mondeo in Casino Royale.

The aging perception of ‘Mundano’ has been replaced by ‘Bondeo’  - a sleeker, more sophisticated modern motor billed by Ford as the most technologically advanced car to come out of the blue oval’s factory.

But does it live up to its new name? Adrian Hearn gives his verdict.

Mondeo 2.5T

The 2.5T is electric - fast, sleek and with the grip and handling of a smaller hot hatch. Producing 218bhp, the 2.5T accelerates from 0-60mph in 7.3 seconds before hitting a top speed of 152mph. And for a shade under £21,000 it’s good value as well.

But with high performance comes poor fuel economy – the 2.5T averages just 30mpg and emits 220g/km of carbon emissions. And as a car that’s likely to clock large mileages, this is a sting in its tail.

Inside, the Mondeo is adorned with technology, with the steering wheel boasting more buttons than a soldier’s trench coat. The Sony CD player is easy to understand and boasts a six-CD auto changer. But the interior’s faux-wood trim looks like melted brown plastic. Other features include all-round electrics and air-conditioning. The level of quality befits Audi A4 territory but for considerably less money.

There are masses of space in the back for passengers, while the boot is a cavernous 528 litres. 

On the outside, the Mondeo has taken a great step in terms of design adopting a sleeker look. But it’s not as radical as the Peugeot 407 and arguably not as good looking as the Honda Accord.   

Our model was fitted with the Sport Pack, which means 18-inch alloys, rear spoiler and uprated sports suspension. This gives the Mondeo a much sportier feel and appears to be excellent value for an additional £500.

On the road the Mondeo handles superbly, soaking up the surface’s bumps with its firm sports suspension. This makes driving over winding B roads a lot of fun in the short term, but for long motorway use - which is what the Mondeo will probably be used for - it may become a bit too noisy.

In terms of safety, the Mondeo is an excellent car. While it hasn’t been EuroNCAP crash tested, the outgoing model was awarded four stars. The new model features front, side, full-length curtain and knee airbags, along with traction control and an electronic stability programme and electronic brake assist. We would expect the Mondeo to follow in the footsteps of the S-Max and Galaxy – which it shares many components – and be awarded five stars when tested.

Mondeo 2.0TDCi

With comfort, luxury, an impressive fuel economy and masses of pulling power, this is THE car for today’s sales rep. In fourth gear there is wealth of pull, making overtaking a joy and hill climbing a walk in the park.

The 2-litre turbodiesel engine produces 138bhp and 236lb/ft of pulling power, which is exactly the same as the Volkswagen Passat – but slightly more expensive (the Mondeo costs £19,645 while the equivalently spec’d Passat goes for £18,950).

While accelerating from 0-60mph in a conservative ten seconds, the Mondeo becomes a different beast at 1750rpm when the masses of pulling power kick into place.

And it’s a frugal motor as well with a combined fuel economy of 47.9mpg.

We tested the diesel with and without the Sports Pack and there is a noticeable handling difference. With the pack, the Mondeo has a firm, sportier ride, which gives the car a more of a petrolhead feel, but on long journeys we would advise sticking with the standard suspension.

Those looking for that extra level of luxury can opt for a top-end Titanium model which has a chrome finish, top quality 256 colour display screen, heated alcantara leather seats and a starter button.

Overall

Ford is offering the Mondeo with a series of engines from the 1.6-litre petrol up to the 2.5T, which is the same engine used in the ultra-hot Focus St.

But the pick of the engines has to be the 2-litre TDCi, which has a good level of performance, masses of pull while boasting a respectable 47.9mpg. 

And the Mondeo is the first car to offer the simple (but brilliant) system which prevents drivers from putting the wrong fuel into the car. It seems like a schoolboy error, but more than 300,000 people make this mistake every year.

While Ford isn’t targeting this sector, BMW, Mercedes and Audi should be quaking in their boots with the new Mondeo offering a serious alternative to the Teutonic trio.

Ford’s sales of family cars haven’t been the best, but with the all-new Mondeo, the blue oval has built a brilliant car set to become ubiquitous on Britain’s roads.

Rivals
You might want to consider:

BMW 3-Series
Volkswagen Passat
Peugeot 407