The latest version of the Mondeo has been designed to sell globally, including in North America. The Mondeo is more stylish and comfortable than ever before, with a bold grille and narrow headlights giving it a modern and assertive appearance. Interior quality has taken a step up, too, even if it can’t quite match the excellent Skoda Superb and Volkswagen Passat in this regard.
The main downside is that Ford’s pursuit of comfort and a wider audience means the Mondeo has lost the class-leading handling it has been famed for in the past. While it’s certainly not bad to drive, it now feels larger, more remote and spongier than before. The main advantage comes on the motorway, where refinement is just as good as the Passat.
Taking the Mondeo further upmarket has also meant a price hike, but from Autumn 2017, Ford cut prices to make the car more competitive with rivals. It does also come with lots of kit and safety equipment as standard.
The Mondeo has traditionally been a big hit with company-car drivers and Ford’s 1.5-litre diesel ECOnetic model is aimed squarely at them, with a claimed 78.5mpg fuel economy, 94g/km of CO2 emissions and a Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rate of 20%. There is also a 2.0-litre diesel available with three power outputs and it makes a better long-distance cruiser.
One model to search out would be the 148bhp 2.0-litre TDCi, returning up to 68.9mpg and emitting less than 110g/km of CO2, with a 23% BiK rating. For a large car, these are still remarkable figures, but it should also prove more enjoyable to drive.
Ford also offers three petrol alternatives; a 1.0-litre EcoBoost with 123bhp, a 1.5-litre EcoBoost with 158bhp and finally a somewhat niche 2.0-litre EcoBoost with 237bhp, which is only available with an automatic gearbox, with the 1.5-Litre being probably the best of the three.
A hybrid version of the Mondeo is also available, but it’s only offered as a four-door saloon and its high price and reduced practicality (the battery pack cuts into the boot) aren’t really justified by its 67mpg economy.
Click here to find out more about LeasePlan’s Ford Mondeo range
