Ford Mondeo

FORD'S most important product in Europe, the Mondeo, has just undergone a major transformation.

Built en-masse to service a market that requires a biggish saloon for lengthy commutes, Mondeo has never been on the 'wish list' of the style-conscious commuters. It has always been the cutting-edge BMWs and Audis that these top executives aspire to.

Until now, that is.

New Mondeo is more dynamic in its looks – sharing Ford's new kinetic design with the striking people-moving S-MAX.

Although Mondeo doesn't look as striking as the concept of the model – aired last year with distinctive Aston Martin overtones – it is a vast improvement on the outgoing Mondeo and is sure to attract attention from the premium buyers.

I borrowed the mid-range Mondeo Zetec 1.8 TDCi (125ps) six-speed model from Edwards Ford, on Churchfields, costing £17,995 on the road with a tax band of D3 (154 g/km). The combined fuel consumption figure for this model is 48.7 mpg and I can vouch for that following a long journey in the comfortable car.

My first impression of the Mondeo is how much bigger than the old one it is – nearer in size to a Granada, I think. It has the prettiest face with shapely headlamps and an angled bonnet and wheel arches. And, there is a lovely crisp line that flows along the side of the car.

It is not just outside that is eyecatching. Inside is where the Mondeo really comes alive and this is an important area where Ford has raised the stakes. The driver is surrounded by better quality textures and finishes and Ford has done exceptionally well to give such refinement to all the switches, stalks, instrumentation and equipment – bearing in mind this is a very mass-produced model. Even the multifunction steering wheel smacks of the premium competition.

The basic models come with plenty of classy features. Brushed chrome seems to be flavour of the month and it brightens up what could otherwise be a dreary console and dashboard. Adaptive cruise control and Bluetooth is a must for any driver on the go, and a huge choice of petrol and diesel engines gives flexibility to the fleet buyer.

The higher up the range you go the classier the trim becomes with Ghia and Titanium X topping the range. The list of features include sports seats, start/stop button and full colour satellite navigation to name just a few.

Space inside the Mondeo improves, naturally, with the overall size increase of the car. Rear legroom is worthy of note and you'd be hard pressed to find so much legroom in competing saloons.

It is a very safe place to be thanks to its intelligent protection system, which includes seven airbags, electronic stability programme, adaptive cruise control with forward alert, autolighting with bi-xenon headlamps and autowipers with rain sensor.

The boot has to be the biggest in its class, too. I was very impressed with the space here. Plenty of room if one has to ship around lots of products.

The driving of the car is what the Mondeo is all about as it is going to spend considerable time on the go. Continuously controlled damping and hill launch assist make the Mondeo a breeze to drive. Uprated suspension and a wider track really make a difference. With 0-62mph achieved in 10.5 seconds and going on to a top speed of 124mph.

Although pointed towards the premium market, is still priced very much for mainstream fleet buyers, where it will undoubtedly continue the success story.

In summary: Ford has excelled with the new Mondeo. In typical Ford fashion, there are more models than you can shake a stick at, with different engines and trim levels to suite a variety of different purposes, both family and business. Its crisp lines and fresh features will make 'Mondeo Man' a more discerning driver.

FORD Mondeo 1.8 TDCi

Zetec 6-speed manual

Top speed: 124 mph

0-62 mph: 10.2 seconds

Max power: 125 ps

Max torque: 251 lb ft

Combined economy: 48.7 mpg

CO2 emissions: 154 g/km

Price £17,995