The Ford Mondeo has probably won more awards than any other car in the last couple of years, including What Car? Car of the Year and a host of others.
Ford’s impressive range of petrol and diesel engines mean that it offers the option of virtually 50mpg economy and 150mph performance plus unrivalled safety and arguably the most generous equipment package of any car in its class.
All Ford Mondeo’s are equipped with air conditioning, remote central locking, electric front windows, CD sound system with MP3 compatibility, cruise control, steering wheel adjustment and split-folding rear seats. Ford Mondeo Zetec and upwards also have alloy wheels, electronic climate control and electric operation of the rear windows too. Many have electric operation of the driver’s seat whilst part leather upholstery and parking sensors are standard on Titanium X Ford Mondeo’s. Options include Bluetooth and satellite navigation, an electric sun roof and metallic paint, which costs £350 on all models.
All Ford Mondeo’s get top marks for safety with a five-star EuroNCAP rating for adult occupant protection, four stars for child protection and two out of a possible four stars for pedestrian safety. All Ford Mondeo models have anti-lock brakes with traction control and ESP Electronic Stability Programme plus front, side and curtain air bags in addition to rear centre three-point safety belts and ISOFIX child seat mountings. The engines are among the most fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly of any comparable manufacturer. The 1.8 TDCi 100 has a CO2 rating of 151g/km and the 125bhp version is rated at 154g/km. In the case of the 2.0 TDCi the figure is 156g/km, which results in a company car tax liability of just 22 per cent. This is the same as the petrol-powered 1.6-litre 110bhp engine and rises to just 23 per cent for the 125bhp model. Figures for the 2.0, 2.3 and 2.5-litre petrol variants are 189g/km, 223g/km and 222g/km.
The Ford Mondeo is generally acknowledged to be one of the finest driver’s cars that money can buy, thanks to its brilliantly-engineered chassis and excellent range of petrol and diesel engines. The top performer is the 2.5T with a power output of 217bhp to endow the car with a top speed of 152mph and a 0-60mph acceleration time of just 7.5 seconds plus 30.4mpg economy. At the opposite extreme is the 99bhp 1.8 TDCi, which boasts 49.6mpg economy despite achieving 115mph performance with a sprightly 0-60mph acceleration time of 12.3 seconds. Lying between these two extremes are several petrol and diesel alternatives that offer variations on the performance and economy themes, such as the impressive 2.0 TDCi with a power output of 138bhp and pulling power of 250lb/ft for a top speed of 130mph, a 0-60mph acceleration time of 9.5 seconds and average economy of 47.9mpg.
The Ford Mondeo range begins with the 1.6-litre petrol-powered 110 Edge model at £15,695 followed by the 125bhp Edge at £16,395 and the Zetec version costing £1,000 more. The 2.0 Edge is £16,895 and the Zetec is £1,000 more followed by the Ghia version for an additional £1,250. The 2.0 Titanium is £19,145 and the Titanium X is £2,000 more. Next up is the 2.3-litre automatic model, which comes in Edge, Zetec, Ghia, Titanium and Titanium X guises at prices of £18,395, £19,395, £20,645, £20,645 (again) and £23,145. The sporty 2.5T is available in Ghia, Titanium and Titanium X forms with prices of £21,645 for the first two and £24,145 for the Titanium X. There is a single 1.8 TDCi 100 model in Edge form at £17,195 and six 125bhp versions costing from £17,495 to £22,445. The 2.0 TDCi 140 comes in Edge, Zetec, Ghia, Titanium and Titanium X guises with prices from £18,545 to £23,295.