Ford Mondeo 2.2 TDCi (2008-) Review

On the road

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The Ford Mondeo is a fine driving car, demonstrating that building a mass-market car doesn't have to mean manufacturers have to compromise on driving dynamics.

Highly accurate steering makes it easy to place on the road, its handling is always predictable, and stability and grip levels are superb. The large diesel lump up-front does make this Mondeo feel a little nose-heavy at times, but it's a minor qualm as it doesn't make a huge impact on the car's excellent weight distribution or affect the balance.

The suspension soaks up ruts and bumps without a trace of pitch or wallow on fast corners: as a passenger, you'd be hard pressed to believe this is a mainstream Ford. The standard suspension set-up is so good that there's really no need for the optional IVDC (Interactive Vehicle Dynamics Control) adaptive set-up, with its Sport, Normal and Comfort modes: the default setting really does have it all covered, without compromising sporty handling, unless you really do prefer a firmer, stiffer ride.

Then there's the Mondeo's performance: the 2.2-litre diesel generates 172bhp at 3,500rpm and produces 295lb-ft of torque at 1,750rpm, with an additional 14lb-ft available on overboost when required for overtaking manoeuvres. The 0-62mph dash therefore takes just 8.4 seconds before pushing the car on to a top speed of 139mph. For a big car, it's certainly no slouch.

All of which means that we're struggling to justify spending the same money on an Audi A6, £2K more (before options) for a BMW 5-Series or £4K more for a Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The last two might tickle the fancies of fans of rear-wheel drive, but this flagship Mondeo is hard to argue against. One thing's for certain: Ford has raised the bar for the likes of Vauxhall and Honda by taking on the premium manufacturers at their own game.