Ford Mondeo review

In a car as heavy as the Ford Mondeo, even the 180bhp engine needs to be worked hard. But it’s well-behaved and quiet for a diesel, so that’s OK. Mondeos have always been renowned for handling. This time they’ve installed a complex (read: expensive) rear suspension that aims to maintain that, while smoothing the ride.

You actually notice the ride first: it’s very well insulated from big and small bumps, and the tyres’ passage is quiet. The Ford Mondeo is also an excellent motorway cruiser – mission-critical for a big company car. What with that and the new, lighter electric steering, you feel rather too isolated from the action in corners. But it turns out this is an immensely well-behaved car that can cover difficult roads very tidily. Perhaps it’s not quite as much fun to drive as the old one, but the overall premium-like satisfaction has been significantly improved. It feels like a more able premium exec wannabe.