Ford Mondeo 2007 Review

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In generations past it might have been the Ford that failed to coax the pesos from your pocket. The first generation Mondeo that was sold Down Under from the mid-90s through to the turn of the century did little to excite buyers. Sure, it was capable enough (as is the Epica) but it lacked, well, pizzazz.

The all-new Mondeo has pizzazz and street presence in spades. Launched in Europe earlier this year, it has done much to kick-start the rehabilitation of the Blue Oval brand's fortunes on the continent. It builds on the good work done by the competent but staid second generation Mondeo (a car that car never made it Down Under) and it does so in a sharp suit that's edgy and more than hints at the excellent chassis and drivetrain that lie underneath.

It would be being over dramatic to say the fortunes of Ford Australia are as inextricably linked to the success of the Mondeo Down Under as the company's Euro counterparts. It should, however, provide good business for the brand's beleagured dealers.

The company wants to sell around 500 of the midsizers a month locally through the next year or so -- and most via profitable sales to private buyers and car-allowance toting user-choosers.

That sort of number would see it slot in behind the Accord Euro, Mazda6 and Subaru Liberty -- all archrivals from which it wants to steal sales. It will hardly make a dent in the top-selling car in the segment, however. Though in our estimation plainly inferior to the new Ford, Toyota's Camry will sell more each quarter next year than the Mondeo will manage for the full 12 months.

The local range kicks off at a competitive $29,990 with the Mondeo 2.3-litre petrol LX auto sedan.  Ford has loaded the Mondeo to the gunwales with safety kit and the LX features seven airbags (including side curtain and a driver's knee bag), traction and stability control and state of the art antilock brakes with brake assist and other functions.

No manual version is offered but the LX comes equipped with aircon, power front windows, an eight-speaker audio system and 16-inch steel wheels with trims. Ford will offer a Cruise Pack for the LX featuring cruise control and 16-inch alloys plus rear power windows at a reasonable $1500.

Next up is the Zetec which shares the LX's mechanicals but offers the choice of hatch or sedan variants, both priced at $34,990. The Zetec adds front and rear park sensors, cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels, a six-disc audio system, rain sensing wipers, dual zone air and front foglamps.

The Mondeo TDCi turbodiesel is the next rung up the ladder. Unlike like most turbodiesels offered in this and smaller vehicle classes Down Under, the TDCI is auto-only -- again the excellent six-speed unit as mated to the petrol fours.

The TDCi shares the Zetec's trim level and also offers both sedan and hatch variants at $37,990. Keen specification watchers will note that the mechanicals underneath the TDCi are effectively the same as Peugeot 407's -- at a saving of around $7000!

Leather upholstery and heated front seat are an option on both the Zetec and TDCi. Metallic paint will cost you more too.

At the top of the local Mondeo range is a model unique to Australia -- the XR5. Offered at $41,990 in hatch form only, the Aussie XR5 is a top-of-the-range Euro 'Titanium' Mondeo with some extra options added in for good measure.

Rolling on smart 18-inch alloys with Continental low-profile 40 series rubber, the XR5 is powered by the same turbocharged five-cylinder petrol engine that graces the Focus XR5 -- in this case retuned for a wider torque curve (more below).

The XR5 is six-speed manual only (indeed it is the only manual Mondeo full stop) and  also features an attractive sports bodykit, heated sports seats, more chrome, twin turned-down tailpipes and exec car features like puddle lights and smart alcantara/leather interior trims.

Where the lesser Mondeos get a rather cheap and not so cheerful silver finish to dash and centre console, the XR5 combines an alloy-look centre stack with piano black finished console. It also gets a unique instrument panel with smart full colour graphics and enhanced trip computer etc. This is accessed and operated via a host of steering wheel controls -- common across the Mondeo range. They're relatively easy to use but Ford deems it necessary to devote six buttons to cruise control alone.

Start is keyless on the XR5, though Ford's 'Power' button is a misnomer. It should just be labelled 'START'. To the best of our knowledge it is the only car in this class to offer keyless start.

Other developments Mondeo introduces into the Aussie medium car segment include a capless refuelling feature with "mis-fuel inhibitor," an automatic hazard warning light that operates under heavy braking and optional ($450) voice control command of Bluetooth, audio, climate and phone control systems.

Ford says it has used coloured tinted glass in the Mondeo models "to enhance the overall elegance of the premium exterior." The XR5 gets blue tinted glass while green tinted glass is fitted to the LX, Zetec and TDCi models.

The 16-valve DOHC fuel-injected inline petrol four produces 118 kW at 6500rpm and peak torque of 208Nm at 4200rpm. It features all-alloy construction and variable cam timing (on the inlet cam only). It's calibrated to use 95 RON fuel but is happy with 91 RON, says Ford.

As you'll note below, Ford's focus on the Mondeo powerplants is a wide torque curve, even the atmo 2.3 delivers over 190Nm between 2000-5800rpm. On the road this translates to an eminently drivable package (see more in ON THE ROAD below) and an ADR 81/01 combined fuel figure of 9.5lt/100km. Carbon Dioxide emissions are 227gm/km.

The TDCi's 2.0-litre Duratorq turbodiesel engine is sourced from PSA (Peugeot and Citroen) and is Euro IV compliant featuring a maintenance-free particulate filter and the latest high-pressure common-rail injection technology. Rated at 96 kW, it delivers 320Nm from 1750-2240rpm. It features a cast iron block and alloy head and is again mated to Ford's Durashift six-speed automatic transmission.

The TDCI's claimed combined fuel economy is just 7.3lt/100km with a commensurate CO2 ouput of 193gm/km.

In short, the lustrous midrange of the TDCi coupled with the seamless and intuitive operation of the three-mode Durashift (conventional, sports and sports sequential) transmission means this is our pick of the bunch of the Mondeo motivators.

Not that the 162kW 2.5-litre intercooled and turbocharged inline five of the XR5 is any slouch. Many readers will recognise this engine from its service in Ford's XR5 Focus and a swag of Volvos and it's one of the best petrol powerplants in the market today.

In Mondeo guise it has been retuned and loses just a few horses but drivers get the benefit of an absolutely flat torque curve that delivers impressive peak torque of 320Nm from 1500rpm all the way through to 4800rpm -- 200 short of the peak power mark. By way of comparison the Focus engine delivers 166kW and pumps 320Nm from 1600-4000rpm.

The DOHC dual-variable valve timed five retains its distinct offbeat sound but it's more subdued than in the Focus. Coupled to the Mondeo range's sole manual gearbox -- a six-speeder dubbed Durashift, but built by Getrag -- in this very civilised guise, the engine returns 9.5lt/100km and a CO2 number of 227gm/km. Note, however, that its 95RON and above for this variant.

Conventional in every sense of the word, Mondeo's monocque body shell has been upsized and strengthened in its latest generation. Ford claims its between 116 and 130 per cent stiffer than the last generation Mondeo -- which probably means it's about five times as strong as the last Mondeo sold Down Under!

There are no surprises to the car's front-wheel drive, transverse engine layout. Up front there is a conventional MacPherson strut suspension set-up with the rear featuring a new version of Ford's own Control Blade independent multi-link rear suspension. Both front and rear set-ups are mounted on subrames which are rubber isolated from the body to improve noise and vibration attenuation.

The Mondeos share their basic suspension components, with the XR5 copping a sportier calibration thanks to a retune of settings. All models use European calibrations, Ford insiders say.

Brakes are four-wheel discs and steering is conventional hydraulic. It's worth noting that Ford has thought enough of the XR5's sporting credentials to fit it with a constant ratio steering pump rather than the variable displacement units fitted to the other models. This should result in more consistent feel and feedback.

Our first 'sit-of-the pants' estimates have the Mondeo offering substantially more room -- especially in terms of useable rear legroom -- than the top-selling midsizer, Camry. It positively dwarfs the likes of Mazda6 and Accord Euro, especially in terms of shoulder room.

Consider that the Camry and Aurion have identical cabin space, and that Toyota markets its Aurion model against the Falcon, and you might understand where we are coming from.

There's also no shortage of luggage room in the sedan's boot or under the big hatchback. The 60:40 splitfold rear seats fold flat thanks to cushions that tumble forward. Sedan buyers take note, however, the 'port' between boot and cabin will limit the height of articles you can 'through-stow.' We'd opt for the hatch purely for the versatility it offers.

At 4778mm overall the hatch is 66mm shorter than the sedan though all other key dimensions are the same. The cars are 1886mm wide and roll on a 2850mm wheelbase. By way of comparison the Camry is a touch longer at 4815mm, but just 1820mm wide and has a 75mm shorter wheelbase.

The Mazda6 (soon to be replaced -- though the new, larger, model still struggles to match the Ford -- more here) and Euro are smaller again. This is no shrinking violet.

Adding to the space is grace: with some qualifications, this is the best Ford interior we've seen in some time -- better than the local product and more 'grown' up than the offerings of the Focus and Fiesta. The dash and door tops feature VW-style premium graining and there has been a general softening of the touch points. Attention to detail includes sculptured door panels that give the car a premium feel.

This feel is best illustrated in the alcantara and leather of the top of the range XR5, but the option of leather in the Zetec adds panache to the interior and even the LX's two-tone 'technical' cloth is more convincing than most.

The front seats are generously sized and offer driver lumbar adjustment even on the base model. The XR5's more bolstered seats hold you better than the standard pews but some of the broader Broadmeadows customers might find them a touch confining.

In the back the bench has been profiled to look like two seats but the centre position is actually quite usable. Thanks to a clever choice of seat foam, we suspect, the centre passenger sinks into the cushion a touch more, rather than sitting up like 'Jackie' as is often the case.

No, the only real grizzle we've got about the interior is the rather down-market choice of silver centre console and centre stack finishes in the LX and Zetec/TDCi levels.

Ford Design centre chief Scott Strong reckons silver's on the way out and we say not soon enough. With barely running-in kilometres on the cars we drove, some already had scratches and blemishes on the none too hardy satin silver centre console finish.

Add to this a Euro NCAP five-star crash rating and the $29,990 LX Mondeo outshines the rest of the medium car segment and the likes of Holden Commodore and Ford's own Falcon.

The Mondeo's safety suite is comparable with cars that are significantly more expensive and even includes auto hazard lights that are activated during heavy braking. In the past this has been the domain of BMW and the like.

The Mondeo's crash structure features an ultra-stiff body structure with door-ring reinforcement and ultra-high-strength boron steel A and B-pillar reinforcement to improve crash integrity. Passive safety features include: active headrests; multistage airbag deployment; seatbelt pretensioners and load limiters (front seats); anti-submarining seat frames; horizontal stroking steering system and retracting safety pedals.

Though Camry is the largest seller in the medium segment by a margin, Ford says Toyota achieves its sales dominance with "deep discounting" and large fleet and rental customers. Don't expect the Mondeo to wear 'Drive away, no more to pay' signs anytime soon, promises Gorman's gang.

No, Ford will target private buyers and user choosers who have kept the tills ringing at Honda, Mazda, Subaru and Volkswagen dealers of late.

The Mondeo LX undercuts the entry-level Mazda6, Liberty and Accord Euro models -- even before you take into account the fact it offers an autobox and a swag of safety goodies as standard. Subaru would counter the price differential with its unique all-wheel drive advantage.

VW's Jetta is substantially smaller and the Passat a class more expensive -- though at least both Wolfsburg wonders offer diesel options. Of the oriental options only Mazda offers an oiler.

Oh then there's that Holden we mentioned earlier. To be fair, the Epica is significantly cheaper than the Mondeo… It needs to be.

In Zetec and XR5 trim levels, and especially in hatch form, the new medium Ford presents as a strikingly attractive car -- one that is at the same time fresh without being gimmicky. The angular nature of the Ford's styling stands out from the softer forms that make up much of today's traffic flow.

And, unlike the local Ford arm that has managed to mix some positively nauseating paint colours, the Mondeo's palate is subdued and classy. This is not a car that needs lairy paint to make an entrance.

The limited powertrain options are not that limiting when the base 2.3-litre four and magically smooth six-speed auto combine so well. It's no rocketship (a 2.4-litre Accord is much more muscular) but the Ford four is willing and revs cleanly, aided by the autobox's quick, demonstrative changes and well chosen ratios.

On the open road and in town you'll probably leave it to its own devices, but if a quick overtaking move is required or you're driving in rolling or tighter country, the sport mode or sequential shift both work well. Note to all manufacturers that the manual mode in this instance means manual -- as it should.

The XR5 hatch is a rapid, smooth and civilised GT that in contrast to its Focus namesake is more sports luxury, than luxury sports. The six-speed manual is fuss-free, though the gate is angled to suite a left-hooker rather more than we'd like. Not that you'll need to row the car along -- the turbo five seems even more lusty in this car than the smaller Focus.

You're hard pressed to pick the XR5's different suspension settings. There's a touch less body roll and diagonal pitching at elevated levels of commitment, and the XR seems a touch harsher on some bumps but we could be mistaken.

Each of the Mondeos steer nicely with crisp turn-in (even the cast-iron blocked diesel) and pleasing levels of natural mid-corner grip. If understeer is a concern you're probably driving the car badly -- this is a remarkably neutral chassis package.

The XR5 would have been be our pick thanks to this blend of usuable power and affordable luxury if it was not let down only by a touch of 'boominess' in the cabin -- probably thanks to its hatch configuration and noisy 40 series rubber. When the rest of range is particularly quiet, this characteristic was particularly noticeable. It was present on more than one of the XR5s we drove.

In contrast, the TDCI hatch had little of the same resonance as the sports model.

With optional leather seats and a sunroof, a TDCI would deliver almost the same level of amenity as the XR, but with the added advantage of better fuel economy and very probably better in-gear overtaking performance. Combined, that's enough to sway our choice.

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