Ford Mondeo Trend 2015 Review

Updated: July 22, 2015 (see below)

If you're a lover of simpler things like this writer, getting in the new Ford Mondeo is akin to stepping inside a spaceship. There are lots of shiny buttons, flashing screens and cool features that make you feel a little like Maxwell Smart. The finger-touch unlock function is particularly fun when showing off in front of friends...

While it may look intimidating, setting yourself up in the Mondeo is a fairly seamless and intuitive process at first. You can sync your phone in two simple steps and using the radio and sat-nav isn't particularly convoluted – when stationary at least.

As one of those dreaded 'millenials', I like to think I know my way around anything digital, but proceeding on from the initial set-up stage in the Mondeo made me doubt my own birth year.

On the road, changing the radio station without the traditional push-dial feels a bit like texting while driving. Perhaps best to steer clear until you can make your way around the elaborate split-screen like a pro.

Making calls also takes a bit of practice and is equally distracting, and disruptions in signal can affect the quality of the sound quite dramatically. This is particularly noticeable when you're really enjoying a song through your iPhone only to have the music switch to what I can only describe as "underwater mode" (aka the band sounds like they're twenty thousand leagues under the sea).

The sat-nav is also easy to use at first, until it leads you down a dead-end street, whether by a fault of your own or of the omniscient woman leading you there. Regardless, it's not a good sign when you find yourself switching back to your trusty iPhone's sat-nav.

Even the hand brake is just that little bit too complicated – taking the form of an awkwardly small electronic lever that's easy to forget.

On the plus side, the car is a seriously smooth ride, and considering our Trend-spec model was diesel powered, is also pretty quiet. It doesn't feel nearly as heavy to drive as it looks. Plus, you get the added benefit of impressive fuel economy, with a lengthy Sunday road trip barely making a dint in the tank.

Its size is another big benefit: the boot and back seat space is positively ample and, combined with leather seats; it's comfortable – plush even. The visibility out the back could be better but a rear-view camera fills any annoying gaps in vision.

Sure, the car scores a great ANCAP safety rating (hello, seven airbags) but this doesn't mean much when the idle-stop system fails to ignite the engine again and you find yourself sailing into oncoming traffic without any power steering and limited brake function. In this admittedly terrifying scenario, being prompted to restart the engine manually feels a little like being told to 'turn your computer on and off again' when it freezes. But this isn't a computer, it's a car. (Ed: please see below for Ford Australia's diagnosis of this issue)

And the Mondeo has to be a pretty great car considering the price. At $40,490 (plus on-road costs) it sits in the middle to upper range for a mid-size diesel car, especially when that figure places it at pretty much the exact same price as the Mazda 6 – which often scores rave reviews and is a great seller.

Aesthetically, the new Mondeo is a big, solid car bordering on the bulky. It's certainly slicker than its predecessors, but somewhat lacking in the unassuming charm of the older models.

From the outside, the car isn't unattractive, but the front lights are severe and at night it looks like it's glaring at you from the shadows, which isn't exactly a welcoming feeling. In white, the resemblance to a Stormtrooper is uncanny – perhaps a positive for any diehard Star Wars fans out there?

The ridged bonnet and front grille give the car an overtly macho vibe, reminding me of other beefy America cars like a Chevy or Buick.

Just like the car itself, the driving experience is solid, but nothing special. Aside from the technical difficulties I encountered the car felt safe, responsive, and surprisingly nimble for its size.

What it was lacking was the X-factor one craves when driving a brand new model. Ford tried to achieve this with the host of new additions, pushing the extra features as their point of difference but apparently missing the point entirely. In my view, trying too hard rarely pays off.