What they said when the Ford Mondeo was new… (Apr 3 2001)
At long last I managed to land myself with the new much-talked-about Ford Mondeo.
My instant attraction towards the new exterior soon turned to an instant love affair after gazing inside the new interior.
And as if that wasn’t enough, when you actually get to drive this amazing car you will be hooked.
Introducing a fresh design, the new Ford Mondeo echoes the latest Ford “family” look, with sleek, distinctive lines providing a crisp, poised and modern appearance.
Projector-style headlights, with high-intensity xenon option, add to the car’s presence. With regard to the interior, high quality materials, softer mouldings, metallic finishes and chrome detailing hint at new levels of craftsmanship, and enhance the quality feel of the whole vehicle. And of course the Mondeo sports the superb four-spoked alloy steering wheel found in the VW Beetle and the big sister Galaxy.
From the moment you settle into the cabin of the new Mondeo it’s clear you are surrounded by a well-thought-out piece of machinery.
Ergonomically, the cabin is first-class with buttons and switchgear close at hand and well placed for optimum visibility or use.
The Mondeo’s striking new exterior will impress first, but it’s the driving experience that really sets the Mondeo apart from its competitors.
Smooth from the offset and delivering impeccable manners through every twist and turn thrown at it, the 2.0 16v Zetec shows itself as a master of all conditions and situations.
This is evident in the sharp positive steering of the Mondeo compared with the rather more vague steering and slightly wooden handling of the Laguna II.
Delivering enormous practicality from its massive 500-litre boot and huge door pockets both front and rear, Ford has a car possibly as well designed and styled as the award-winning Focus.
The Mondeo comes with a range of six engines consisting of the Duratec 1.8L 110bhp; 1.8L 125bhp; 2.0L 145bhp; the Duratorq 2.0TDI 90bhp; 2.0TDI 115bhp and the range-topping Duratec 2.5L V6 170bhp. To complement the engines, five trim levels are available as LX, Zetec, Zetec-S, Ghia and GhiaX.
Class-leading safety with Intelligent Protection System is standard across the range and features adaptive dual stage front airbags, front seat side airbags and side curtain airbags, three point seat-belts for all occupants, ABS with electronic brake-force distribution and four-wheel disc brakes.
Pushing hard over mountain ridges, the Mondeo shows its true abilities across demanding roads. It’s totally predictable and a joy to throw around despite its bulky appearance.
Its 50mm longer wheelbase, wider front and rear track, plus a bodyshell which is 60pc stronger, ensure smooth, precise and predictable handling.
The new Ford Mondeo truly is the class leader.
Words: Robin Roberts
Copyright