Mondeo Martin

What we like:

Spacious and quality interior; refined ride

What we dislike:

Infotainment system leaves much to be desired

When I first drove the car away from the showroom I didn’t have the faintest idea what engine lay under the bonnet.

While that may sound like sloppy journalism, it actually made for a good blind test of the car’s engine performance. It pulls much like a 2.0l engine, and certainly didn’t feel out of breath at any point throughout its rev range, which is more than I can say for other turbocharged 1.5l engines.

Only after a quick glance at the tag on the key did I discover it was actually a 1.5, which made it all the more impressive. At 158bhp and 240Nm the performance certainly matches some 2.0l engines you’ll find today, so if you decide you need to show off something to your friends let them drive it before telling them the engine capacity.

The steering is also nicely weighted and provides decent feedback, which gives you more confidence than those ultra lightweight effortless EPS systems. And while it’s no Focus ST, the Mondeo goes around bends in a composed manner that is easy to manoeuvre along all kinds of roads.

The cabin is also quiet and the suspension set up gives it a pliant and smooth ride that befits the family car concept that the Mondeo is all about.

In all it’s a refreshing change from the usual Japanese and Korean offerings that buyers here tend to lean towards. Ford provides just as much usability but sets itself apart by taking the interior quality up a notch and providing a more Euro-styled driving feel that certainly adds brownie points.

Credits: Story and Photos by Alvan Sio