After nearly 800 miles minding Mondeo editor Paul Barker’s long-term Ford, I returned this enduring and competent fleet contender with mixed feelings.
Despite a two-year launch hiatus, caused by European production switches, Ford’s development engineers have stayed on the pace and the upper medium mainstay provides a rewarding, solid and nimble driving experience plus easily attainable 50mpg-plus diesel consumption.
But our Zetec trim example has a curious specification. There is no satnav, auto lights or rain-sensing wipers as standard on this core fleet trim level; Ford, though, plundered the options list on our behalf to add the £300 touchscreen nav, innovative £175 inflatable rear seats belts and £450 active park assist to our car, the latter being something that is unlikely to see much action during the six months with us due to it being unnecessary and time consuming.
Capable of impressively long ranges between fuel stops and offering loads of interior space, the hatchback has a voluminous floor-to-ceiling 1605 litres of luggage capacity; the rear seats folding with minimal hassle.
That was in stark contrast to the challenges involved in removing and replacing the unwieldy and difficult-to-secure windbreak-sized parcel shelf. These tiresome tasks were aggravated by the prominent and non-retractable optional tow bar, which threatened to inflict lower leg bruises and smear road dirt on trousers or skirts
Mileage 6500 |
P11D price £22,490 |
Forecast/actual cost per mile 48.6p/52.8p |
Our average consumption 47.8mpg |
Official combined consumption 68.9pg |