Ford Mondeo Vignale Test Drive Review

Date: 14 May 2015   |   Author: Tristan Young

Category: Upper medium P11D price: £29,770 Key rival: Volkswagen Passat On sale: September 2015 Equipment: 8 airbags, anti-skid control, USB socket, trip computer, Bluetooth, alloys, colour infotainment screen and nav, digital radio, front sensors and rear parking camera, powered memory driver's seat, leather, lane keeping Engines: Petrol: 180hp 2.0, 210hp 2.0 Diesel: 240hp 2.0 Hybrid: 187hp 2.0 petrol-electric Trims: Style, Zetec, Titanium, Vignale

The Mondeo Vignale is no different mechanically to the rest of the Mondeo range. The same engines are available, although the Vignale sticks with the higher-power offerings and avoids the lower-power (and lower-CO2 diesels), and the suspension is the same, which means the car drives like a Mondeo, while the Vignale versions are available as saloons and estates but not the hatchback.

The only real technical differences are greater levels of exterior chrome, thicker paint (really), better insulating glass, and a noise-cancelling system for the cabin. And in all but the hybrid version, this is a very good thing.

The hybrid makes good sense for the tax-conscious fleet buyer because it sits in the 14% benefit-in-kind tax band, and, at least until April 2016, gains a 3% advantage over a diesel at the same CO2 figure.
However, the hybrid uses a CVT gearbox that is noisy, which ruins the claim that the Mondeo Vignale is more refined than the rest of the Mondeo range.

This is particularly the case round town when the car switches from silent all-electric mode to high-revving petrol engine if you try to nip into a gap in traffic.

Ford claims that as well as the additional standard equipment, including features such as standard leather, metallic paint, reversing camera and powered memory driver's seat, there are also owner benefits that come with a Mondeo Vignale.

These include a dedicated service manager, free car washes, and an equivalent courtesy car during services. However, the advantage of these things to a user-chooser selecting the car through a lease firm is debatable because such services are available through most leasing companies anyway.

KwikCarcost claims the Mondeo Vignale has a small residual value advantage over the rest of the Mondeo range for three years/60,000 miles. For the saloon Vignales it's only £50 because the hatch is the favoured body style - however, for the estate is should be closer to £500.

This should translate favourably into attractive lease rates and make the Vignale an attractive business proposition within the Mondeo range. But what it isn't is a strong rival to the premium players in the market such as the BMW 3-series, Mercedes C-class and Audi A4.

Verdict The Vignale is good value if you want a Mondeo				7/10
	Better equipped than Titanium Sport X		CVT auto is unrefined

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