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The Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Zetec is about as ubiquitous as a business car can be, which is why I've just spent half a year in the close company of one to see what we make of the new car.
We went for the core fleet model, the 150hp 2.0-litre diesel in Zetec trim. There was the option of a 1.6-litre diesel, now being superseded by a 1.5 TDCi, but having tried the 1.6 I was happy to step up to the more powerful alternative, even though it takes emissions from 99g/km to 107g/km in this efficient Econetic trim.
But, with hindsight, I would have preferred to pay the extra £1200 for Titanium spec. That brings satnav, auto lights and wipers, an enhanced interior, 17-inch alloys and other extras that some equally priced rivals offer as standard. To be honest, the Zetec is pretty much an entry-level spec these days and it shows, with some cutbacks having taken place, particularly in the cabin.
But it's large, and the huge boot feels even bigger than the quoted 541 litres that almost negate the need for the estate model.
The car has taken everything a family with two young children could throw at it, including a holiday and a couple of weekends away. We've covered nearly 6000 miles in six months, averaging 47.9mpg, with a best result of 51.8mpg, and the lowest being 40.0mpg, apart from one fill where the car was used on a test track as a video star.
It's not class-leading, and I would have appreciated a little more, but the Mondeo has a pretty hefty range, and we managed a high of 556 miles between fills.
Elsewhere, the Lunar Sky paint isn't the most exciting of colours, there are still too many angles where I don't think the styling works, especially the rear three-quarters where it looks like it has a middle-aged saggy rear [1], and it feels like a car designed with the American market in mind.
Then there's the optional touchscreen infotainment system, which looks good but has several issues with functionality.
I basically gave up trying to find some of my favourite digital radio stations, such is the way the system works, and the satnav hasn't been set up for the UK, with elements such as the postcode entry defaulting to starting with a number, and not automatically entering a space when it is the only viable option.
Voice activation was better, although despite being impressed with its ease of use, I still find it simpler to go via the touchscreen for most functions. And don't get me started on the fights I've had with the solid and unwieldy parcel shelf.
Or the fact that the tailgate frequently doesn't completely shut first time [2], which on one instance happened when the car was left for a few days. We think that's what must have completely drained the battery, requiring a jump start [3].
It's a comfortable, sensible, practical, big and reasonably efficient large hatchback, but not particularly cheap and maybe lacking the visual appeal of its predecessors. The new Mondeo is a sensible decision, difficult to criticise, but not an exciting prospect. It does what it needs to well, but in a world of crossovers, downsizing and changing behaviour, it's lacking a touch of sparkle to stand out as an automatic choice.
| Mileage 9653 |
| Official consumption 64.2mpg |
| Our average consumption 47.9mpg |
| Forecast/actual CPM 51.1p/52.9p |
| P11D price £22,790 |
| Model price range £21,040-£33,110 |
| Residual value 30.3% |
| Depreciation cost £15,879 |
| Fuel £4370 |
| SMR £1999 |
| VED £40 |
| National Insurance £1793 |
| CO2 (BIK band) 115g/km (19%) |
| BIK 20/40% per month £72/£144 |
Verdict |
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