Once you get over all the talk, the new Ford Mondeo impresses with smooth handling and stylish design. Michael McAleer, Motoring Editor reports
Motoring hacks are a cynical lot. Show us the latest car that cost €1 billion to develop and after five minutes regally scanning it we'll roll our eyes and tell the ever-polite engineer - who has spent three years of sleepless nights creating this monument of polished metal - that it looks like its rival of 10 years ago, that the seats are no better than a VW Polo and the radio stinks. Then we'll spend the next few hours trying to defy the laws of physics in order to prove that it handles like a three-wheeled shopping trolley.
If by some miracle of science the cars make it back from the test unscathed, the engineers get a begrudging nod of approval before being reminded that the radio still stinks. And there are too many cupholders.
Why there aren't mass murders at car launches remains a symbol of man's inherent kindness to his fellow human beings. During development stages the engineers toil to create a car that stands out from its rivals. They add gadgets and gizmos, spend hours on the test track perfecting suspension settings, and in some cases work for months on getting even the engine note right. Meanwhile the designers try and predict what the image trends will be like in three years time, knowing that the average fashion designer can't tell you what's going to be hot in three months time.
And then there are the various safety criteria that must be met. Finally, after three of four years of battling to see their ideas take shape, they face the media. It must be heartbreaking.
One engineer - after several tongue-loosening beers - told me that it's like watching your first-born being ridiculed by a bunch of drunken teachers while all the time having to remain polite and courteous for fear of hindering the progress of the rest of your children.
And yet, in our defence, part of the cynicism stems from the attitude of the general public, who are weatherbeaten by marketing spin in every facet of modern life. From political manifestos to soap powder adverts, we're promised a new dawn that's rarely delivered.
Take the new Mondeo. In the anorak world of the motoring hacks, we've been excitedly awaiting its arrival for nearly two years. It's big news and Ford knows it. So, to whet our appetite, we had the Iosis concept. Then we had another concept car. Then another. All promised to be that bit closer to the finished product.
Then we had James Bond driving the car for five minutes. Finally, after a year of well-organised drip feeding to the motoring hacks, the new car arrives.
At this stage we feel like it should actually be able to fly, given the level of hype that has surrounded it. And yet the end result is not the revolutionary new model we had come to expect. It is instead an evolution. Should we be disappointed? Should we throw our car keys from the pram?
Of course not. A week in the new Mondeo proved to us that for all the cynicism, the public has the ability to see past the hype. We might be jaded with all the marketing spin, but they recognise that this car has enough revolution in its DNA to warrant more than a second look.
Ford mastered the saloon car market with the third generation Mondeo, offering the mainstream market a spacious family car on a chassis that could give BMW's 3-Series - the standard bearer for saloon handling - a run for its money. Even to the thousands of motorists who think chassis is the plural of chaos, they couldn't help but notice the fact that you could turn the wheel into a corner at a relatively high speed and the car would magically follow the desired line. It didn't wallow in bends and there seemed to be a pinpoint accurate connection between your hand movements on the wheel and the direction of the car.
If anything, this new Mondeo surpasses the standards set by its predecessor. With this car Ford has created a comfortable mile muncher with a sporting feel that ticks all the boxes. Its look has not changed so radically that people won't recognise it, yet it has several little design touches that give it a sleeker look than many of its competitors.
For all the sweeping lines, it's bigger than its predecessor and this benefits both boot space and legroom inside. In particular, rear-seat legroom is well able to cope with adults, and wider front seats have enough girth for even the the most padded posterior.
There are flaws of course. Road noise was an issue in our car, with tyre rumble noticeable on long motorway drives. That's something that could be rectified by a change in tyres. Similarly, the 1.8-litre 123bhp diesel engine fitted in our test car made quite a racket when started from cold, though it settled down after a few miles of driving and is no noisier than any of its rivals. As with most diesels, it required quite a bit of gear changing to get the most out of the engine, but between 2,000 and 4,000rpm there's plenty of torque and it pulled away impressively. If budgets could stretch to €35,000 then we'd opt for the 2-litre diesel version instead.
We'd also have qualms about the aluminium-coloured plastic on the central console. While it brightens the cabin, it looks rather cheap in a car that has enough qualities to challenge any entry-level premium model. Combined with rather disappointing fobs that fill in for missing switchgear on lower specification models, it detracts from an otherwise well-worked cabin.
We have to return to our cynicism again when it comes to Ford's advanced Human Machine Interface (HMI). When we first heard about it, we expected to be greeted by some android sitting in the passenger seat. Instead we got an on-board computer: no better or worse than what you get on most cars in this class.
The good news on specification is that ESP stability control - a safety feature that allows the car to automatically brake and reduce engine speed if you are about to lose control - is standard across the range. With clear evidence that ESP saves lives, Ford deserves credit for this decision.
The saloon market is crowded and competitive at a time when a lot of its regular buyers are moving to mini-SUVs and people carriers. Nevertheless, there's a steady stream of buyers here and some very strong competition. For us, the Mondeo has the edge and despite the inherent cynicism that comes with being a motoring hack, we have to admit to being more than a little impressed with the end result. Buyers will no doubt have to shop around, but the Mondeo would be a must for our test-drive list.
And we came to that conclusion without - and despite - all the marketing hype.ENGINE: Four cylinder in-line SOHC, eight valves, common-rail diesel with turbocharger and transient torque overboost function. 123bhp @ 3,700rpm and 340Nm of torque @ 1,800rpm. Six-speed manual transmission.
SPECIFICATION:
LXcomes with Ford's Human Machine Interface (HMI); tinted glass; a pollen filter; radio CD with MP3 socket.
Zetec:sports 16" 24-spoke alloy wheels; leather steering wheel incorporating cruise control; rear power windows with global closing, climate control and front fogs.
Ghia:17" 7x3 spoke alloys, a Thatcham category 1 alarm, automatic wipers and headlights.
Titanium X:17" 15-spoke alloy wheels, adaptive front headlights, front and rear parking sensors.
L/100KM (MPG):
Urban:7.5 (37.7)
Extra-urban:4.8 (58.9)
Combined:5.8 (48.7)
CO2 emissions:154g/km
Annual motor tax:€484
Price:€31,745
(€24,995 - €42,345)