What’s new: Ford has increased the appeal of its new Mondeo with an automatic gearbox option, also heading for the S-max and Galaxy MPVs.
Excellent: All the things that have made the Mondeo 2008 Business Car of the Year are still in evidence. Top quality interior materials and huge amounts of space mark out the latest Mondeo as the fleet car of choice.
Good: The 39.8 pence per mile figure shades it against Vauxhall and Renault competitors, even if it is beaten by?VW’s Passat. SMR costs are also very competitive.
Average: The gearbox itself isn’t revolutionary, though it works as well as its rivals’ autos. and CO2 of 189g/km is par for the course. RVs are also worse for the auto than the manual.
Poor: The hill-start assist isn’t particularly effective, giving an unnecessary jerk when pulling away on even the mildest of inclines.
Verdict: The new Mondeo is a supremely capable product, and the auto doesn’t discredit it, though the manual gets the nod on cost terms.
