Ford Mondeo. Ride by Ford

The new Ford Mondeo hit the market at a very opportune moment — demand in the country is growing, and cars are being snapped up before they even reach showrooms. In the couple of months before sales started, more than two thousand pre-orders were placed for the model. But can this be considered a real success? Or should we expect that there will be many more takers?

The fresh Mondeo has grown noticeably and moved into a higher segment. The wheelbase has increased from 2755 to 2850 mm. This means that in the Ford lineup, a gap has formed between the Focus and the new Mondeo. Who are the marketers targeting? Apparently, those who already own a Focus and are ready to spend on something more solid.

First, I check how the increased dimensions have affected handling. Even with the 235/40 tires fitted to the test cars, it's safe to say: the Mondeo still holds its course confidently and responds excellently to driver inputs. The extra millimeters don't get in the way at all. True, you need to get used to the thin steering wheel rim and the fairly large number of turns between lock and lock (2.75). But as speed increases, you realize: the engineers have found a good balance between safety and excitement in corners. After a few fast bends, you stop noticing understeer. The stability control intervenes quite late, allowing you not only to hold the desired line but also to confidently add throttle. The only thing worth paying attention to is the weak steering response in the on-center zone. It's better to pass through this sector quickly: the greater the steering angle, the sharper the response becomes. The developers say this setting is a deliberate decision for safety, because the driver doesn't always drive alone.

The Titanium trim offers a suspension with adjustable stiffness. In practice, the differences between the three modes — Comfort, Normal, and Sport — turned out to be barely noticeable. In Comfort, body roll is less than you'd expect, and in Sport, rear passengers don't complain about speed bumps.

The five-cylinder turbo engine with a displacement of 2.5 liters is simply a delight. Acceleration on any gear is quick, and there's more than enough torque reserve. The feeling from a sharp press on the gas is comparable to the takeoff of an airplane — albeit a passenger one. And if you floor the pedal, the "airliner" turns into a rocket. The Mondeo with this engine reaches 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds! There's practically no turbo lag, and already from 2000 rpm the engine delivers so much torque that you could share it with neighbors in the parking lot. Third gear on the manual allows driving over a very wide speed range — like an automatic, if you don't press the gas too hard.

But most buyers will likely experiment more with options. For example, with the Russified multimedia system. Its interface is friendly and easy to figure out. It's this option that marketers consider one of the main attractions for the target buyer — a married man aged 39 with two children. There are other interesting solutions, such as the central console in the signature "kinetic" style. And the Easyfuel system with a special fuel filler neck won't allow accidentally pouring diesel into a petrol Mondeo and vice versa.

However, the most affordable Ambiente version is unlikely to interest even former Focus owners, let alone those accustomed to the comfort of the E-class. For $23,800 (that's the 1.6-liter engine with 125 hp), you get ABS, air conditioning, electric front windows and mirrors, a driver's knee airbag, front and side airbags. And all this on 16-inch wheels. That's it. You'll have to pay extra for everything else. Such a car resembles large American cars of the 60s: for minimal money — a huge barn with a radio. Even the steering wheel here is plastic. And that's important, because the driver holds onto it almost all the time when pressing the gas.

The test car in Titanium trim starts at $37,900. For that money, you already get dual-zone climate control, push-button start, heated windshield, electric driver's seat adjustment, ESP, lumbar support, and, of course, a leather steering wheel. And the upper price limit is limited only by the buyer's imagination. Ford managers directly state: "Mondeo Titanium is a premium car." They try to convince at least childless bachelors of this. But will heads of large families go for such expenses? It's quite possible they'll prefer to "stray" to competitors.

The correctness of Ford's strategy will become clear in six months, when the hype around the new model subsides. Analysts are optimistic: the market is growing quickly, people have more money. It's not out of the question that cars from Belgium will become as popular as those assembled in Vsevolozhsk.

What's new?

The Easyfuel system, which Ford showed back in 2005 in Frankfurt, has finally appeared on a production model. It protects against refueling errors: a diesel pump nozzle simply won't fit into the filler neck of a petrol car. Special petals recognize the nozzle of the correct diameter, and also allow abandoning the traditional cap.

The new Mondeo also features an improved adaptive cruise control. It operates in the range of 30–180 km/h, and the driver can choose one of three levels of activation for the visual warning and audible signal in the event of a collision threat.

Driving

On dry asphalt, the car demonstrates barely noticeable understeer, and the steering is informative.

Interior

There's a lot of space, and the ergonomics are well thought out. The only remark is that there's not enough headroom for rear passengers.

Comfort

Sound insulation could be better, but the suspension works excellently: all bumps are smoothed out, and body roll in corners is minimal.

Safety

The engineers clearly paid special attention to this issue. There's no doubt that Euro NCAP experts will appreciate their work.

Price

Aimed at the widest range of buyers.

Pros and cons

+ Wide choice of options, spacious interior and trunk, quality materials, excellent build.

– The brand's image still doesn't match the level of refinement of the new Mondeo, so expensive versions may not find their buyers.

Our opinion

Official representatives claim that the new Mondeo can exceed all expectations of Russian buyers. Competitors that don't belong to the premium segment will face serious difficulties trying to counter this onslaught. The Mondeo doesn't surprise with innovative engineering solutions. The developers assembled a car based solely on reliable and time-tested designs.