In an era when all estates are marketed as "lifestyle" accessories (many are called "wagon" rather than good-old estate), it's refreshing to come across vehicles such as the load-lugging version of the latest Ford Mondeo.
Spacious and comfortable for passengers, it also has a truly vast load area. There are 542 litres with the rear seats in place, or 1,733 litres when they are folded flat. Our Mondeo also has a handy rubber mat with a lip, perfect for carrying messy or muddy items because it wipes clean and can easily be removed for a thorough hosing.
A word of praise, too, for the standard leather and Alcantra seats, which are the most comfortable I've encountered since I last drove a Volvo V70.
There is a downside to all that passenger space and the cavernous boot, however: the Mondeo estate is 4.83 metres long, so suitable parking spaces can be challenging to find.
Its punchy, 175bhp turbodiesel engine has 309lb ft of torque between 1,750 and 2,750rpm, which makes light work of real-world driving conditions. It will also lug from low revs without complaint although, like most modern diesels, it is best in the mid-range. The six-speed manual gearbox is as sweet as we've come to expect from Ford, its tall top gear making it a long-legged and refined cruiser at any speed, although it's particularly impressive on long motorway journeys. Claimed performance figures are a top speed of 135mph and 0-60mph in 8.6sec – but it often feels quicker, thanks to the surge of torque.
The official EU Combined fuel consumption figure is 45.6mpg (33.6mpg Urban), with CO2 emissions of 165g/km (VED Band H). Our car is used mainly for lengthy urban stints, with occasional long journeys, during which it has averaged just over 37mpg, although figures in the mid-50s are achievable on motorways.
The steering is meaty and direct, although it doesn't fully mask the front tyres' tendency to squirm for grip under spirited acceleration. I've not had much opportunity to explore the handling, although the Mondeo feels solid and secure at all times in general driving.
The ride is similarly unflustered. Even when the wide tyres thump into the worst of Britain's pockmarked roads, the shock doesn't unsettle the chassis.
A row of three buttons ahead of the gearlever enables you to adjust the suspension to (from the left), Comfort, Normal or Sport. Changing the settings doesn't provide startling behaviourial differences, although Sport mode is noticeably firmer and Comfort leads to a slight floating sensation on motorway undulations. I've found it's best to leave it in Normal – after all, Ford's engineers know a thing or three about suspension set-up.
With the recently adverse weather, the Ford's excellent front and rear screen de-icers are a boon, although you still have to brave the cold to scrape the side windows manually, of course.
The "service oil" warning light came on at 5,300 miles, despite the lubricant level being halfway between maximum and minimum on the dipstick. Initial concern was assuaged by a call to Ford's press garage – the car's computer is set to display the warning after a year of use, regardless of mileage, apparently. The first scheduled service is due at 12,500 miles.
The only blight has been inflicted by careless parking, namely a ding in the rear bumper due to contact with a low concrete bollard (in my defence, I thought the parking sensors at both ends, standard on the Titanium X, were bleeping a warning about the proximity of the cars on each side).
In top-spec Titanium X specification, the Ford Mondeo estate costs £25,300, while the optional satellite-navigation system is priced at £979.
It seems I'm not alone in thinking highly of the Mondeo, either, as it was crowned Best Estate and best Family Car in January's What Car? awards.
It costs £1,224 more than the five-door hatchback, but the extra versatility justifies the outlay. The icing on the cake? It looks much better, too.
source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/carreviews
