As a parent I realise the importance of space when I’m going on a long drive with my family - a buggy, suitcases, toys, change-bags and other such items need a vast area. I learned after my first child was born that saloon cars just don’t cut the mustard anymore. I can’t understand how my own parents used to take the three of us kids on holidays in their 3-door Datsun - then again, when we were young there was no need for child seats (or come to think of it, seat belts weren’t even compulsory). When it comes to families there are two main car shapes that I recommend; the MPV and the Estate. This week I’m looking at what I consider to be a very good family car. I’m talking about the new Ford Mondeo Wagon.
Ford took a long time to bring the new Ford Mondeo to the European market. It has been in the USA under the name “Fusion” for a couple of years now, and Mondeo fans were a little disappointed that it hadn’t arrived here sooner. My opinion is that it was probably worth the wait. Sure, it doesn’t show much imagination that we effectively got the same car as the yanks, but to me it makes sense that the Ford brand should echo the same message around the world (which raises the question as to why they share different names – I’m sure that was decided by the marketing teams in Europe or in the USA).
The new Mondeo is brilliantly styled, and it’s a very impressive looking machine. The bonnet houses some immaculate and nearly aggressive lines, whereas the Aston Martin-esque grille (which is making its way through the brand) is a great move by Ford – it adds a touch of class that the previous generations were missing. Another stand-out point about the front is the “Ford Dynamic LED headlights” – the lights themselves sit nicely at either side of the new grille.
The rear of the Mondeo is nicely presented – but as with most estate vehicles, there’s not much style to be spoken about. The side of the vehicle however has some very clean lines that give the car a sporty side profile.
Inside, the wagon is extremely spacious. The car is 4,867 mm in length, which means there is more than 525 litres of boot space (1,630 litres with the seats folded down). Space like this makes it a good family car. The problem I always had with saloons was that there was never enough height in the boot, but with estate cars, height is not an issue.
It’s not just the boot-space that makes it a good family choice, it’s the comfort too. Because the car is wide (2,121mm) there is room for three in the rear, and the front seats are comfortable enough. The rear has optional inflatable seat belts for extra protection for your precious children – I found these a bit bulky when it came to fitting my child seats (I don’t have the fancy isofix seats). Ford has also come up with a much improved infotainment system – “Ford SYNC 2”. The model I drove was nicely geared-up with a SONY powered system. The touch screen is easy to use and it wouldn’t be dissimilar to the screen that Land Rover is currently offering. The SYNC 2 system is intuitive, although I don’t see the point of having a corner dedicated to an electronic compass, but no built-in SATNAV. Sure the system will allow you to download apps, but why have a compass with no maps?
One great thing about the SYNC 2 system is that it comes with “Emergency Assistance”. If your car recognises that you’ve had an accident, the car aids the driver in making a direct call to emergency services – I’m hoping none of you will ever have to utilise this.
For those of you with a few shillings to spare, there are extra options available with the new Mondeo. If you don’t fancy parking this 5 metre machine, you can opt to purchase “Active Park Assist” and “Park-out Assist”. Here’s an odd statement – I love this technology but… it takes the fun out of parking. With that said, I do recognise that some people just can’t park, so this might come in handy. These features effectively park the car for you.
I drove the 2.0litre TDCi Titanium Estate with an automatic gearbox. This version offers 150hp and falls into tax band B1, which means it’s inexpensive to tax. To drive, the car is surprisingly agile. It controls itself well and grips the road nicely. On the motorway I didn’t find road-noise to be a major issue, and I liked the way it cruised along. On country roads it actually seemed like a smaller car and cornering was unproblematic. It hugged the road very well.
The main competitor for the Mondeo Estate is probably its Volkswagen counterpart – the Passat. I’ve not driven the Passat Estate, but I have been in a couple. The boot space in the Passat is larger, and I’m still undecided as to which is the better looking car. At the moment both of their styles are on par with each other, but I reckon the Mondeo Wagon will look dated quicker than the new Passat Estate.
The Mondeo I drove comes in at €38,315 (my car had optional extras like the winter pack with heated steering wheel; it also had the inflatable rear belts). The entry price for a Mondeo is €27,645. Overall I was impressed by the new Mondeo Wagon. It’s better looking than ever, and I’m delighted that Ford has improved its SYNC system.
