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Weekend roadtest : Ford Mondeo 1.6 Titanium X Estate
publication date: Jan 21, 2012
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author/source: Robin Roberts
Revamped in autumn
2011, the Ford Mondeo Estate has now been voted Britain's best estate car for
the second year in succession and that's hardly surprising.
Last
autumn it was given a comprehensive make-over inside and out with an emphasis
on enhanced technology features and was also given the latest high performance
1.6 EcoBoost
|  | petrol engine, which has been doing really well in the Focus
stable. The
result is a very economical and expansive model which easily and admirably
fulfils several roles while bringing greater sophistication and refinement to
the range.
EcoBoost
engines come in a range of power outputs and this is the beefy 160ps unit with
a manual six-speed gearbox to make the most of the available power.
Don't
be fooled by the comparatively modest engine size in such a big and roomy body,
the EcoBoost delivers strong output which translates into good acceleration
from rest, through the gears and keeps up a steady and high motorway performance.
Even
so it also returns good economy when it's not pushed to its limits and a steady
cruise will see it nudging 40mpg on long runs.
The
eagerness of the engine is matched by a very agile steering system, good
reassuring brakes and a surprisingly communicative chassis and comfortable ride
for an estate car.
|  | Access
is good for occupants, with big openings to the doors, and once inside the
seats are generous and comfortable with good support and front adjustments. It
is a roomy interior.
For
the driver, everything falls to hand and foot and it is a low stress
environment (left). You have very good vision even to the back, the wipers are
effective and the lights highly efficient.
Secondary
switches are just where you would want them to be and operate smoothly, the
heating and ventilation is very good and the instruments are directly infront
of the wheel. |
Oddments
provision is good throughout the estate's cabin and this endears it to a
family. You have plenty of places to store items and the in-car entertainment
provision is very good and easily upgraded if you want to turn it into a mobile
clubroom.
Any
estate car is a compromise between capacity and capability. The Mondeo has a
nominal luggage space of 537 litres with the seats in use, but folding them out
of the way more than triples this load volume to 1728 litres and i's easy to
fill from the back or through the rear passenger doors.
It
is sensibly shaped without any hindrance to loading and you have a luggage
cover to keep it out of prying eyes when the back seats are used (see below). | Even
so, noise levels are also very low, the most noticeably being the rumbling road
noises as mechanical and wind disturbances are virtually non-existent.
VERDICT
If
you really push in a lot to the back or maximise passengers and luggage space,
the Mondeo 1.6 will struggle a bit at higher speed or when pulling away, but
for most of the time it is a very good all rounder. |  |
| Fast facts:
Ford Mondeo 1.6
Titanium X Estate £24,445 | Insurance
group: 19 | | Mechanical: 160PS 4cyl 1.6 EcoBoost, 6sp
manual | Emissions: 149gkm | | Performance: 130mph maximum, 0-62mph
9.6sec | Fuel
consumption: 38mpg | | Warranty:
3yrs/ 60k | ©Robin
Roberts
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