Anyone with a passing interest in cars in the UK will be glad to see that Ford is finally on to a winning streak with their recent releases. The right hand drive Mustang, complete with 5.0l V8, and the four wheel drive Focus RS have been very well received and massively successful so far. Now it’s time for the Mondeo to shine.
The fourth generation Mondeo first graced our roads at the start of 2015 and it had a difficult job to do. With the rise of the PCP deal, many people who would previously have bought Mondeos have been tempted away to the German manufacturers, thus leaving Ford with the lower end purchasers. After a bit of head scratching Ford came up with the answer on how to fight back – a new level of trim called ‘Vignale’
With the Vignale version of the Mondeo Ford, have upgraded both the overall look of the car and the quality of materials used inside. Upgraded wheels, front and rear grills and a number of choice chrome bits give the car a much more premium look than the standard car and a huge upgrade over the previous generation.
Inside, the cabin design is much clearer than Fords of old and the quality and quantity of leather used is really quite impressive. I took a number of fussy owners of German cars out in the Mondeo Vignale and all of them commented on how well it was finished and how nice the leather was. That is a big win for Ford and not something they’ve been able to compete on in the past.
Toys wise, the Vignale comes with Ford SYNC2 infotainment with premium Sony speakers, traffic sign recognition, ambient lighting and 10 way adjustable drivers seat. Out car also had a power tailgate, heated steering wheel, massage seats (amazing when stuck in traffic!) inflatable rear seat belts. A quick note on the seatbelts – they don’t work well with non ISOFIX child seats so beware if specifying them.
Out on the road is where Fords have always been more competitive and with this new Mondeo Vignale this is no different. It really is amazing how the engineers at Ford have managed to take what is a big, heavy family car and made it handle so well. Our car had the sports suspension (only a £150 upgrade!) and while this helped it to travel cross country and an impressive rate, it never felt compromised for town driving.
The handling was so good that I’d go as far as to wish that Ford would stick the 2.3l engine from the Focus RS into the Mondeo and make an interesting Audi S4 Avant rival.
While many people may baulk at the £36,660 (inc options) price tag for this 2.0 TDCI, I’m not sure how much more that petrol engine would cost (I’m not the engineer of TT so it might be loads) and this would make the Mondeo a car I’d really want to own.
As it stands, with the upgraded materials used in the Vignale, this is a perfect family estate car for those who need acres of space and high MPG.
PRICE: £33,610 (as tested £36,660)
ENGINE: 2.0 TDCI
POWER: 180 bhp
TORQUE: 400 Nm
PERFORMANCE: Top speed 137 mph, 0-62 mph 9.5 secs
CONSUMPTION: 52.3 mpg (official combined)
CO2: 141 g/km
TT Rating:
