Published:
24 January 2012The Mondeo has one of the widest ranges of engines of any model in the class. On the petrol side, there’s everything from the weedy entry-level 118bhp 1.6-litre unit to the most potent 237bhp 2.0-litre Ecoboost engine. Diesels include Ford’s latest Duratorq offerings, with 1.6s, 2.0s and 2.2s all available.
Of course, in this segment the diesels are the models that really sell. And the entry-level 114bhp 1.6litre TDCi is as much car and engine as most people will ever need. There’s no trade off for its impressive economy and CO2 emissions figures in performance terms.
The 1.6 TDCi Mondeo can still cruise easily with motorway traffic in its high sixth gear, or accelerate from zero to 60 mph in around 11.6 seconds. More important than any actual figure is the fact that the car feels both energetic enough for decent open-road passing, and flexible for dribbling smoothly around down. And it’s around 100kg lighter than bigger-capacity diesels. There is certainly no feeling that it’s underpowered.
Opt for the mid-range 161bhp 2.0 TDCi model and you’ll be met with Ford’s linear power delivery, which builds torque smoothly rather than delivering a sudden lump. Equally impressive is the refinement of this model. There’s a little vibration at idle, but noise is well suppressed. That makes the coarseness higher up the rev range more noticeable.
The range topping 237bhp Ecoboost petrol engine, mated to Ford’s double-clutch Powershift gearbox, should provide enough thrills for the Mondeo owner looking for a more performance-biased motor. It’s eager to respond to throttle inputs and the double-clutch system provides quick and smooth changes.
