| Product: |
Ford Mondeo ST TDCI |
| Date: |
24/12/06 (3626 review reads) |
| Rating: |
 |
Advantages: Great lookes, great road handling
Disadvantages: Lacks in power, not the best for fuel consumption
The Mondeo ST Tdci is undoubtedly an extremely attractive car compared to many of its competitors such as the Vauxhall Astra VXR and Volkswagen Passat.
This car is currently priced from £22795 and to some it may appear a little over priced compared to similar models on the market so let’s see if this car really does pack much of a punch.
*~*Appearance*~*
Them model I will be reviewing is a 5 door diesel engine.
The Ford Mondeo has always been an attractive looking car and the ST is even sleeker and a model that definitely stands out with its distinctive Sports body styling kit complete with aerodynamic spoiler. The ST is more recognisable in the Performance Blue colour and subtle ST logo to the rear of the vehicle.
Classy chrome finishes the exterior of the vehicle perfectly highlighting the rear lights and chrome strips replace the cheaper plastic found on cheaper models of Mondeo.
Single chrome plated exhaust pipe gives the car an added sporty look.
As you enter the car its design is simple, the dash does not differ too much to the other models in the Mondeo range so where does all the money from the purchase price go?
Inside the car you have the ST badged leather wrapped steering wheel and gearshift knob finished in chrome and red.
Surrounding the gear stick is a large chrome covering which looks attractive but takes up much more space than is needed.
The stereo is much more attractive than those found in most vehicles that are fitted as standard as this is the Sony 6006 CD stereo radio with 6 disc in dash auto changer.
The stereo is awkwardly placed however as it is directly behind the gear stick which means controls can easily be knocked during gear changes. The controls on the stereo are not ideal for someone with chunky fingers either as tuning the radio channels could prove somewhat of a challenge. Overall the ergonomics on the stereo controls are poorly designed.
The temperature controls let the styling of the car down they are chunky and extremely cheap looking, the digital display of the temperature is a great feature but again the size of this control could become more compact and attractive for future models.
Above the temperature controls are relatively old fashioned quartz clock which makes the car look outdate and a digital clock would look much more modern.
The instrument panels are finished with chrome dials, however these do not differ to those in the standard Mondeo again. As a previous owner of the Ford Focus ST the Mondeo does disappoint slightly inside as white “ST” branded dials are not present overall the interior is a lot less sleek compared with the exterior and is definitely not sexy in design.
*~*Comfort*~*
As far as comfort goes this is top notch, heater front seats are fantastic especially in the winter months, ideal for the partial leather seats that are cold on first touch.
Thee front passengers seat has 2 way power adjustable facilities.
There is plenty of room for a maximum capacity of 5 passengers including the driver and plenty of boot space for out more than regular skip runs!
*~*Performance*~*Ford say that the Mondeo ST Tdci is one of the most powerful diesel engines on the market however, I have to admit that Mark and I had a bit of a “burn off” with the Civic that we have and the civic won. The civic coasted through where the ST had to drop down a gear to keep up not something you would expect from a “Performance” vehicle.
One fantastic feature with Ford is the handling and this is certainly something you can be confident about when you purchase a top of the range car like the Mondeo the car sticks to the road allowing you to take tight bends at fairly high speeds.
The Mondeo ST is complete wit ha 2.2 litre TDci engine with 153 bhp and 265lb ft of torque and has a much better bite compared to the petrol ST220.
The car does perform well I manage and average of 44 miles per gallon which isn’t too bad but is not the best performer for a diesel engine. If you regularly complete lots of road trips then the diesel engine is the sensible choice and up until recently was one of the main competitors for a stylish businessman’s car.
The ST manages a pretty nifty 0-60mph in just over 8 seconds so it is still pretty quick however this car is not good for city driving as regular gear changes are required to gain the best performance at a moderate torque.
The Mondeo in my opinion appears to be pretty heavy to drive but it is infact the complete opposite with light responsive power steering.
On motorways it’s great to use the Cruise control feature and give your feet a rest the ST glides along the motorway and you really don’t notice when you creep over the speed limit, one disadvantage however is the buttons do not illuminate for night time driving so you need to be familiar with the controls or you could get stuck, this is something Ford should really look into.
In this model you can easily accelerate in 6th gear up to 150 mph and the engine stays relatively quiet. A major design flaw with the previous version of the Focus ST was that the inside was almost as loud as being outside the vehicle but it has been greatly improved on the Mondeo.
The Mondeo ST continues to perform even in the worst weather conditions with its electronic stability programme which lets you know when its in action with the flashing of the yellow light on the dash no other noticeable changes appear to control the car, the Mondeo just continues to drive the same.
The Mondeo is lowered when it comes to the seating position so the ride in the car is much more enhanced. The brakes are extremely effective being 300 mm ventilated at the front which provides a 62mph to zero braking distance of 32 metres.
The performance of this car is good but it needs to step up the competition now especially with the new civic type r being launched soon, however this car is still extremely attractive and will still remain a serious contender for the young businessman.
Sexy 18” 16 spoke alloys, leather trimmed recaro seats, mesh front grille, heated windscreen, air conditioning, electric windows and mirrors. Remote central locking and alarm immobiliser the Mondeo does come packed with the basics that people looking to buy a new car require.
Prices start from £24540 brand new and is available in 4/5 or estate models.
Summary: A great car that is a pleasure to drive
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kenjohn - 27/12/06 Popped back to say well done on the wee jaggy bunnet (Crown)
Ken (Category Guide/Motors) |
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