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Ford Mondeo

Welcome to what many are claiming already to be the best real-world car on earth.

OK, so some enthusiasts might prefer a Lamborghini. And the Bentley Azure takes some beating. And, personally, I'd have to say the Porsche 911 Turbo is a contender for best set of wheels in the world.

But pound for pound, the new Mondeo is stupendously good. It's an everyman' car in many ways, but it's matured into a fantastic blend of style, affordability and all-round classiness. It looks elegant and it breaks new ground on the technological front. It will also retain its place as a top-ten seller, unusual for this size of car.

Above all, it's a good car to drive, something that's easy to overlook when you realise how hi-tech today's cars really are.

It's easy to see why Ford had to raise the standards, given that it faces competition from everywhere. Kia, Hyundai and co are pushing from below, while Audi, BMW, Lexus, Honda and many, many others, are pushing from above. The crowded mid-market is also populated by ever-improving ranges from Renault, Toyota, Mazda and co. Once Ford and Vauxhall only had each other to worry about. Not any more. This is the Edge version, the entry-level version of the Mondeo.

The Edge gets very little publicity. All the attention is on the Titanium flagships which are excellent but expensive.

The Edge, despite its entry-level origins, is miles apart from the basic-spec Fords of old. The ambience experienced in the Titanium models remains intact.

The dash, so often a negative point in Fords of old, is a work of art, while the seats are much improved. (Again, anyone who had a Ford, say, ten years ago will know what I'm talking about).

The switchgear and instruments are sensible but very stylish and easy to read.

Irrespective of trim level, the amount of space on offer is one of the Mondeo's strongest qualities. It does look and feel a little bigger than previously, which it is, but not to the extent of being unmanageable. In fact it feels positively lithe.

If you opt for the five-door hatch Mondeo, you'll experience all the benefits of a family-friendly mid-size car, plus an easy to access loadspace.

actor in the car's folding rear seats and you've got a refined executive taxi for you and your company chums one minute, and a family workhorse the next.

Don't be too despondent by the prospect of not having heated seats as standard on the Edge. What you do get is very decent anyway: all the airbags you'll hopefully never need, a very nice audio system, air conditioning plus electric windows and mirrors. And that's before you include the usual anti-theft and safety electronics. You could visit the options list if you want more in the way of comforts, but if you're considering an Edge it kind of misses the point.

Ford's range of TDCi motors are some of the best around, and it fair to say that this 136 horsepower unit is rapidly becoming the default favourite with both companies and canny private buyers.

If there was a criticism of the Mondeo, it's the resale values. A three-year-old Mondeo is likely to cling on to 33 and 39 per cent of its value, while many of its rivals are in the 40s and 50s.

Ford Mondeo Edge 2.0 TDCi five-door

PRICE: £17,595. Mondeo spans £15,195 to £23,145. Mondeo includes hatchbacks, saloons and estates with engines spanning 1.6 to 2.5 litres

ENGINE: A 2.0 litre diesel generating 136bhp through front wheel drive

PERFORMANCE: Top speed 130mph and 0 to 60mph in 9.2 seconds

COSTS: Average 47.9mpg

WARRANTY: Three years, 60,000 miles plus three-year paint and 12-year rust guarantees

6:54am Friday 9th May 2008

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