Ford Mondeo hatchback (2006-2014) - Interior & comfort

Dashboard

Open the door and take a seat in the Mondeo, and you’ll the car’s age start to show. The top of the dashboard is made from a big swathe of thick, textured plastic that’s just a little bit too soft, while the area around the centre console features shiny plastic buttons that don’t feel as upmarket or precise as those used in the VW Passat. The instruments look a little dated, too – the display between the rev counter and speedometer, for example, is rather basic and features a tall, slim font that can be hard to read. Likewise, the small sat-nav screen (if fitted) isn’t the easiest to understand and features rather clunky graphics.

Some of the buttons and switches feel a little flimsy, too. While the rotary light switch and indicator stalk are quite solid, the electric window switches are made from scratchy plastic. The same is true of the rotary selector that controls the stereo and sat-nav functions.

The driver’s seat and the steering wheel have quite a lot of adjustment, so drivers of all shapes and sizes can get their driving position spot-on. The Mondeo is also pretty easy to see out of, which makes it easier to position on the road.

Equipment

The Mondeo is well equipped, with even the most basic Edge model sporting a leather-wrapped steering wheel, air-conditioning, electric windows, a CD and MP3-compatible stereo, a Bluetooth phone connection with voice control and a Quickclear windscreen. The latter is a real bonus on winter mornings, as it has filaments running through the windscreen that heat up quickly to rapidly clear condensation.

However, it’s worth upgrading the Zetec Business Edition, as it includes useful features such as cruise control and all-round parking sensors as standard – the latter are very useful given the car’s size. It also has a touchscreen sat nav, power-folding door mirrors, alloy wheels and a useful USB connection for portable music devices. However, we’d expect to see a DAB digital radio fitted as standard, instead of on the options list.

Next in the range is the luxurious Titanium X Business Edition. This has leather upholstery, automatic operation of the lights and wipers, a DAB digital radio and ambient cabin lighting, which gives the interior a warm red glow at night.

Sitting at the top of the range is the Titanium X Sport, which wants for nothing. It features everything the Titanium X has, plus lowered sports suspension, heated and cooled front seats, bright bi-xenon headlamps and a full-colour TFT screen in the instrument cluster.

Options

There isn’t a huge array of options for the Mondeo, and the already well equipped Titanium models offer the most scope for adding extras. Even so, you can add a DAB digital radio to the Zetec Business Edition for just £100. If you buy the estate, a dog guard is an extra £100, while self-levelling rear suspension is £300 extra on Zetec models and above. This ensures the car’s handling remains predictable even if you’re carrying a heavy load.

On the Titanium models, you can choose from a number of option packs, including the £2,050 Driver Assistance Pack, which includes a whole raft of hi-tech features, such as adaptive cruise control and suspension, lane-departure warning and blind-spot monitoring.