First Drive
Ford Mondeo 2.2 TDCi Titanium X
Test date 22 May 2008
Price as tested £24,595
What is it?
Ford’s answer to criticism of the relative lack of urge of the 2.0-litre TDCI engine already offered in the Mondeo.
The new 2179cc turbodiesel is a familiar unit, co-developed by Ford and Peugeot-Citroen, but this is the first time it’s been offered in the Mondeo. Power is up by 35bhp over the 2.0 TDCI to 173bhp, torque rises from 251lb ft to 295lb ft – with an additional 15lb ft of overboost under full acceleration.
What’s it like?
The new engine increases the 2.2 TDCI Mondeo’s kerbweight by 28kg compared to the 2.0 TDCI, explaining the slightly underwhelming performance: the claimed 8.7 second 0-62 mph time is just half a second quicker than the less powerful diesel.
The good news is that, subjectively, the 2.2 TDCI feels far quicker than that. Torque arrives in a seamless shove, and the off-boost lethargy of the 2.0-litre unit is all but eradicated.
The Mondeo’s well-mannered chassis is more than up to handling the increase in urge, with just the merest hint of torque steer over dry roads. And even on rougher road surfaces the Mondeo delivers impressive traction, even in first and second gears.
Any criticism? Well the engine produces more clatter than the 2.0-litre unit at start up – and the turbo is louder, too, with audible whistle under hard use.
The rest of the dynamic performance remains as before. The chassis combines excellent manners with plenty of enthusiasm for a backroad workout, refinement levels are excellent and the shift action of the six-speed manual gearbox is one of the sweetest in the business.
So should I buy one?
Ford are only offering the new motor with the top specification levels, meaning a hefty pricetag by Mondeo standards. The 2.2 TDCI is slightly less frugal than the 2.0 TDCI too, and CO2 emissions are higher.
That said, the 2.2 TDCI is definitely the pick of the range for those seeking to combine performance with economy.
Matt Rigby
First drive data
How much?
- Price as tested £24,595
- Price as tested £25,355
How fast?
- 0-62 mph 8.4 sec
- Max speed 139 mph
How big?
How thirsty?
- Combined 45.6 mpg
- CO2 emissions 165 g/km
Engine
- Layout 4 , 2179 cc
- Max power 173 bhp
- Max torque 272 lb ft
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