By the end of its strung-out life cycle, the previous Mondeo’s cabin had become a curious concoction. Huge to sit in and fiddly to operate, it took an age to get comfortable in but then looked after you as sweetly as an old armchair.
Its Euro-centric nature was clearly discernible in the quality of trim intended to convince potential Audi and BMW buyers that the mainstream wasn’t worth fleeing. So while an elderly multimedia system backdated it like a cathode ray tube TV, the surrounding topography still had some substance about it.
The latest Mondeo, with its mid-Atlantic accent, looks more at sea. Size is not an issue. Ford’s flagship has always been built to accommodate everything from offspring to workmates, and the new model is no different. Three abreast in the back isn’t a problem if you’re not going far, and the estate, with its extended roofline, will seat six-footers in the back without issue.
The sense of spaciousness won’t be lost on the driver, either. While front headroom isn’t exceptional, the Mondeo remains a high-shouldered greatcoat of automotive presence. The estate’s load space isn’t peerless – the latest Volkswagen Passat wagon eclipses its peak volumes – but that doesn’t prevent the high, flat and wide boot floor from looking like all the capacity you’ll ever need.
However, as it was primarily built to satisfy a continent where the description ‘full size’ applies as much to lifestyle choice as it does a vehicle class, the new Mondeo’s ample proportions were never in question.
