Making a terrific supercar is hard, however in contrast with making a terrific household automotive, it’s an absolute breeze. Which is why so few auto producers get it proper, and why regardless of having pushed a whole lot of unique vehicles, I’ve acquired an actual smooth spot for a Ford Mondeo with simply 123 hp. Let me clarify.

In Europe within the late Nineteen Nineties, Ford and Volkswagen had been implying fully completely different approaches to make the most effective household vehicles within the recreation. Whereas Volkswagen went large on refinement, including smooth, top quality plastics and damped seize handles to get prospects cooing, Ford targeting dealing with.

That battle is finest remembered as one between the all-new 1998 Ford Focus and the Mk4 Golf. However the identical firms had been making use of the identical rules each within the class under occupied by the Fiesta and Polo, and within the one above the place the Passat and Mondeo duked it out.

The fifth-generation B5 Passat really predated the Mk 4 Golf by two years and so was first to showcase VW’s luxurious new inside philosophy. Mated to VW’s new refined design language, it appeared and felt like a cut-price Audi, which in impact it was: the A4 and A6 each used the identical platform.

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However the Passat, like most VWs of this era, was stodgy to drive. It was snug, however barely underdamped, the controls had been mushy and also you simply by no means felt motivated to hustle it. And for guys who wanted a roomy household automotive, however didn’t have BMW 5-Collection cash to spend, or had been about two promotions away from accessing one on their firm automotive scheme, however nonetheless wished one thing enjoyable to drive, that was an issue.

And it was an issue solely partially solved by choosing a Mk1 Mondeo as an alternative. The unique Mondeo, launched in 1993 in Europe (and offered in considerably modified type within the U.S. because the Contour) had already gained reward for its nice dealing with, however the rear area was tight and it appeared about as fashionable as tour grandma’s underwear. So when Ford set about constructing the Mk2 Mondeo, it determined to mix the agility of the primary Mondeo with an exterior and inside design that might knock VW sideways.

It failed. Yeah, I do know that is presupposed to be top-of-the-line vehicles I’ve pushed, however even on-a-run, turn-of-the-Millenium Ford didn’t get every little thing proper. Design-wise, the Mondeo sort of sucked. It wasn’t slick and polished just like the Passat, or edgy and fascinating like its Focus little brother. However the surfacing was fairly tight and Ford execs clearly beloved it as a result of they rinsed out the identical search for the Fusion and 5 Hundred that had been offered in North America.

Inside, you nearly wanted an the other way up periscope to view the radio (or optionally available sat-nav display) from the motive force’s seat, so low down on the console had been they mounted. However the inside high quality and atmosphere was an enormous enchancment on the outdated automotive’s, and so was the rear legroom, one of many few main gripes with the Mk1. Sedan, hatchback and wagon our bodies had been all on the menu, and each one was big inside.

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And it was even higher to drive than earlier than. There have been fast ones, just like the 223 hp (226 PS) V6-powered ST220 (pictured above), however what made the Mondeo so nice is that even the humblest variations had been a hoot. The easy 1.8 Zetec was no fireball, its naturally aspirated inline 4 sending an anaemic sounding 123 hp (125 PS) and 125 lb ft (170 Nm) to the entrance wheels, which means zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) took 10.2 seconds. However these figures had been par for the course in entry degree European household vehicles 20 years in the past.

What wasn’t, was the Mondeo’s sharp steering, eager turn-in and scorching hatch-like physique management. Actually, you couldn’t probably imagine how a lot enjoyable it was to punt about having solely seen it from the surface. It was like a parkour champion disguised as an insurance coverage salesman. And it’s fairly attainable that loads of individuals who purchased a Mondeo and had by no means beforehand given a multi-link rear finish about steering really feel found that abnormal vehicles could possibly be actually enjoyable to drive. It was the most effective reasonably priced household automotive on sale in Europe by miles.

You possibly can fairly argue that the Mk3 Mondeo that changed it in 2007 was superior, and it’s true it appeared smarter, had the next high quality inside and was even roomier. However then I’d argue that the Mk3′ S-MAX MPV brother did the household factor even higher, and moved the sport on extra comprehensively.

Immediately, the as soon as mighty Mondeo is getting ready to be killed off in March 2022. The present automotive has a lot to supply, however individuals need crossovers and SUVs just like the Kuga, and as for the second technology Mondeo, it’s all however forgotten. The few that stay are principally outdated clunkers, and whereas the unique Focus often will get a namecheck as a game-changing household automotive, you’ll by no means hear anybody giving its large brother the credit score it deserves. Take into account this a hat doff from me.