New Ford Mondeo 1.6 EcoBoost is a great car to drive; in Titanium trim it’s also an excellent place to sit, too

Editor’s Blog on the changes to Ford’s key business car

THE latest update to the Ford Mondeo range is more important than a simple nip and tuck to a successful formula. It really does move the car into a new, more premium place, trying to divert the attention of small business directors and company car drivers away from Audis, BMWs and Mercedes…and onto the Blue Oval of Ford.

Now you might think I’ve lost it. But the supposition is worth considering

Certainly, the Mondeo in top line Titanium trim with the addition of LED running lights and chrome highlights lifts the appearance of the car, while the general execution of the interior is starting to match the German premium makers. It’s well-made – those odd rough or poorly executed areas you could sometimes see in a Ford interior I couldn’t identify in the new Mondeo – and the overall ambience is very executive, very calm, very sophisticated.

No wonder, according to Jon Gunn-Smith, Ford’s brand manager for large cars, that Titanium is the most popular trim level: it takes 50% of Mondeo sales, followed by Zetec (30%).

“What we’re trying to get across to company car drivers is that the Mondeo Titanium X is the full package,” explains Jon.

“Drivers who might be tempted by the German brands need to consider that the necessary options to spec the car properly bump up the P11D price, thereby increasing the benefit in kind payable. That’s not the case with a Titanium X.”

That’s slightly disingenuous. You’d definitely want touchscreen navigation (