Ever since Tony Blair announced that the Ford Mondeo was the reason he renounced socialism, Ford's premier unit-shifter has been tainted with the notion that it is probably the most boring choice of car imaginable.The idea that Mondeo Man, washing his pride and joy on Sunday afternoon, somehow represented middle Britain brought with the it the obvious conclusion that if you owned one of the blue oval saloons you were likely to be pretty damn dull yourself.Despite multiple facelifts and new iterations - the new Mondeo is the third - the perception of the Mondy as the kind of car John Major might drive if he wasn't an erstwhile Prime Minister has been hard to shift, despite a James Bond cameo.Factor in a cash-strapped parent company and the new Mondeo should have been greeted with a mixture of shrugs and derision. All of which would be fair enough if it were not for the fact that the new Mondeo is a superb piece of kit. Everything that the Mondeo is meant to do it does well, with a minimum of fuss. Everything that the Mondeo is meant to do it does well, with a minimum of fuss. From taking your place in driving position everything feels intuitive and familiar.The cabin is noticeably larger than previous models, with plenty of room in the back and a frankly huge boot, which extends when the rear seats are folded and/or split.There are cubby holes and drink holders everywhere, and everything looks smart and is bolted together well. The only moment of consternation was trying to isolate an annoying rattle in the cabin, which turned out to be my can of coke.There are gadgets aplenty, with auto wipers and headlights and parking assist. The latter is a necessity as the rear visibility is pretty poor, with thick rear pillars and a high boot. Even at entry-level Edge trim there's these gadgets plus CD/stereo and aircon. The ride is controlled and supremely smooth, and the Mondy takes corners in its stride with grip 'til tomorrow and no detectable body roll. The driver's seat itself is the most comfortable driving position of any car I can think of, meaning exiting the car after a long drive is a refreshingly painless exercise, especially if, like me, you suffer with back and leg pain.The ride is controlled and supremely smooth, and there's no resultant pay-off in handling. The Mondy takes corners in its stride with grip 'til tomorrow and no detectable body roll.Acceleration and power are a joy, with torque right across the revs up to sixth gear, while the pull in third really is exceptional for a large car, and the wheels handle the power with ease.On the flat there's plenty of low-down torque from the turbodiesel, which is pretty much the only indication that you're not driving a gas model beyond a slight clatter when stationary. There is some wind and road noise that creeps into cabin at cruising speed, but the engine is quiet and smooth. Meanwhile the Easyfuel cap that prevents the wrong fuel type being added to the tank made me appear to be some kind of petrol dimwit at the forecourt. Frequently I passed the German premiums on the motorway, and the Mondeo matched them in performance. Factor in the few grand you'll save with a Ford and it's an increasingly attractive proposition.The only other two whinges I could come up with were so trifling as to be curmudgeonly. The gearshift is a little too close to the fascia, with the result that I inadvertently knocked off the radio when shifting into third a couple of times.Meanwhile the Easyfuel cap that prevents the wrong fuel type being added to the tank somehow served to make refuelling a rather tricky and time-consuming proposition, making me appear to be some kind of petrol dimwit at the forecourt.But frankly there's nothing about the Mondeo of any consequence that detracts from its finer points. Frankly there's nothing about the Mondeo of any consequence that detracts from its finer points. As a family car, as a cruiser, or even as a car that's downright enjoyable to drive, the Mondeo ticks all the boxes. It's the undoubted class leader, and it's breathing down the necks of the A4, C-Class and 3-Series on this evidence.Ford's image is certainly not a strong selling point, especially in its time of financial strife, but the Mondeo betrays none of the problems the FoMoCo is suffering.Indeed, if Ford's fortunes pick up the Mondeo might become emblematic of a company reborn, and become synonymous with something rather more glamourous than a middle-aged bloke in Essex cleaning his motor. Ford Mondeo TDCI 140 Edge 5-doorList price: £17,400Power: 138bpTorque: 236lb-ftTop speed: 130mphOfficial fuel economy: 47.9mpgCO2 rating: 156g/km
