Mondeo takes Ford down cleaner route

Ford continues to tweak the performance of its Mondeo model, bringing further fuel economy results. Its new Mondeo range, called the ECOnetic, shaves a little more off the economy and CO2 emission figures for the popular car. The concept behind the ECOnetic models is to offer a cost-effective and competitive saloon car with some extra economy benefits. The end result is the Mondeo ECOnetic, which is available in just two models, the Zetec specification five-door hatchback or estate. To achieve the better economy figures, Ford uses the 1.8 litre turbo-diesel engine and this has been modified, along with some changes to other parts of the car to get better economy results. Other than some slight engine tuning, Ford has lowered the chassis to make it more aerodynamic. New low rolling resistance 215/55R16 Michelin Primacy HP tyres are fitted to make the car drive that bit smoother and lower the car"s drag co-efficient to 0.31cd. This is aided by a colour-coded rear boot spoiler. Ford has developed some new gearbox oils for the ECOnetic models in association with BP to lower transmission resistance. These oils deliver efficiency benefits that have been shown to be significant during testing. From the outside, there appears little different from the standard Mondeo, apart from the rear end ECOnetic badge. To see the value of this car you have to compare it with the standard 1.8 litre TDCi Mondeo. The ECOnetic comes with a five-speed gearbox, as against six in the standard model. The ECOnetic delivers a higher road speed, even if its acceleration performance is very marginally slower. Acceleration in the higher gears from 50km/h to 100km/h is faster in the six-speed model. The economy figures are marginally better for the ECOnetic models but the real value is in terms of the lower emissions. The ECOnetic models come with a CO2 rating of just 139g/km as against 154g/km for the standard model. That difference means a lower Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) rate equaling lower prices, topped off with lower annual road tax charges. Ford has succeeded in reducing the annual road tax charge for the Mondeo ECOnetic to just €150, a fantastic result and comparable with what BMW has been achieving. To allow the achievement of this level of economy, Ford is now fitting a new instrument system to this Mondeo model to give an instant fuel economy rating reading on the dashboard. This is aided by a gear-change timing indicator that tells the driver when to change up a gear to maintain economy. Toyota has been fitting such a device for some time. This economy result also makes the Mondeo ECOnetic a more competitive option than the Mondeo FFV, which I recently also tested. The ECOnetic model comes with a rating of 5.3 litres/100km (53mpg) in the combined driving cycle, which is marginally better than the standard model. Against the competition, this Mondeo is economical, only beaten by the Renault Laguna and the more expensive BMW 318d. Compared with the Mondeo FFV, I feel that the ECOnetic model is better to drive. The diesel-powered car, with its 125bhp engine, has impressive acceleration at a 0 to 100km/h rating of 10.7 seconds. The entry price of the Mondeo ECOnetic Zetec is €29,715, which is pretty competitive for a large diesel car. With the Zetec specification, the car comes with air conditioning as standard, along with electric front and rear window operation, cruise control and a body-coloured rear spoiler. There is no compromise when it comes to the Mondeo ECOnetic specification as the car matches the high safety specification of the Mondeo range. This is a spacious family car with a huge boot, courtesy of the hatchback design, and it"s now even more economical to own and drive.