We review the Ford Mondeo from price to economy and all its features

MONDEO part four: The legend continues.

The all-new Ford Mondeo finally hits showrooms in December — two years behind America. But believe me, it’s been worth the wait.

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Priced from £20,795 — or £289 a month — it’s got Hollywood looks, blockbuster engines and safety tech Superman would be proud of.

I've just tested the 2-litre TDCi diesel and 1.5-litre petrol EcoBoost.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

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The new Mondeo shares the same Ford family nose as the Fiesta and the new Focus. Did someone whisper Aston at the back? And the stylish looks certainly grab attention. I was stopped by British and German tourists asking, "Is that the new Mondeo?" on my exclusive first drive in Spain.

Of course, Brits have always loved the Mondeo. We've bought 1.4million since it replaced the Sierra in 1993 and Tony Blair coined the phrase "MondeoMan" to sum up middle-income voters.

Sales have slumped in recent years, mostly due to the clamour for crossovers, but if anyone can re-grow the market for big family motors again, it's Ford.

WHAT'S IT LIKE INSIDE?

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Cleaner, quieter, more legroom in the back, nice big cup holders, digital instrument cluster, two USBs, 12V ports — and my test cars even had 13-amp plug sockets to charge gadgets.

The 8in touchscreen is standard and comes with voice control for your phone, satnav, music and air con. It can even read your texts and tell you the nearest place to eat. Everything you touch and feel is a step up in quality.

Inflatable rear seatbelts (£175 option) is a Ford first and the Mondeo always wins big on load space. Fold the rear seats down and you can fit a single bed with a mattress in the back and shut the boot with your powered tailgate. I tried it. You would struggle to do that in a crossover.

HOW DOES IT DRIVE?

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That's really down to you. Ford has tweaked the steering and suspension for a smoother ride and better handling but the biggest factor will be your engine choice.

The full range will include the award-winning 1-litre petrol EcoBoost (early 2015), the 1.5-litre EcoBoost (my pick with 47.9mpg, 0-60mph in 9.3 seconds and 135mph top speed) and the 2-litre EcoBoost (38.7mpg).

There's also a 2-litre petrol electric hybrid (67.3mpg) with CO2 emissions of 99g/km, meaning free road tax. But the 1.6-litre ECOnetic diesel will have the lowest CO2 emissions of 94g/km and 78.5mpg.

The 2-litre TDCi I tested can do 64.2mpg — but not with my right foot on twisty mountain roads.

At the sharp end, Ford will have a new 207bhp 2-litre twin turbo diesel that's cleaner than the 2.2-litre it replaces.

Now for the high-tech safety stuff. The Mondeo uses a windscreen camera and bumper-mounted radar to "see" people in the road ahead. If you don't slow, the car will brake automatically.

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That same technology is used for adaptive cruise control to slow the car if you get too close to a vehicle in front, then speed up again when the road is clear. I love it.

There's also lane assist, hill-start assist and hands-free parking. Press a button, let go of the wheel and watch the car reverse in between cars while you control the pedals.

It works with spaces parallel to the road and parking bays at right angles to the road. Crossovers can't do that either.

So the new Ford Mondeo, delayed by switching production from Belgium to Spain, arrives here safer, smarter, stronger.

Just like a real superhero really. Go see it.

WE LIKE: Looks, safety tech and engines made in Britain.
DISLIKE: Waiting two years.
VERDICT: It's box office.

Mondeo through the years...

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