Ford Mondeo Estate (07 on) - Review Review by Simon Harris on 23 November 2007 Last Updated: 21 February 2011 The Ford Mondeo Estate's reputation as one of the best load-lugging cars continues with the 2007 model, only now it is even more capable. Elegant styling disguises even greater carrying capacity than before, while the quality feel of the interior has been improved substantially with top-grade materials and soft-touch plastics. Despite the increase in size and weight it's as impressive to drive as the hatchback version and looks just as good. The car’s ride and refinement deserve special mention since the Mondeo Estate is now arguably more comfortable than German rivals from BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. There’s an impressive engine line-up including some low-CO2 diesel offerings which mean low VED or company car tax, plus some more powerful petrol units for those who want to drive a little faster. It’s also worth noting that unlike many estate cars, you don’t get the boomy effect of having large amounts of space behind the rear seats. It’s a very composed and quiet affair. Perhaps the only problem is the confusion stemming from whether an Edge is better than a Zetec or a Ghia is better than a Titanium. In 2010 the Mondeo received a little cosmetic surgery. The most noticeable part of this refresh is the new nose-job. The front-end has had a complete overhaul, this includes an enlarged lower grille and a smaller upper grille, while the rear receives new LED tail-lights, an all-new bumper, a reshaped valance and an integrated rear spoiler. The interior has also had a little nip/tuck. There is now a one-piece central console, it is soft to touch and the plastics are of a higher quality. More kit is offered as standard including blind-spot alerts, lane-departure steering-wheel vibrators, an alertness assessor, a rear-view camera, automatic headlight dipping speed limiter and LED daytime running lights. Ford’s excellent Powershift gearbox was introduced as standard on the Mondeo in 2010 on the 2.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine while it was an optional extra for the 2.0-litre Duratorq diesel engine. Read on for our comprehensive Ford Mondeo Estate review and find out just why the car has its German rivals in its sights... 4.5 out of 5 Other Ford reviews Summary Facts & Figures Equipment Driving & Performance Comfort Costs Safety & Reliability Buying & Selling Also Consider Company Car Info Owners' Reviews Gallery 4.5 out of 5 Performance Although not a performance car, the Ford Mondeo Estate Performance figures are competitive. A broad range of engines should satisfy anyone needing a large estate with frugal diesel and petrol engines, plus there are also high performance versions. A choice of two 1.6-litre petrol models is available, one with 110bhp and the other with 122bhp. Both use the same engine, but the 122bhp version revs slightly higher giving it a performance edge. The 100bhp 1.8-litre diesel estate is slightly quicker than the 1.6-litre on paper, and feels livelier on the road with all the extra pulling power available from the diesel engine. Both 2.0-litre engines feel fairly frisky, while people choosing an automatic transmission are offered the 161bhp 2.3-litre petrol model. The 220bhp 2.5T offers a genuine high-performance feel (the engine is borrowed from the Focus ST) along with a sporty engine note. However, if you want much of the speed of this engine, but acceptable running costs, a 2.2 TDCi was launched in May 2008. It produces 175bhp and has huge reserves of pulling power - as a result it's only a second slower from 0-62mph than the 2.5T, and on the move feels rapid and refined. In 2010 Ford added two new engines to its line-up - a new 237bhp version of the 2.0-litre turbo petrol EcoBoost engine and a new 197bhp 2.2-litre TDCi diesel. The 197bhp 2.2-litre TDCi Duratorq diesel engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox is quite something. The engine is very refined and quiet making journeys relaxing. Performance figures are relative for this size of car - the petrol engine will get from zero-62mph in 8.3 seconds and it has a top speed of 141mph. While the 197bhp 2.2-litre diesel will complete the benchmark sprint in a time of 8.1 seconds and has a top speed of 140mph. The petrol unit tested was the 237bhp EcoBoost mated to an automatic six-speed PowerShift gearbox. There is plenty of pulling power 340Nm (and 360Nm when boost from the turbo is in use) and overtaking slower traffic on single-lane carriageways is completed with ease. View full gallery 4.5 out of 5 Handling The Mondeo is both comfortable and agile for a large estate car. Its steering feel sets it apart from most cars of its type and the Ford reacts intuitively to the driver's inputs. As a result it always feels composed on twisty roads with excellent body control and good levels of grip. It's also possible to specify adaptive suspension. At the push of a button, you can change the suspension from 'Normal' to 'Comfort' or 'Sport'. In practice, the standard set-up will be ideal for most drivers, so you're better off saving your money, however self-levelling suspension, which ensures the rear of the car doesn't sag under heavy loads, is available on this estate version. However, if you want to drive enthusiastically, switch to Sport mode and the car becomes a little more responsive and the steering weights-up a little. View full gallery Car Valuations Find used car prices with Parkers accurate car valuations. Find out more Ford Mondeo cars for sale We have 262 models like this for sale. Find Ford Mondeo cars for sale Previous: Equipment Next: Comfort