Which Ford Mondeo makes the best company car?

Ford’s Mondeo has become a ubiquitous facet of the UK’s motoring landscape since the first generation model was launched back in 1993, its place as a company car favourite is long established.

Its rise was stellar too, so much so that former Prime Minster Tony Blair coined the phrase ‘Mondeo Man’ to represent a swathe of the electorate in 1996 – hard-working, middle-income families that aspired to drive a larger car.

What’s also known is there’s an all-new Mondeo waiting in the wings, but delays in getting it into production in Europe (American markets have had it for over a year already) mean the current 2007 vintage model is still with us.

Soldiering on valiantly? Not a bit of it – the Mondeo’s a credible, comfortable and fine-handling range that still offers company car drivers a lot. The biggest problem is deciding which of the diverse range of 48 variants, split equally between hatchback and estate body styles, are the ones to go for.

Here are the ones we recommend paying closest attention to:

Our heads say…

Providing the most car for the lowest cost makes sense and for that reason we’ve plumped for the limited edition Graphite specification hatchback in 1.6-litre TDCi ECOnetic form.

With 113bhp on tap, performance is acceptable rather than scintillating (0-62mph takes 11.9 seconds), but the Mondeo will happily and quietly pound the highways and byways of Britain for hours on end.

As a limited edition, the Graphite enjoys a specification more generous than that of the entry-level Edge version it’s based upon, yet its P11D value is £2,300 lower at £18,140.

It’s economical too, with a claimed average of 67.3mpg and CO2 emissions of just 109g/km, meaning a BIK rate of 17 percent.

Headlining acts from the standard equipment showcase include 17-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension, LED day running lights, front fog lights, electric windows, CD/radio, Bluetooth connectivity with voice activation, leather steering wheel and an electrically heated windscreen for making light work of frosty mornings.

So how will this stack up for a 20 percent rate payer? An agreeable annual bill of £616.76, with easy to manage monthly costs of £51.40.

Figures at a glance

• P11D value: £18,140
• CO2 emissions: 109g/km
• Official combined mpg: 67.3mpg
• 2014/15 BIK tax band: 17 percent
• Monthly tax (20 percent rate, excluding options): £51.40

Our hearts say…

Venture further up the Mondeo hierarchy and the kit count increases, not least with our selection of the mouthful that is the Titanium X Business Edition trim.

What do you get for your money? Highlights include 17-inch alloy wheels, additional chrome highlights around the body, LED day running lights, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, touchscreen infotainment system with DAB radio and sat-nav, automatic lights, wipers and dimming rear view mirror, finished off with a choice of full-leather or leather and Alcantara seats.

Selecting this specification, together with the capacious estate bodywork and the 2.0-litre, 161bhp diesel engine and you have a very well-rounded, luxurious car.

Despite the healthy increase in power and performance from that 2.0 TDCi ECOnetic motor, it remains a sensible choice in terms of running costs, particularly when paired with the manual gearbox. Official claims of 61.4mpg and CO2 emissions weighing in at 120g/km, correlating with a 20 percent BIK rate.

This isn’t the flagship Mondeo – there’s still the Titanium X Sport with a thirstier 197bhp 2.2-litre diesel above it, but you’re unlikely to be found wanting in terms of kit or performance, plus the big Ford remains a great drive.

With a P11D value of £25,290 it’s not eye-wateringly expensive either, meaning 20 percent tax banders will pay £1,011.60 per year, with monthly bills of £84.30.

Figures at a glance

• P11D value: £25,290
• CO2 emissions: 120g/km
• Official combined mpg: 61.4mpg
• 2013/14 BIK tax band: 20 percent
• Monthly tax (20 percent rate, excluding options): £84.30