The popularity of the Ford Mondeo was once the stuff of legend, but the meteoric rise of the SUV as a family car has left traditional models such as the Mondeo floundering in the sales charts. Indeed, Mondeo sales are now outstripped by those of Ford’s own Kuga SUV.

While SUVs are taking sales from the Mondeo, there are a number of conventional competitors it needs to contend with too. This includes the Skoda Superb and Vauxhall Insignia – two big hatchbacks that are aimed at chewing up mega mileages while offering family-friendly comfort and refinement. Volkswagen sells the Passat and sleeker Arteon, too, while the Peugeot 508 Fastback and Mazda6 are also worth considering. If you’re looking to buy on finance, then attractive deals on compact executives such as the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4 have eaten further into conventional family car sales.

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Back to the Mondeo, and the reality is that there’s nothing really wrong with it as a family car. It comes as a hatchback, saloon or estate, with the former’s fastback design giving it a cavernous rear load area. Despite the hatchback’s sloping roofline, there’s space for five adults inside, while the large 654-litre boot increases to 1,446 litres with the seats folded – enough to give a practical SUV a run for its money. However, a Skoda Superb is even more spacious.

Past Mondeos were praised for their fantastic handling, but this version has seen a shift towards a softer set-up. Sure, it’s less agile in corners than it could be, but it irons out motorways with ease. If you want fun handling, then the Mazda6 is now the top choice in this sector.

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Petrol, diesel and hybrid engine options are offered, although the latter doesn’t come in the hatchback body style. While a 1.5 EcoBoost petrol engine was offered briefly, 2.0 EcoBlue diesels with 150hp or 190hp are the staple of the five-door range. The former comes with a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes, while the latter is auto-only, but can be had with four-wheel drive.

Over the next few pages we’ll be thoroughly reviewing all aspects of the Ford Mondeo and rating them in our verdict. Our scores will take into account the driving experience, how pleasant the interior is, the practicality on offer and what it’ll cost you to run.