Ford has pushed the boat out with its sales executive’s express. 

The Mondeo looks great, and now that AM is living and working with one for six months it is confirming our original short-term test findings that it drives well.

At £26,095 in standard form, the 2.2TDCi Titanium X Sport is hardly a family runabout. Similar cash would secure the keys to a base trim Audi A6 or BMW 3 Series. 

But with Korean and Japanese carmakers steadily eating into Ford’s customer base, it recognised that moving Mondeo slightly up-market would tap into the higher spenders and executives looking for kit over kudos.

Besides, the Titanium X Sport packs more power (175bhp) and equipment (leather/Alcantara trim, sports accessories, front and rear park assist, Bluetooth connectivity just for starters) than prospective buyers could hope to get from a prestige brand at this price.

The 2.2-litre is the most powerful diesel in the Mondeo range. It does have decent pull – official figures reckon 0-62mph in
8.4 seconds – but the power bands are a bit narrow, necessitating quick and thankfully smooth changes up the six-speed gearbox.

But that’s an easy issue to live with. 

Overall, the Mondeo remains a favourite with the AM team for effortless mile-munching around the UK.