Test Drive Ford Mondeo Sedan 2000 - 2003 Sedan

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The Russian automotive market comes to life. The struggle in the segment D and the price range of twenty - twenty with a small thousand dollars each month is sharpened. Favorite names are known: Volkswagen Passat, Mazda 626, Toyota Avensis, Volvo S40, Mitsubishi Galant. After the transition to the Kaliningrad assembly there was an attractive demand for the BMW treshka. In many respects, unexpected success is accompanied by the recently appeared Citroen C5. Mercedes-Benz C-Class also dispels well, but the transcendental prices bring it outside the battlefield.
 

The places on this field remains less and the newcomer must be very strong to get the right only to fight the leaders. In the summer, it became obvious: Ford Mondeo of the second generation and there is that player that is able to spoil life with best-selling life on laurels. As it happens, the debut of the models in our market turned out to be productive due to several factors. First, a competently planned advertising company on television, heated interest in the car before her receipts to the salons of dealers. Secondly, the broadest selection provided to the buyer: at the same time sedan, hatchback and wagon with five different motors were offered. Thirdly, a fairly high renome of the machine of the previous generation. Fourth, reasonable retail prices. In addition, the car received a good press both in the West and in Russia. It's time and we taste the new Mondeo taste. Before you is a two-liter sedan on average Trend.
 

This is exactly the case when the car looks different in reality than in the photos. It turns out that it is not at all such synthetic. Despite the removed coldness of the geometric design, accentuated by steel body color, the machine looks vast and expressive. Laboque and solid appearance of the car is flawless. All with it: and the feeling of the new millennium, and the Ford style of New Edge, however, in a slightly softened form, and familiar proportions of the former Mondeo. Each item in its place, there is no bustling: neither in the pyramidal rear lights, nor in two-color mirrors, nor even in the antenna, to the French manner located at the front edge of the roof. But the car will not stand out from the crowd: causing and catchy is not about Mondeo.

According to the creators, the car should not cause antipathy in perhaps most of the clientele. An understandable desire to please and girls, grandfathers, and pioneers, and pensioners read very well in the exterior of the car. Mondeo will never cause strong emotions, especially in a year or two, when he has time to take it away. What you can not say about the interior. Unusual. Interesting. Stylish. At first it seems that I got behind the steering wheel of the next concept car or at least a sports compartment. In front of the eyes - metal and plastic of excreted texture, the front of the front panel resembles a plateau, leaving the distance under high-breasted windshield. By the way, TREND equipment is relatively different from the base Core and expensive Ghia, where the central console has a dark shade. Because the silver pad is unlikely with steering wheel spokes, edging of the dials and pads on the gearbox lever of the same color. If only sportiness notes are present in the car exterior, then the real sporting spirit is in twisted. Not so fast as the focus, but boldly, boldly smoothly as much as perimed for the car of this class. And it's not passing the face behind which the beamless is starting. And go through it, judging by the risky combination of smooth bends of the finishing of doors with rectangular handles, was simpler simple.
 

And how much is a charm in analog clock, as if opposing themselves to their newcomer surrounding! It is they who add a hard, futuristic interior so the necessary droplet of home comfort. And if you consider the watch at the same time with the microclimate control unit, there are associations with musical equipment of a level not lower than Hi-End. Mondeo is ready to challenge the approval of beauty requires victims. The eternal conflict of aesthetics and practicality is minimized. The exception is except the visibility: the area of \u200b\u200bthe outer mirrors is clearly brought sacrificing with a spectacular form, and a narrow rear window is cut in the salon mirror. In general, the Ergonomics of the car is so perfect that a detailed story about her for the reader will be simply tedious. You need to sit in these seats, this steering wheel must be taken in your hands, before this lever you need to touch. The stocks of the moves of numerous adjustments with more than enough for a person of any physique. The feeling that the car was created under you, is not comparable to anything - even if it is illusion, self-deception. Another surprise was space surrounding the rear passengers. In any case, I would not say that sitting behind less convenient than in front.
 

The special achievement of Ford Engineers consider the actively and passive security system IPS (Intelligent Protection System). Here is its components. The most complex architecture of the power structure of the body with numerous energy absorbing zones. Four pillows: two adaptive front, the degree of disclosure of which depends on the nature of the collision, and inflatable side curtains. Front belts equipped with pyrotechnic pretensioners and tension limiters. A pedal assembly, folding with a frontal collision.
 

Brake mechanisms are controlled by ABS and EBD systems (brake force distribution). High-tech system dynamic stabilization ESP and emergency braking EBA are already options. In terms of other Mondeo equipment, Trend does not seem deprived too. The radio tape recorder automatically changes the volume depending on the noise level in the cabin. True, she does it with some deletion. About electric drives already and say something ashamed - today they are not a luxury, but a necessity. I really liked the comfortable joystick in the left mirror, controlling both outer mirrors. Power windows are equipped with an automatic lock at an obstacle. By the way, the glasses of all doors can be closed with a regular key. The electrical lock cover of the trunk opens by pressing the button on the center console. And I can not get around the side of the original cup holder, extending from the center console on the front passenger like a robot's hand. There are other chips, it seems to be on the ceiling, which themselves seem to be trifles, but together create an opinion about the car.
 

In the engine compartment there is a fully aluminum engine of the Duatec He family. It is hiding because access to it is not as simple as it seems. Handle opening hood under the wheel is not! The lock opens with the ignition key, and the survival of it is hidden on the facing of the radiator under the Ford emblem. It is hardly a practical solution. After all, in the case of a loss of emblems (and there are many young collectors in our streets) the castle will quickly feed mud. Motor is very and very good. It can not boast the moment of moment on the bottoms, but it pleases with even overclocking in the entire range of revolutions. In the area of \u200b\u200b4000 rpm, the engine is acquired and fun twisted until the red zone tachometer is achieved. And the voice of the engine released on high speed is by no means annoying - just the opposite, he is pleasant to his hop.
 

Well, in what Mondeo came close to the right to be called the standard, so it is in manageability. And I would like to expand the very concept of manageability, including the car's reaction to the actions by all authorities, and not only one steering wheel. The informative of the drives of pedals and levers of the CAT does not allow much to be desired. A slightly pressed the accelerator - and the car without delay adds speeds, touched the brake pedal - and the speed fell to the expected km / h. The drive mechanism of gear shift here is a cable, however, judging by the result, the Ford Motor engineers spent a lot of time and effort on his finishing: the box is working as a clock.
 

Steering - shine! For each movement of the driver's hand, the car responds willingly, lightning around and accurately converting the rotation of the steering wheel into the rotation of the wheels. But it was still half. Easy at low speeds, with a growing speed and angle of turning the steering wheel heavy, so clearly and intelligibly reporting the driver about what is happening that he does not doubt the completeness of his control over the machine. And that's not it. In the high-speed turns begins to affect the impact effect of the rear multi-dimensional pendant quadraldk. The sharp addition of gas does not cause an adequate demolition of the front axle: the tires are already squeezed, and the car almost does not go out. With the fairing of the steering wheel, Mondeo's dumping is tightly kept behind the road, although in all signs should have been driving. Naturally, the possibilities of suspension and tires are limited, but even if you managed to provoke a skid, it will be very easy to repay. Gas to the floor - and go ahead! It is great that the car does not impose his sportiness, he offers it as an option. Like, if you want, I can.
 

The smoothness of the move was expected. The suspension is good extinguishing the irregularities of small and medium calibers, and large coating defects, including transverse, are clearly transmitted to the body. However, it does not affect the comfort of great damage. It is difficult for me to recommend Mondeo any one group of buyers. Does he seem to be strict and respectable? This is Mondeo! Incendiary and avant-garde? And this is Mondeo! The car is made as it should, and therefore it has a serious chance to look like anyone. He is ready to be as you imagine it.
 
   
 
 

 
 

A source: Magazine "Wheels" [№50 / 2001]