Test Drive Ford Mondeo Sedan 2005 - 2007 Sedan
Business option
Ford Mondeo TDCI helps minimize costsOnly one day over a summer month, during which Mondeo was at my disposal, I changed him with a representative class. Then, frankly, it was necessary to put dust into the eyes, with a chic arriving in a country club for a soul dinner. In all other cases, Ford with a 2.2-liter turbodiesel make me more than satisfied. And when it took a few days to go to Peter, aligning a business meeting with a short rest at the Gulf of Finnish Bay, I did not think about the choice of a vehicle for a second.
Image and Comfort
About the personal image and, of course, about the image of the company, which you imagine, will reflect on the will of the will, going to negotiations. Here, for example, with rare exceptions I can not afford to arrive at a meeting on some clearly budget car (it is bad or good, but the attitude will be appropriate). On the other hand, Bentley does not suit anything to scare people, and you still need to earn it. But the new Mondeo, besides, in the package of GHIA, the option is very good. By the way, he also points to the calculation of the owner quality, which in a normal business environment is very appreciated. This machine for active, able to consider people's money for businessmen who have not yet been tired of affairs and not reputable most of them (along with the same car) hired managers. While such a person himself is driving, he must be cozy in the cabin. The equipment gives a feeling of restrained luxury: inserts from walnuts, pleasant to the touch skin and suede, climate control system and music center with a CD player. In a word, the decoration allows you to maintain a self-esteem and speaks of respect for those who ended up or on the rear seats.
Plus, as already described on the pages of AI, the Mondeo salon is thought out from an ergonomic point of view. The ventilated seats are equipped with electrically regulators, possess good side support, the steering column moves up / down and forward / backward. Under the left hand of the audio control joystick. Under the right comfortable armrest, hiding a rather roomy compartment and, which is important, without failing to manipulate the lever of a 6-speed manual gearbox. Perhaps it is important in our latitudes that the system of heating is equipped not only rear, but also windshield. Probably, it is worth reminding that there is still a fairly spacious 500-liter trunk. While traveling to St. Petersburg and back (we were two), he remained half empty.
Records on the highway
I am not traveling between the capitals for the first time, but this time I installed two personal records. The first is more fun: for the whole trip, the traffic police stopped me the only time, and I had to pay a fine in a hundred rubles for a slight speed. What does not mean that Mondeo cannot ride quickly on the contrary, it is a very dynamic car.
The second record is quite expected: we drove from Moscow to St. Petersburg with a check-in in Novgorod at one refueling. This costs to say more. Early in the morning at the Moscow Ring Road, I poured a full tank with a diesel fuel that meets the standards of Euro 4. By the way, a couple of weeks before the trip, I began to refuel exclusively with such fuel. And what? According to the on-board computer, with the same mode of driving in Moscow with a working air conditioning fuel consumption decreased from 8.6 to 8.2 liters per 100 km. According to the subjective sensations, the engine began to work calmer, weak vibrations on the Branca practically disappeared. At the entrance to Peter, the computer showed consumption already at 7.2 liters. We passed about 800 km and would have enough for at least a hundred kilometers, but then I noticed a familiar icon and decided to fill the tank. And after a few days of trips around St. Petersburg and in the city, the flow rate decreased already to almost the reference 6.2 liters! At the same time, it is emphasized, from time to time the air conditioner was turned on, and the plugs in the city on the Neva are not weaker than Moscow. In general, I was conquered by the engineering of the engine and strengthened in the opinion that in Russia, at least in the central region, now it is quite possible to exploit any cars with diesel engines.
At the same time, this motor is good and in all other respects. It allows you to ride very vigorously, which is called on a torque moment, the maximum value of which is achieved already at 1,800 revolutions per minute. Acceleration is excellent, which when starting from the place that from a speed of 60 or 80 km / h. The same moment makes the engine elastic, and in a wide range of revolutions there is no need to change the transfer once again, which is especially important on the track. By typing a hundred or slightly more, I passed on the sixth step, then confidently moving, only pressing or releasing the accelerator pedal. And the motor did not die almost right up to the maximum speed. If it was necessary to overtake the wagon or another ticker, passed one, or even two steps down, getting excellent jerk. Do not adhere to the work of the mechanical KP: the lever has clear and short moves, manipulate it a pleasure. True, with unaccustomed when starting from a place on the first gear, you can stumble, because the clutch pedal is not too informative, but it quickly understands and adapt to such a configuration. But versions from the ACP, as far as I know, with such a motor is not yet offered.
On the highway, the suspension was shown on the highway. The quality of the roadway in many places still leaves much to be desired, but Mondeo as if infeed irregularity with appetite, providing decent comfort. And on straight lines and even in the sharp turns, he kept with dignity, not allowing unnecessary rolls and glad the driver to predictable behavior.
On the first day we drove a total of 850 km, coming to Sestroretsk. And almost at all tired. In any case, we had enough strength for a walk along the coast and for a good dinner.
Economical in all
Ford Mondeo TDCI is offered by official dealers only in good configuration at a price of a little more than $ 29,000. The cost does not look excessively high, given that this is a business class car. Competitors of the same level and with a similar set of options will be accurately more expensive. But Mondeo with a diesel engine is economical and, secondly, allows minimizing service costs.
For all Ford models there is a single cost. For Mondeo, it equals 70 euros (including consumables) at an interservice interval of 20 thousand km. Of course, the final cost of work can be higher, but only if additional materials or spare parts are required. But the spare parts themselves are not too expensive. For example, a set of front brake pads will cost 6473 euros, taking into account the work, depending on their type. And let's say that the replacement of the front shock absorbers together with spare parts will require 250 euros, rear 215. It should be noted that corporate clients can always count on discounts.
Text: Oleg Osipov
