Ford Mondeo vs Honda Accord vs Vauxhall Vectra vs Volkswagen Passat

Summer saw the arrival of Ford’s brand new Mondeo. We covered
more than 2,500 miles in our four cars and spent three days putting the new family model to the test against its key competitors before reaching our verdict.

However, it was clear from the outset that the new Mondeo has rewritten the rules on size, quality and road manners in the
competitive family car sector.

In this company, the Vectra feels particularly outclassed – especially as the new Mondeo’s bold styling emphasises the comparatively dull looks and drab cabin of the Vauxhall. Poor residuals, limited driver appeal, vague steering and a less-than-slick gearbox all take the shine off the Luton offering, too.

As a result, even the decent engine and equally strong motorway refinement couldn’t stop it from finishing fourth by some margin. What was more of a surprise was that our previous class favourite finished third – an indication of how quickly this sector has moved on.

Powered by one of the best diesel engines ever fitted to a family car, the Accord delivers excellent performance and economy. But while it’s still good to drive, the Honda hasn’t managed to keep pace in other areas. On this test, it was the smallest, least practical car, and it lacked the design flair, refinement and overall quality of the Mondeo.

The Volkswagen Passat has those qualities in abundance. That the Mondeo relegated it to second place in our rankings shows just how advanced the Ford has become.

Nevertheless, the German contender is upmarket and desirable, with a comfortable and user-friendly cabin. It’s a great ownership prospect. On the road it’s less responsive than the Mondeo, and the suspension isn’t as good at soaking up bumps. And while the 2.0-litre TDI engine is strong, it’s just pipped in the refinement stakes.

Helping to seal the deal for the blue oval, the Mondeo is bigger and more comfortable inside, and has a versatile load bay. However, given its dimensions – it’s taller and wider than a BMW 5-Series – you would expect it to be roomy. So it’s the fantastic driving experience that makes the Mondeo a clear class winner.

All the controls are beautifully weighted, easy to use and offer excellent feedback, while supple and rewarding road manners make this a wonderful car to drive on any road and in any conditions.

Robustly engineered and well built, the latest Mondeo is a quality product all round. It’s simply one of the best cars we drove all
year, and deservedly won this road test, as well as earning our 2007 Car of the Year title.