New Ford Mondeo Zetec 1 0 Ecoboost review

New Ford Mondeo Zetec 1 0 Ecoboost review Ford quotes 0-62mph in 12 seconds which is only fractionally slower than the base-spec 1.5-litre TDCI.
Thats got a lot to do with the gearing where first second and third are closely spaced while fourth and above are further apart aiding cruising. In practice that means quite a bit of shuffling between the lower gears at round-town speeds but even then youll need dedication to get the best from it.
Unlike the diesel engines in the Mondeo range theres no real wave of turbocharged torque to ride.
The EcoBoosts power delivery is far more linear much like a naturally aspirated engine. That also means that overtaking requires a bit of planning.
Even in the 1.5-litre TDCI the spikier power delivery means a single downshift is required.
Here youll likely need two. Refinement on the move is very impressive though with the Mondeos insulation from noise and vibration isolating the driver from the worst of the three-cylinder engines noises and rattles.
Even at tickover its hard to hear or feel the engine. However the relative lack of torque will likely show when the car is loaded with passengers or luggage or when climbing steep hills.
Its modest 900kg towing capacity is very telling here. Ford claims 55.4mpg on the combined cycle but during our brief test drive we struggled to better 33mpg due to the need to rev it past 4000rpm to make swift if not fast - progress.
Longer gearing helps high speed economy though. The Mondeo 1.0s ride isnt quite as smooth as other models in the range you can thank the lighter engine for that.
It doesnt crest bumps quite as well and feels like it could use a little more weight over the front wheels but youd be hard pressed to notice once youve a few passengers on board. The flip side of this reduced nose weight is steering that feels a little more alert than other models in the range.
It has a greater willingness to change direction but outright enjoyment is still masked by rather light and overly-assisted steering. Perhaps this models biggest trump card is its price.
In Zetec trim as tested here it represents the cheapest route into Mondeo ownership.
A list price of 19995 is some 2000 less than the next cheapest model the 1.5 TDCI in base-spec Style trim. But it cant compete with the diesel on CO2 emissions.
Here the 1.0s 119gkm plays 94gkm and the diesel is still fractionally cheaper as a company car. With this engine the Mondeo will best suit low mileage drivers keen to keep the purchase price as low as possible.
But higher mileage drivers might still want to consider a diesel. Key specs Price: 19995 Engine: 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo Transmission: Six-speed manual front-wheel drive Powertorque: 125bhp170Nm 0-62mph: 12sec Top speed: 124mph EconomyCO2: 55.4mpg119gkm On sale: Summer 2015 image source : article source :