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Ford Mondeo ST220

Having lots of test cars to drive means losing the Mondeo for what seems like weeks at a time. And when the test cars have gone I can't just hop back into the ST because it's often been borrowed in preference to the smaller, less comfortable hatchbacks on the fleet. Which can be a little but irksome. Still, at least the borrowers hand the key back having come to appreciate the charms of the fastest Mondeo. Latest in the line was evoactive manager Roger Green, who until recently had a V6 version of the previous-generation Mondeo: 'Yeah, it's pretty good, that, isn't it?' he said, sagely. Before him it was news editor Hilton Holloway who, after a week in The Smoke with the ST220, declared that it was a very fine thing. Too right it is. As co-ed Meaden points out, it's probably the best car that Ford currently makes.

By John Barker

July 2003

Having lots of test cars to drive means losing the Mondeo for what seems like weeks at a time. And when the test cars have gone I can't just hop back into the ST because it's often been borrowed in preference to the smaller, less comfortable hatchbacks on the fleet. Which can be a little but irksome. Still, at least the borrowers hand the key back having come to appreciate the charms of the fastest Mondeo. Latest in the line was evoactive manager Roger Green, who until recently had a V6 version of the previous-generation Mondeo: 'Yeah, it's pretty good, that, isn't it?' he said, sagely. Before him it was news editor Hilton Holloway who, after a week in The Smoke with the ST220, declared that it was a very fine thing. Too right it is. As co-ed Meaden points out, it's probably the best car that Ford currently makes.

The recently announced mid-term Mondeo refresher has done little to alter its overall character, but does include a revised air-con system. Our car has always had a seemingly random temperature output despite the attentions of our local dealer. They took a cursory glance at it at the 12,000-mile service and had another go when the Mondeo went back in a few weeks later to have a power steering pipe replaced as part of an ST220 recall. The temperature sensor was cleaned up but to no avail, and given the revisions on the facelift model, I suspect it's a flaw in the system.

The PAS pipe replacement job is a bit of a bugger, apparently, and for some reason the work seems to have affected the ST's normally languid V6 note at idle; there's now a bit of a wheeze to it, which sounds like a sad sigh.

It'll be matched by one of my own in a few weeks' time because I'll be giving up the keys to the Mondeo when my new long-termer arrives. I'll still get to enjoy the grunt of a big, lusty V6 but this time it will be positioned where the rear seats should be, and I'm going to have to eat my words about those small, less practical hatchbacks.

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