Ford Mondeo ST-Line Edition Estate

• P11D Value: £27,280
• BIK band: 25% (28% 2018-19)
• 5-door Estate
• 178bhp / 400Nm
• 2.0 litre, 4 cyl diesel/6-speed manual
• Economy (comb) / CO2: 62.8mpg / 119g/km
• 8.4sec / 137mph

ST-Line, as in this Ford Mondeo ST-Line Edition Estate, is to Ford what S line is to Audi, or M Sport is to BMW. All show, and no extra go.

The extra show is created by the use of stylish 18-inch wheels (although 19-inch wheels were fitted to the review model), a body kit for added street kudos, a rear spoiler and smart front grille, while the interior gets a smattering of red seat stitching, aluminium pedals and dark headlining.

It’s not far off Vignale in terms of spec, which means there’s dual-zone climate control, automatic lights and wipers, traffic sign recognition and a smart SYNC3 infotainment system that includes satellite navigation and a DAB radio. There’s slightly lowered sports suspension too, promising a more engaging drive than the arguably too soft standard car.

A recent round of price cuts keeps leasing costs competitive, and helps reduce the BIK burden for company car drivers. Although a list price of £27,495 looks rather steep, it undercuts a similarly specced but more premium Mercedes C-Class by four grand, and beats its German rival on economy and CO2 emissions.

It can’t match it in outright quality though; the swathes of flat, grey plastic that cover much of the dashboard give away the volume-sales background of the car.

Why would you want to drive a Mondeo ST-Line Edition?

• Unique styling for ST-Line Edition makes the Mondeo stand out on the road, looking every inch the cool fast wagon.
• The well known 2.0 TDCi diesel engine under the bonnet produces 180bhp which is just enough to back up the styling. A zero to sixty dash takes 8.4 seconds, but you’ll need to work the engine hard to get there.
• A huge reserve of 400Nm of torque means in-gear flexibility is excellent, making the Mondeo a great option for company car drivers who need to cruise along the nation’s motorways.
• Cavernous 525-litre boot is big, if not quite class-leading, but expands to 1,630 litres with the seats down. That’s more than 10% bigger than a Volvo XC60 SUV’s boot.
• CO2 emissions of just 119g/km on this model means a BIK burden of just 25%. That translates into a company car tax bill of less than £230 a month for a 40% taxpayer. Promised economy of 62.8mpg will keep both drivers and SME small fleet directors happy.
• Ford promises excellent finance packages for private buyers, which should also translate into strong leasing deals for business customers.
• Sports suspension tidies up the handling a little, although the large 19-inch wheels allow urban bumps and cracks to thump through to the cabin. On the motorway it’s a soft, smooth and comfortable cruiser.
• Optional four-wheel drive, a smooth six-speed automatic gearbox and a more powerful 210PS engine option extends appeal, although at a hit to both price and running costs.
• Connectivity options, especially with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, means it’s easy to connect a smartphone and continue working safely while on the move.

What might you put off a Mondeo ST-Line Edition?

• Flash bodywork and big wheels hint at performance, but it’s the same old Mondeo as before – there’s no extra power, speed or economy.
• Handling isn’t quite as sharp as the previous generation Mondeo, although the sports suspension does aid cornering ability a little on the ST-Line Edition.
• Large 19-inch wheels add a degree of discomfort to urban driving, and the wide rims look easy to scrape along a kerb.
• Interior material quality not on a par with its rivals even from traditional volume manufacturers.
• SYNC3 infotainment system looks good on the large touchscreen, but it’s not that easy to use, is quite dated in places, and the voice control system is patchy at best.
• For those that need outright practicality, other cars provide more space for the same money, although the Ford is only slightly behind.

Verdict on the Ford Mondeo ST-Line Edition

There’s so much to like about the ST-Line Edition version of the Mondeo (apart from its rather clunky name) that it’s no surprise Ford is expecting the ST-Line models to become the best selling in the range.

It looks like a hot hatch, but doesn’t have any of the tax, price or economy disadvantages, and is more composed to drive than ever before. It also remains comfortable, and has as much space as most families could ever need.

But take the styling pack away and it’s just another Mondeo. Not a bad car by any means, but the likes of the Volkswagen Passat or Skoda Superb offer a little more for the money.

What else should you know about the new Ford Mondeo ST-Line range?

• The new Mondeo ST-Line is available in four-door, five-door and estate body configurations. Ford Performance-inspired styling includes:
• A honeycomb design for the upper and lower front grilles in high-gloss black; LED daytime running lamps with light tube styling and new rectangular fog lamps
• Front bumper lip spoiler and sculptured side-skirts in body colour; a sports rear bumper with high-gloss black diffuser-style insert; silver tailpipe surrounds
• A black beltline beneath the windows and ST-Line exterior badging on the front bumpers
• A choice of unique new 18-inch alloys wheels with bright machined surface or 19-inch alloy wheels in Rock Metallic Grey
• Sport seats in cloth or optional partial leather with unique red stitching; a perforated leather ST-style steering wheel; and black interior door appliques
• Sports gear knob for manual transmissions and ST-Line scuff plates
• Standard rear roof spoiler for the estate model, and an optional rear roof spoiler for the five-door
• Sport suspension – lowered by 10 mm.

Mondeo ST-Line petrol engine options include:

• 160 PS 1.5-litre EcoBoost with six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission delivering from 136 g/km CO2 emissions and 47.9 mpg combined fuel efficiency
• 203 PS and 240 PS 2.0-litre EcoBoost with six-speed automatic transmission delivering from 171 g/km CO2 and 38.2 mpg

Diesel engine options include:

• 150 PS 2.0-litre TDCi with six-speed manual or six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission offering from 112 g/km CO2 and 65.7 mpg
• 180 PS and 180 PS 2.0-litre TDCi with six-speed manual or six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission offering from 117 g/km CO2 and 62.8 mpg
• 210 PS Bi-turbo 2.0-litre TDCi with six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission delivering from 130 g/km CO2 and 55.65 mpg