After a fruitless search for a large estate over the last few months I've been looking at the latest Mondeo diesel estate. I've read about the dreadful "powershift" auto box-but did the Mondeo originally come with this or a conventional auto when the latest model was first released in 2008?
Prices for used models are very reasonable and I would prefer an automatic.
You can still get a normal auto, but whats the issue with the powershift? You get better mpg, better acceleration and no lag between changes.
Never driven a Powershift from ford but have the S-Tronic on our Audi (which is the same thing, dual clutch auto) and its superb, I can see that being the way all cars go in the future.
Having owned an omega auto some years back and driven 5 or 6 different autos when we go to america the main benefit I find apart from the obvious fuel economy is you don't get the big surge when it shifts, my wife gets car sick sometimes and being in a normal auto causes it more with the gear changes, the audi is actually her car for work and she has no issues with when she's a passenger in it with sickness.
If you haven't driven one I'd at least give it a test drive, if there was a choice between 2 (assuming the ford performs the same as the audi box) I would go powershift every time.
I mean the lag between gears, where it makes your head move backwards and forwards as it selects the next one, that motion, as little as it may be seems to make my wife ill, much to my amusement. More noticeable on smaller engined cars, not so much on a v6 or V8, I guess you have a V8 RR.
Also if you going for a TDCI make sure it the higher output model the lower one is a big gutless, had one for 5 months as hire car from work, now have a 160ps insignia and has way more power than the mondeo but I know they do higher power models.
The only wrong thing I found with the mondeo was the door handle is in the way when you try to operate the electric window switch, how that got past testing I don't know, other than that drives well, handles well, massive boot compared to the insignia and also much better viability out the windows, the insignia is rubbish too curvy so the head room it poor, leg room poor, boot space poor and you can't see much out the back window or sides.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Mondeo-which auto?
