Is Ford losing its FWD edge?
Discussion
Have been reading the various tests of Ford's new Mondeo and generally its not all that positive. Seems the Mondeo, whilst a good handling car, is no longer that inspiring to drive, certainly behind the Mazda 6 and amazingly Auto Express think the Passat now is more fun to drive! Indeed only dear old Ford loving Autocar have put it top of the class, but then the Mondeo can do no wrong in their eyes. The current Focus doesn't inspire like earlier Focuses either, so I am wondering if the need to produce "world cars" means Ford is losing its edge? Its a shame if it is, because the Mondeo Mk1 and the early petrol Mk2 Mondeos were cracking cars to drive, much better than most of the FWD fleet fodder and the MK1 Focus was brilliant. I still rate my Mk1 1.6 Focus as one of the sweetest handling cars I have ever owned. Anyone driven a new Mondeo and care to comment?
I would say they've shelved some handling finesse for comfort for the 'mericans.
Still my dad has had several generations of 'Mondy' and to be honest it spends it life on the motorway, would some extra comfort necessarily be a bad thing?
That being said and on the other hand Euro Fords were always great to drive, so it'll be a shame if those days are gone.
Still my dad has had several generations of 'Mondy' and to be honest it spends it life on the motorway, would some extra comfort necessarily be a bad thing?
That being said and on the other hand Euro Fords were always great to drive, so it'll be a shame if those days are gone.
Do the latest car have EPAS? I think EPAS is probably the end of 'steering feel' as we knew it 
Mk3 Mondeo was my first big car and I was pleasantly surprised how nice it was to chuck about a bit and particularly how perfect the stering felt.
Oh and the Mazda 6 is basically a Mondeo isn't it?
Mk3 Mondeo was my first big car and I was pleasantly surprised how nice it was to chuck about a bit and particularly how perfect the stering felt.
Oh and the Mazda 6 is basically a Mondeo isn't it?
Edited by BritishRacinGrin on Saturday 24th January 00:04
I suppose Ford are just doing what the market wants and what sells cars.
15 years ago it was deemed that the public wanted great handling drivers cars and they spent a lot of money and research on the suspension of the Focus and it worked. All the motoring press praised the way it drove and it became the best selling car in Britain.
Today though, there is so much complaining about build quality and potholes, that to most drivers, handling is probably somewhere near the bottom of the list when deciding what car to choose.
15 years ago it was deemed that the public wanted great handling drivers cars and they spent a lot of money and research on the suspension of the Focus and it worked. All the motoring press praised the way it drove and it became the best selling car in Britain.
Today though, there is so much complaining about build quality and potholes, that to most drivers, handling is probably somewhere near the bottom of the list when deciding what car to choose.
BritishRacinGrin said:
Do the latest car have EPAS? I think EPAS is probably the end of 'steering feel' as we knew it
Oh and the Mazda 6 is basically a Mondeo isn't it?
No and no. Oh and the Mazda 6 is basically a Mondeo isn't it?
There is nothing wrong with EPAS as per se. There are however some very bad implementations of it.
I don't see many people for example slagging off the RX-8 for poor steering feel (many other things yes, some justified, some not).
The Mazda 6 is based on a modified version of the Ford CD3 platform which is used by the Ford Fusion and while the *current* Fusion is the same as the Mondeo that's based on the CD4 platform. Clear?
Yup, its all down to that horrible all-pervasive electric power steering. Horrible thing. Richard Parry-Jones would never have stood for such mediocrity! He would have insisted that Ford do something like develop an inexpensive electro-hydraulic system that was the best of both worlds.
Back in 2006 I test drove, 2 hours each, Ford Focus ST170, Seat Leon FR 1.8T and Honda Civic Type-S. The Focus was definitely the best handling, and riding, car. I haven't driven a Focus since but friends tell me the later models have poorer handling and have become larger and heavier. However I thoroughly enjoyed a brief drive in a Fiesta ST
BritishRacinGrin said:
aeropilot said:
Triumph Man said:
Well Ford will just have to go back to RWD won't they!
If only.(Mustang being available in RHD soon excepting)
, nothing wrong with a 50 year old chassis nowadays 
. But then they seldom fell off the road, when driven reasonably and/or by drivers who could cope with their foibles...
Feedback for the win, this is why I drive '80s tin (like I stole it, on occasion, admittedly
) .
Reread all the threads where PHers are saying hard springs and big wheels have ruined cars, and are crying out for softer springs... Read threads about wanting more economy from bigger cars... Oh look what Ford have done : listened to us and made a more comfortable car for our shoddy roads, and better mpg with it.
They haven't lost anything, they've listened to the public and produced a fantastic looking car that still drives moderately sportily, but is more comfortable and Eco. At a great price. When my mk4 gets a bit tired I'll be buying a mk5.
They haven't lost anything, they've listened to the public and produced a fantastic looking car that still drives moderately sportily, but is more comfortable and Eco. At a great price. When my mk4 gets a bit tired I'll be buying a mk5.
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