The new Ford Mondeo was very well received when it was released last year (see our reviews here and here). Our road tester hailed it as the best car in its class and “the best car Ford has produced for a decade”.
But now its rivals have the Mondeo in their sights and we’ve just driven the latest, the new Honda Accord.
The Renault Laguna and Citroen C5 have also been updated recently and, like Honda, Renault has followed Ford’s lead of paying more attention to improving the quality of the interior, to tempt buyers away from the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C Class.
The next car to try this approach is the Vauxhall Insignia (formerly the Vectra).
Do you own any of these cars – or are thinking of buying one? Which is the best family saloon car?
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Looks good from some angles but has an absolute, unequivocal fault. It’s a Vauxhall and I am afraid to say that they are rubbish. Poor quality (interior and exterior). Ford over them every time. Until they redress the inherent design flaws (recent diesel engine problems) I wouldn’t touch one with yours…………
Never understood the appeal of the Mondeo. Rear lights are particularly unattractive. Current Vectra is admittedly a bit dull and interior is a bit plain. The Insignia really is right on the button. Can’t see any faults. Saw it at London launch and will definitely be ordering one for January. Well done Opel / Vauxhall
if you ask me i prefer the insignia. the car looks much much better than the mondeo. It is said to be more reliable. Its interior surpasses even some of the mercedes and definitely the mondeo. It is also cheaper starting from 18k-25k. I even prefer it to a bmw. On the whole i am more likely to buy this car rather than a 60k bmw or the mondeo.
I have owned a Vectra 1.9CDTI 150 Elite for a year and a bit and love it. That said, I’ve never driven a Mondeo and if I owned one of those, I’d probably love that too.
The fact is that without a test-drive, I’m staying open to all possibilities, however from a purely looks basis, I think the new Insignia has a little more curvy-sexy to it than the new Mondeo… even though I like the new Mondeo quite a bit for its looks.
I am definitely upgrading to something new when my warranty expires (incidentally, around the time the Insignia is released)… Really though, it will come down to a number of things for me:
1: Gadgets – I LOVE gadgets and the Vectra is full of them. If a new car can top my current gadget arsenal, I’ll be very happy. My current car has auto-dimming rear and driver-side mirrors, lights that bend round corners, a great infotainment system and even a button that turns the glove-box into a cool-box to keep that champagne cold for the picnic on Box Hill… loving the gadgets – did I say that already?!?
2: Engine size, power & efficiency. I want 300BHP and 50MPG and 0-60 in 6.5 and Tax band D or lower… is that really all that much to ask for? (However, realistically, I’ll setting for the same spec but at around 200 BHP – totally achievable).
3: Probably least important is the cost, but still a factor, I wont spend more than £35,000 on any car… and I wont buy a BMW even if you GAVE me £35,000 – don’t ask why… it’s too long a story.
Suffice it to say that if Vauxhall can provide a clean, safe, dynamic drive with an assortment of funky new gadgets and enough zoom zoom, I’m in.
If the Insignia looks as good in real life it will be a MUCH better looking car than the mundaneO. Have been looking at vectra vs mundanO recently and would by the Vectra as it is better quality car but just cannot get excited enough about the looks. Seeing this I may just hang on a while. Oh, and the 4wd version should be fun !!
Has anyone actually driven a mondeo I do 80,000 miles a year and change my car every six months give or take I have had 2 mondeos never again the vectra is better built and more economical the mondeos seats are less confortable and the controls are poor ok it handles a bit better but 12 vectras in 7 years says something. all you change is the suspention every 60,000 and the oil every 7,000 and she will clock up the miles I have put 160,000+ on 3. ford Fix Or Repair Daily
I’ve been running a Honda Accord 2.4 Auto Exec for the last three years. I’ve covered just under 37,000 miles and in all that time I haven’t had to replace a even light bulb. No faults whatsoever,nada, zip, nothing. The car is rock solid with no rattles or excessive wear and tear. My accord is excellent to drive, responsive and handles beautifully.
I bought a Honda after suffering three years of appalling BMW service and a 3 series that basically just fell to pieces. The replacement 3 series with the same level of euipment as the Accord was £36,000, the Accord was £22,000. Easy decision. The alternatives such as the Audi was cramped and the Saab option was just an old car with a new jacket.
This weekend I test drove a new honda Accord and bought it on the spot (after some impressive haggling). It wipes the floor with the competition in almost every respect. My advice – take one for a test drive. I’ll never buy another European car every again. The japs just know how to screw together a high quality vehicle.
Oh and I’ve also had Fords and vectras in the past and they just fell to pieces as well.
I cannot agree that the Vauhhall looks better than anything in the class. Judging by the press it has received the handling has not changed much either since the Vectra.
Mind you, I have had a Mondeo Titanium 2.0 diesel on order since November 07 with no delivery date in sight. Might this be the undoing of the Mondeo?
Merc and BMW give you nothing for your money so I am off to look at the new Honda.
I don’t like the look of the Mondeo (especially the front and back), but at least it doesn’t look as stupid as the rest of the current Ford range. What Ford need is to bring back the Capri complete with RWD and inject a bit of fun into things! There looks to be something wrong with the Insignia too… it could be that the bonnet slopes too much, whatever it is I cant help thinking it looks a bit odd.
The Mondeo is a bloated tank with a poor engine range. The interior looks like a typical Japo/Yank barge (cheap and muddled). GM has good engine range which will only get better. Sharper design and looks and smaller overall size put this leagues ahead of the Mondeo and the Mondeo is sooooo ugly! Insignia for me please when a much liked Vec Sri goes back.