FORD's previous Mondeos were often nicknamed Ford Mundanes. That is not entirely fair. The last one was actually quite entertaining, and was a decent buy except for some build quality issues.

The sharp new Mondeo, which will be officially launched next week, looks set to banish whatever blandness one has come to associate with executive Fords. After all, it was the car James Bond drove in Casino Royale.

Just look at the car. It is huge. Occupying the footprint of a Mercedes-Benz E-class, the latest Mondeo is hard to miss. Its design speaks of style, speed and sensuousness - definitely one of the most desirable shapes to emerge from the Blue Oval.

Its front is Jaguar-ish, while its lifted rear has hints of Peugeot. Overall, it has a BMW-like silhouette.

Its rakish profile is softened by rounded edges and distinctive character lines. It is clear Ford has designed this car on a clean slate, as there is little hint of previous Mondeos here.

It is so handsome you could hand the cheque over to the salesman without opening the door.

You'd be equally impressed inside. The Mondeo is spacious. It has a 2,850mm wheelbase, beating the standard-bearing Toyota Camry's by a comfortable margin.

There is a lot of shoulder-room to go around too. Despite the predominantly black interior, the cabin is bright and airy (thanks in part to its sunroof).

Materials employed are generally beyond reproach, but there are inconsistencies. For instance, the door panels are a far cry from the dashboard and the door handles look like they stain easily.

Its boot is shallow but expansive, and looks like it can stow three golf bags.

This Mondeo is as solidly built as any German luxury car you care to name, and is markedly better put together than its predecessor. Its five-star score on the European New Car Assessment Programme attests to its vault-like integrity.

Its doors are so hefty, their hinges often fail to hold them in place when you swing them open.

Although its brochure states that the car weighs just over 1.5 tonnes (making it lighter than some Japanese equivalents), it feels heavier. Even with 161 horses on tap, the car takes more than 10 seconds to reach 100kmh.

The fact that it has a relatively high-revving engine means you need to be heavy-footed to get the Mondeo to a gallop. The good news is that the engine is super smooth and willing.

Its drivetrain is likewise silky, with no shift shock even when hurried. On this front, it beats some luxury cars.

The other way of getting more go from the car is to use the manual override shift. Like BMW, the Mondeo's quick shifter down-shifts when you push up and up-shifts the other way.

Somehow, it makes sense in a 3-series. But in the more relaxed Mondeo, the more conventional format is preferable. Although very smooth, you have to down-shift at least two notches to effect any real change in torque characteristics.

The car has an amazing ride on even surfaces, but sudden undulations show up in a most intrusive way. Its steering is sporty and responsive, but is slightly susceptible to judder at certain speeds. At full lock, it also betrays an irritating buzz.

The big Mondeo is not so friendly in tight confines, no thanks to its turning circle of 11.8m. But as long as you don't try to parallel park it in a back alley, it should be fine.

The car is decently equipped. It has cruise control, steering-mounted controls, dual-zone climate control (and a powerful one at that), seven airbags and a nice-looking factory-fitted infotainment system.

Plans are afoot to bring in variants with options like keyless access and ignition, adaptive cruise control and bi-xenon headlamps.

A 2-litre version should arrive next year. But it is unlikely to have enough power to capitalise on the Mondeo's wonderfully cohesive chassis.

Either way, this car looks like it might break into a segment dominated by Camrys, Cefiros and Accords.

FORD MONDEO
Price: $103,900 with COE
Engine: 2,261cc 16-valve inline-4
Transmission: Six-speed automatic with quick shift
Power: 161bhp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 208Nm at 4,200rpm
0-100kmh: 10.5 seconds (est)
Top speed: 207kmh
Fuel consumption:13.8 litres/100km (city)
Agent: Regent Motors