The Ford Duratorq DI turbodiesel used in the company’s new Mondeo is not, by all reports, their best diesel engine. But it’s the only one you’re going to get for some time, because their brand new TDCi engine will only be going into Focus cars for the next year because of supply constraints on the unit’s very advanced engine management systems.

But don’t feel bad. The Duratorq itself is new. And while it is without doubt a clatterer at idle, it is an engine that rapidly grows on you. Especially if you are a dieselhead anyhow.

(I used to be. Then I wasn’t. Lately I’m turning back into one.)

From a technical aspect, the 2-litre Duratorq outputs 115PS. Respectable enough, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The key line is the strong 280Nm torque which peaks at just 1900rpm and gives the Mondeo TD the kind of oomph which many petrol engines would envy. And an ‘overboost’ function when you really call for punch can bring that up temporarily to 310Nm.

Forget the Nms. What counts is an almost-sports car overtaking ability in the key 40-70mph area. Without having to drop out of fourth gear. I found it once without knowing it was there (I don’t always get to read the technicals before I drive a car). And I went back looking again, using every opportunity I could find on the road to get another ‘fix’ of acceleration.

So the Mondeo TD can be fun. Even on twisty mountain roads where, if you learn to play the powerband properly, you can motor it even more satisfyingly than an MX-5. More than that, it is an excellent cruiser on the highway, where it will eat up miles under a steady deep diesel thrrrmm.

Many commentators have suggested the new engine has come straight out of the Transit commercial vehicle, but that’s not actually true. It is based on the Transit motor, but substantially revised for the passenger car application. Changes include lighter pistons and longer conrods.

In acoustic terms, Ford’s engineers went to a lot of trouble to cut the clatter, including putting noise-absorbing foam on the engine cover, providing a complete under-engine noise shield, and a special treatment pack for the car itself over and above that used in the petrol versions. More high-tech ideas included direct-mounting of accessories and ancillary components to the engine block, and what their engineers term an ‘exacting’ fuel system calibration.

It has to be said they didn’t manage to make the car sound like a petrol, something other marques have managed quite well. The Mondeo DI can be a bit tractorish on idle, and there’s a fair bit of sound and fury when you welly it too. But really, you get used to it, and the performance I mentioned earlier quite makes up for the lack in audial refinement.

It’s economical too, with a combined consumption of around 48mpg, not at all bad for what is a big and strong car. As a matter of comparison, the 1.8-litre petrol achieves just over 36mpg and the 2-litre petrol 35.3mpg.

As to the car itself, its looks are more and more growing on me. I’ve written before that it is not as dramatic as was the Focus when it came out first, but the more understated details of the Mondeo actually come together to make an overall shape that is very pleasing. It has a strength and a presence that its predecessor never quite had. Indeed, since the demise of the Scorpio, Ford here have not had a big car for those who want a bit more without going the big-image route. I could argue that Mondeo might fill that niche, particularly with its beautiful V6 petrol engine.

Anyway, it looks its best in the hatchback version, where the longer slope of the rear window adds nicely to the overall strong look of the car.

Inside, the Mondeo is roomy and comfortable. The review car was quite dark in feel because there’s a very deep dashboard and that means a lot of black plastic, particularly unleavened in front of the passenger. The silvered detailing around the instruments and the central audio and climate controls relieve things somewhat, but on choice I’d like a lighter trim than was in this.

Rear seat room is probably the best of the new crop of cars in this segment, and certainly I had no head room problems. Larger doors and a higher hip-point both front and back make it a car much easier to get in and out of, and Ford are very conscious that demographics in Western Europe indicate an older population profile generally, for which such things become increasingly important.

(They’ve even developed an ‘aging’ suit which allows their design engineers to actually experience the results of stiffer joints and less flexible muscles, and design their cars accordingly.)

Driving the car, controls were well placed and the gearshift is particularly good to use. This reflects some re-engineering of the shift mechanism, which is now cable-operated and has a nicely short travel. Even in the diesel-engined version, the clutch is commendably light, making it an overall easy car to drive.

I’ve mentioned before the poor left-foot rest in this new car. It is perhaps something could be fixed with a screw-on addition instead of re-engineering the floorpan? It would make a heck of a difference, guys.

Meantime, Ford are making much in their marketing of the ‘Intelligent Protection System’ in the new Mondeo, so maybe a few words of explanation will help. Essentially it involves sensors and a management system which in the event of an impact judges things like the weight and position of occupants and then deploys the adaptive airbags and other safety gidgets in an appropriate manner for the happening accident consequences.

There are also inflatable side curtains for both front and rear occupants, plus headrestraints which move into the correct position as an impact is sensed. Side airbags can further protect front occupants. Driver injuries are also lessened by the use of a collapsible pedals system.

Avoiding the accident in the first place might well happen because ABS with electronic brake force distribution is standard throughout the new Mondeo range. Optional safety extras include Emergency Brake Assist and an Electronic Stability Programme.

Hmm ... sometime I must do a comparison of two cars five years apart and work out just how much electronic safety gizmos we have now compared to then. And I suspect I’ll find that price for price, we’re getting an awful lot more in today’s cars for little enough extra money in real terms. Or will I.

Anyway, last word on the Mondeo: Ford’s advertising catchline is ‘Born to Lead’. It just might be, you know.