In a brief drive of some versions this week, the new Ford Mondeo impressed with its smoothness and sophistication.It is a big car with a roomy cabin and very large boot, excellent ride and handling and very responsive quiet petrol and diesel engines.The ride is a vast improvement over the current series while its handling is appreciably sharper and less susceptible to vibrations and road shocks.The driving position is multi-adjustable and very comfortable for a six-footer, and then there is still a lot of room behind.The standard car gives a lot in terms of safety and traction control while the extras list is now headed by two equipment packs and a host of individual options which permit a highly individual model to be ordered to increase the appeal to private buyers.With the new Mondeo, Ford has taken on its closest rival, the Volkswagen Passat, and lifted the game against the Audi A4 and BMW 5-Series as well.