Only a four-star (out of five) rating for occupant protection in official European crash tests which is behind many rivals, but is also an indicator of the Mondeo’s age: when it was launched, no car had achieved the maximum star rating. All come with twin front, side and curtain airbags, and electronic stability control is fitted as standard on high-specification models, while it’s optional elsewhere in the range.

A minimum of 500 litres’ boot space is good by today’s standards, and excellent for a car launched in 2000. The Mondeo also has generous door bins and a good sized glove compartment.