On paper, Ford Mondeo saloon running costs are impressively low but hybrid power trains don’t suit everyone: if you regularly cover long distances you’ll be better with a diesel engine, which means moving to the hatchback or estate bodies.

Hybrids perform best in urban environments where there’s more opportunity to drive slowly or under electric-only power. That’s why the Mondeo saloon’s official fuel consumption claim on the urban cycle is 100.9mpg, yet its overall average is 67.3mpg. We would expect that to translate to a figure in the mid-40mgs in the real world, though.

Usefully it’s cheap for VED car tax too, with the Mondeo hybrid emitting just 99g/km of CO2.

Even at 99g/km of CO2, the Ford Mondeo saloon hybrid is not the cleanest model in the range, with the 1.6-litre TDCi diesel having an output of 94g/km. Unfortunately this engine isn’t available with the saloon body.

That low CO2 figure will make it a much more attractive proposition to company car drivers than private motorists.

We expect Ford Mondeo saloon reliability levels to be good because even though it’s the company’s first hybrid in the UK, it’s been sold in North America for a couple of years already with no significant issues reported.

Much of the electronics and safety systems have also already seen the light of day in other Fords too, plus the company has thoroughly test bedded all its components over tens of thousands of miles of prototyping.