FORD is having a pretty good time of it at the moment with revisions of two of its top names, the Focus and Mondeo.

The latest Mondeo, like its predecessors is a big car, but, like the Focus, looks all the better.

After a few false starts the latest version has now hit the roads with a sleeker, almost coupe style profile.

Always a fleet favourite and often derided as a repmobile, it is much more than that, also being a popular choice with larger families.

But there's no shame in being a repmobile and it has consistently been one of the best.

Now with a new shape in hatchback and estate form and in a four-door saloon, improved interior with higher quality finish, extensive engine range of engines and even better handling, it could well attract back company car users who have switched to rival brands.

Add to this the 1.6 diesel model tested here delivering just 94g/km of CO2 and a claimed 78mpg and it looks a pretty impressive package.

That whopping figure proved way beyond anything I acheived, but it is a very economical car with low benefit in kind taxation for business users and zero road tax.

It is one of a range of new engines available, including almost unbelievably the one litre three-cylinder turbo-boosted petrol engine.

Now with four specifications, from the entry level Style, Zetec and Titanium up to the range topping Vignale with all the bells and whistles.

Prices start at £20,795, but even the Style model features a good level standard kit, including electric windows, alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, and DAB digital radio.

The styling now has an almost corporate look, with the front end very much like the Focus with deep metal grille and slimmer headlights and revised bonnet and sitting on 16-inch alloy wheels, which oddly, look too small for the car.

The interior, is also much like the Focus with a less is more feel of simplicity about the dash and controls layout. An screen display sits at the top of the central console which will house infotainment and sat nav systems where appropriate. It all looks neat and uncluttered.

The soft touch finish is better than ever and in common with many car makers these days, the front seats are now thinner to give more legroom in the front and back.

On the move, the car has beautiful road manners with a taut and agile feel which is surprising for such a big car while the steering is direct and responsive. The ride is comfortable and wind, engine and road noise are all but absent.

This particular model with its parsimonious fuel consumption is designed more for economy than speed, but is a smooth and fluid motorway cruiser, even if takes a while to get up to speed.

You would expect a huge car like this to have good stowage space and the Mondeo does not disappoint with a long boot offering 550 litres of space.