More to the point for Ford Australia, the arrival of the Mondeo, followed by the release of the FG Falcon range, has put real fire-power in Ford showrooms. The Ford range, from the entry-level Fiesta to the thumpingly powerful G6E Turbo, is arguably stronger than it has ever been. There is not a dud among them.

So, what then of the Mondeo XR5 Turbo?

Interestingly, though it has been around for a while, it has not exactly set hearts racing here. It might be because there is not a lot to distinguish it visually from its lesser siblings. It has the same rakish five-door hatch lines, raised shoulder and muscular wheel arches that have drawn the universal ‘thumbs-up’ for style for all in the Mondeo range.

Sure, it sports bigger boots, 18-inch alloys and a subtle performance body-kit, it also sits a little lower than its stable-mates, but externally, an untrained eye could miss the differences.

The similarities carry over to the interior. This isn’t a criticism; as we commented in our review of the TDCi, the interior of the Mondeo is a very nice place to be.

In the XR5 there are a few nice touches to distinguish it like the ‘Ford Power’ start button, sports dials and cluster display and bum-hugging sports seats (leather of course). It also comes with ambient lighting (and clear lighting in the front footwells – so you can see your feet I suppose, “yep, check one, check two, both there, all good”) and six-speed manual box. In common with its siblings, that long high shoulder provides acres of leg-room and a simply cavernous boot.