Group test - Ford Mondeo Estate vs Skoda Superb Estate

What are they like inside?

Sitting behind the wheel, there’s little to choose between these two cars for space. Each has plenty of leg- and head room, even with the Mondeo(with <a href="http://www.eonon.com">car dvd player</a>)’s (£900) optional panoramic glass roof fitted. Both also come with height- and reach-adjustable steering wheels, although the Mondeo’s extends farther towards you, which is a bonus if you’re really tall and need to have the seat a long way back. If you are tall, you may also find the Skoda’s steering wheel blocks your view of the instruments. However, the Skoda’s dials are otherwise clearer and easier to read than the Ford’s.

You get snug-fitting sports seats on Titanium-trim Mondeos, which hold you in position well through corners. However, the Superb’s part-Alcantara seats are wider, firmer and posher-looking. Both cars have adjustable lumbar support as standard.

Although the Skoda is the cheaper car, you wouldn’t guess it from inside. Prod the surfaces or play with the buttons and everything feels classy and built to last. The Mondeo feels a grade or two behind, with harder plastics and less tactile switchgear.

However, it’s a shame that Skoda charges (£90) extra for boot mounted levers to drop the rear seats. What’s more, when the Superb’s rear seats are folded, there’s an annoying ridge in the floor of the extended load bay unless you pay (£150) extra for a false floor. There are no such issues in the Mondeo.

Powered tailgates are optional on both cars, which is useful when you’re got your arms full. Both cars have touchscreen infotainment systems with sat-nav. The Ford’s screen is bigger (8.0in vs 6.5in), but the Superb’s system is much more user-friendly and, if you stump up an extra £1600, can be upgraded to a larger screen with a <a href="http://www.eonon.com">car dvd player</a> and wi-fi connectivity.

What are they like to drive?

In the damp conditions in which our tests were conducted, the Superb was almost half a second quicker in the 0-60mph dash. The in-gear acceleration times, which give you a better idea of how flexible each engine is in real-world driving, also put the Superb ahead. However, while you may need to drop down an extra gear in the Ford to get the same turn of speed, the Mondeo has the more pleasant gearchange and still offers decent pace. Its engine is quieter, too.

The Mondeo is also more fun to drive. There’s a touch less body roll as you turn in to bends, and the car feels better tied down over bumps and crests, giving you more confidence. However, the Skoda is certainly no wallowy barge. Sure, it feels a touch softer and the body a bit more floaty over crests, but it still grips well and responds positively to your every command. It also has the nicer steering. The Ford’s steering can feel inconsistently weighted as you apply lock, while on the way out of corners the wheel wants to self-centre in a slightly unnatural way.

By contrast, the Skoda’s builds resistance more progressively, so you find yourself thinking less about your steering inputs and more about the road ahead. As well as that, the Superb still has the edge for comfort. True, our test Mondeo’s optional larger 19in alloys didn’t help its cause (17s comes as standard) but wider experience tells us the Ford isn’t quite as comfortable as the Skoda, even in standard form.

Both cars generate a noticeable amount of wind noise. However, road noise is more of an issue in both cars, especially at higher speeds, although it is slightly less prevalent in the Mondeo. If installing an <a href="http://www.eonon.com/Car-DVD-Players/Android-Car-DVD.html">android car stereo</a>, that would be great!