FORD has confirmed that the facelifted Mondeo will cost exactly the same as its predecessor. On-the-road prices start at £13,445 for the Aspen 1.6i 16v, rising to £23,035 for the 2.5i 24v Ghia X automatic, while the new sports/luxury ST24 comes in at £19,535.

Ford fleet operations director Mike Wear said: 'As we promised earlier this year, we have stuck to our guns and not increased prices on the new Mondeo. This - along with improved fuel efficiency and reduced running costs - is good news for fleet operators.'

Sample prices (on-the-road): Mondeo 1.8 LX, £14,530; 1.8 TD LX, £15,150; 2.0 GLX, £15,930; 2.5 Si, £18,505; 2.0 Ghia auto, £17,555; 1.8 TD Ghia, £16,935.