CONTRACT hire companies are hailing Ford's Mondeo changes as a marketing masterstroke which will keep the market leader at the top of the increasingly competitive upper medium pile.

Early leasing rates for the heavily revised Mondeo indicate that the volume-selling 1.8LX will be no more expensive than its predecessor, which is the most cost-effective option in most companies' leasing rates. Nissan's and Volkswagen's newcomers - the Primera and the Passat - have had a warm reception, but despite competitive front end pricing, the latter looks slightly more expensive than its rivals.

In contract hire quotes obtained from Lex Vehicle Leasing, Ryland Multifleet and Masterdrive, the new Mondeo 1.8 LX, thanks in part to Ford's free servicing package for fleets, is either the cheapest or second cheapest in class after the Renault Laguna 1.8 RT. Mondeo monthly rates vary between £277 and £303.

At 2.0 GLX and 1.8 TD LX levels, the Mondeo sets a similar pace with figures starting at £307 rising to £335 for the former and £302 to £319 for the latter. The latest Vauxhall Vectra diesel - complete with all-new direct injection engine - also fares well in comparison with the competition with monthly rates ranging from £301 to £330, but the '97 model year Vectra trails its Ford rival at other levels.