The Mondeo ECOnetic can claim its green credentials but it highlights the vagaries of our current motor tax system writes Motoring Editor Michael McAleer
PERHAPS IT was the blue shirt, or the "west of the Shannon" cut of my jib, but sitting behind the wheel of a red Ford Mondeo, I was taken aback by the politeness of my fellow motorists. Had I missed a change of regime, imposing corporal punishment for stopping in a yellow box, or the gouging of eyes for failing to indicate?
It took me two hours to realise the truth: the rest of Dublin thought I was driving an unmarked Garda car. Upon reflection, whatever about my own appearance, the car in question, complete with Dublin registration and steel wheels, did give off a certain Garda vibe.
In our defence, there were several giveaway signs that this was no penalty point enforcer: its wheels were still resplendent with their hubcaps, the bodywork was undented and there was not a Spar sandwich wrapper in sight.
Whatever about its apparent blue hue, this particular red Mondeo supposedly has a glorious green footprint. The little leafed badge at the back and the extra €1,020 in the buyer's bank account are testament to this. And that's before they go to tax it, with €140 saved a year.
It's the same engine, putting out the same power in the same car with the same seats, radio and dials - what sort of magic has been brought to bear by the little green leaf on the tail?
In reality Ford has taken the regular 1.8-litre diesel 125bhp Mondeo and made some very minor tweaks.
For a start the steel wheels are shod in Michelin Primacy 16" low rolling resistance tyres. They've then added a few body kit modifications to improve the car's aerodynamics, poured in some lower friction transmission oil developed in conjunction with BP, and slightly reworked the engine's management system so that it's priority is fuel saving over performance.
Those looking for the great green revolution will be disappointed. In fact, this car epitomises the philosophy of small changes across the board making a big impact on fuel savings.
That's not to say that performance is compromised. The tyres may have been developed for low friction but there's no shortage of grip or refinement. It may be a harder compound rubber, but you don't feel it in the ride quality. Handling doesn't change at all and this remains the sharpest driving family car available on the market.
The replacement of the regular six-speed gearbox with a five-speed transmission was a concern. Some car firms have created eco versions of their fleet by just increasing the lower range gear ratios. That means you go through the entire spectrum of power build-up, delivery and fade in every gear before you get a chance to change. Effectively the plan is to keep the revs down at all times, thereby reducing the consumption.
The problem is that you spend your time searching for power, particularly when overtaking. If we have to point fingers, Volkswagen's early Bluemotion models were guilty of this long-gearing strategy that looks so good on paper.
Good news here: with Ford's five-speed box the lower gears feature slightly higher ratios than the six-speed box, but you never feel like you're paying any performance price.
It delivers its punch when called upon, and third-gear offers the sort of range that gets you tipping along in town traffic but kicking down to overtaking speeds. For the steady driver who doesn't seek to push the car too hard, the benefits are there without too much compromise.
That said, this 1.8-litre diesel engine is by no means the sharpest in the Mondeo suite. The 2-litre diesel is the stronger performer and that extra power is evident on national roads.
However, most Mondeo buyers in Ireland are opting for the 1.8-litre diesel, so clearly they seek the balance of economy and decent rather than exceptional performance. With that in mind then, they might as well opt for the ECOnetic version.
This variant makes sense in terms of the recent tax changes. Weighing in with CO2 emissions of 139g/km it falls into the second lowest tax band, with annual motor tax of just €150. That's less than you pay for the outgoing 1.3-litre Ford Fiesta, the 1.2-litre VW Polo or even the 1.3-litre Nissan Micra.
Which brings us to one of the anomalies in the current system where our taxes are based on CO2 emissions, which are taken from independently audited tests carried out by car firms.
This Mondeo, for example, manages to find itself in a lower tax bracket by just 2g/km, thereby saving €140 a year in road tax and €1,020 on the purchase price. That's partly down to the tyres. So what if you later fit alloys and regular tyres to the car? It's likely your average emissions would rise, perhaps even into a higher tax band.
Yet your rating remains the same - the official in the motor tax office is hardly going to come out and check the tyres on your car. You pay less tax than your neighbour who didn't opt for an ECOnetic model but are producing the same amount of CO2. Such are the vagaries of our tax system.
The ECOnetic range isn't confined to the Mondeo. The aim is to have at least one of these variants in every model range. The latest to launch is the ECOnetic version of the new Fiesta. All the ECOnetic range start out with common-rail diesel engines, with each engine adjusted for better fuel consumption.
To some it may seem rather short-sighted to simply tweak existing engines. Where is the big green bang we've all been waiting for? Where's the car that runs on air, burns off carbon and leaves a trail of flowers and dancing rabbits in its wake?
The truth is that many of the great green dreams for the motor industry are ending in cul-de-sacs. In some instances, opting for efficient electric power on a car means large batteries. Alternatively they involve more sophisticated batteries and technology, within which a precious metal or other limited commodity is a vital feature. Nevertheless the pursuit of green motoring continues.
There are differing viewpoints on what has set the motor industry on this crusade. Industry spokesmen, all doe-eyed innocence, will have you believe the sudden reduction in emissions is merely evidence of an industry that yearns for a greener planet.
Less doe-eyed cynics would point towards recently soaring fuel prices and harsh words from US and EU officials and governments who are setting new compulsory targets for average CO2 emissions per company that need to be reached by 2012 in Europe and 2020 across the Atlantic.
Whichever viewpoint suits your opinion, there's no doubt that higher fuel prices and the dramatic fall in big-engined cars being sold has concentrated the minds of car executives.
Everyone seems to have a green variant on offer. For some brands, it involves taking the lowest emissions model in the fleet and sticking a little tree-leaf logo on the door.
That's not quite the case with Ford and whether you believe the hype or not, there's no doubting the cash savings on the new Mondeo. It's the best handling car in its class, looks sharp, is well equipped and this version comes with a lower tax charge. Given the budget cuts, its the version that should feature in the Garda fleet as well.
Ford Mondeo 1.8 TDI ECOnetic Zetec CC:1753 0-100km/h: 10.4secs BHP: 123 Consumption: 5.3l/100km (53.3mpg) Price: €29,715
Engine:1753cc four-cylinder inline SOHC 8 valve common-rail turbocharged diesel engine putting out 123bhp at 3,700rpm and 340Nm of torque at 1,800rpm. Five-speed manual transmission with adjusted ratios for improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions
Specification:Front, side, curtain and driver's knee airbags; Electronic Stability Programme (ESP); ABS with EBD; Ford Easy Fuel system; 16" steel wheels; sports suspension; rear spoiler on hatchback versions; front foglights; 2-way power drivers seat adjust; front foglights; air-con; leather gear shift and steering wheel; electric windows; cruise control; QuickClear heated windscreen
L/100km (mpg)
Urban: 6.8 (41.5)
Extra-urban: 4.4 (64.2)
Combined: 5.3 (53.3)
CO2 emissions:139g/km
Tax:annual motor tax: €150 - 16 per cent VRT on band B
Price:€29,715
The competition: alternatives
Citroën C5 1.6D Dynamique
CC:1560
BHP:110
Speed:191km/h
0-100km/h:12.2secs
L/100km:5.6
CO2:149g/km
Motor tax:€290
Price:€29,850
Toyota Avensis 2.0 D-4D Strata
CC:1998
BHP:126
Speed:200km/h
0-100km/h:10.6secs
L/100km:5.5
CO2:146g/km
Motor tax:€290
Price:€27,640
Volkswagen Passat Sport 1.9 TDI
CC:1896
BHP:105
Speed:188km/h
0-100km/h:12.1secs
L/100km:5.6
CO2:148g/km
Motor tax:€290
Price:€31,275
Renault Laguna III 1.5 dCi Dynamique
CC:1461
BHP:110
Speed:192km/h
0-100km/h:12.1secs
L/100km:5.1
CO2:130g/km
Motor tax:€150
Price:€29,350