Years ago, one of the predecessors of the Mondeo, the Ford Cortina, would probably be described as the typical company car.

It was replaced by the Ford Sierra, which was transformed to the Mondeo in 1993.

Although the current Mondeo can trace its lineage back to the Cortina, it’s amazing how big this car has become.

All versions are longer, wider and taller than the ones they replaced in 2007.

The hatchback version we’ve been testing runs executive cars like the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class close for dimensions, and thanks to the Mondeo’s front-wheel drive packaging, interior space is superior to these premium badge cars.

Isn't surprising that company car drivers have been able to ‘downsize’ when going from one purchase to the next because the cars have grown so much.

I wonder how this Mondeo fits in a standard garage, compared with a Mondeo of 10 years ago, a Sierra of 20 years ago and a Cortina of 30 years ago.

Still, big cars often mean big comfort and the Mondeo has provided supremely effortless mile munching over the last eight months.