Diesel cars are selling like hot cakes in the UK, with market penetration growing month on month.

So what would you expect to have been the UK's best selling diesel last year? Something from traditional diesel car stars like Peugeot or Volkswagen?

Well you would be wrong if you did, because in 2003 the car that topped the diesel sales charts here was the Ford Mondeo. And if you've tried one, it's not difficult to see why.

The Mondeo in current form has been around almost four years but there are few cars from mainstream makers that can touch it for driving dynamics and general enjoyment.

So with a diesel under the bonnet it makes even more sense as the Mondeo now offers all the attributes you would expect of it plus the chance of outstanding economy, too. The engine makes a fine choice because it runs so smoothly, totally unlike the diesels of old.

In this respect it's better than most of the Pumpe Duse high pressure units I've driven from Volkswagen, which can be a little coarse. You never feel vibration through the Mondeo's pedals and so it feels very much like a powerful petrol unit to drive.

The torquey nature of the Mondeo engine, matched to an excellent gearbox, also makes it easier to drive round town than its equivalent from Peugeot, which struggles in fourth at 30 mph and again in fifth at 40 mph. You have to drop a cog at these speeds in the Pug, which means the engine is revving a bit more than you might like.

Ford's TDCi unit is a two litre and it turns out 128 bhp. The good news for company users is that there's now a Euro IV version available that cuts down the personal tax liability.

Ford pioneered a six-speed manual gearbox on the TDCi Mondeo which is now being spread across other models but the test car, an all-singing all-dancing Ghia X five-door came with a five-speed auto that's also ideally matched to this engine. The box gives beautifully smooth changes whether you are moving up or down through the ratios and the torquey nature of the diesel makes the auto box ideal for anyone who does plenty of urban driving.

Even on the open road the auto is still good, although the six-speed manual may be a little more relaxed. The car was giving a 44 mpg average consumption, which is good in anyone's book for a model of this size.

The good news for private buyers is that the Mondeo comes well stacked with kit because that's what the fleet market demands and Ford has also been running some excellent specials. It doesn't need you to reach to the heady heights of the Ghia X to get lots of useful bits and pieces.

Ford has achieved a lot with the current Mondeo, which was aimed squarely at the Volkswagen Passat when it was first launched nearly four years ago. It carried on from the original Mondeo, which had also done much to lift Ford's game to a new level as it moved to front wheel drive for its big car after the rear drive Sierra.

If you like roomy family models, but don't want an MPV, then the Mondeo makes a lot of sense. It comes as saloon, five-door hatch and five-door estate, the latter a particularly good car when it comes to swallowing loads.

Prices start at just under £15,000 for the four-door LX while the Ghia X is listed at £21,490 for the (non auto) Euro IV diesel. But keep an eye open for those high value specials.

Car: Ford Mondeo TDCi 130 Ghia X five- door auto

Does it fit your ego ...?

0-62 mph: 11.3 secs

Top speed: 124 mph

Bhp: 128 @ 3800 rpm

Torque: 244 lb ft @ 1800 rpm

... and your wallet ...?

Price: £22,640

Urban: 27.4 mpg

Extra urban: 48.7 mpg

Combined: 38.2 mpg

CO2 emissions: 199 g/km

Insurance Group: 10

Best bits: roomy five-door body; Mondeo driving dynamics; excellent economy from auto transmission.

Test car supplied by Edwards Ford, Telford Road, Churchfields, Salisbury.

- by Maurice Hardy