That first incarnation of the Belgian-built medium sedan had the lot - bland styling, poor build quality reflected in frequent creaks and groans throughout the body, indifferently finished-off trim, and noise levels that seemed intent on setting new benchmarks for road rumble and engine roar.

Motoring journos everywhere were dismayed - and Ford was listening closely.

Within five minutes of meeting the new Mondeo, I was just about convinced that it could not possibly be related in any way to that unlovely first model.

Certainly more visually attractive, it follows the `ellipsoid’ styling cues with which Ford is increasingly enamoured (without going overboard like the love-it-or-hate-it Taurus), and has a more striking frontal appearance thanks to its redesigned headlights.

The interior trim department must have been given a sharp slap on the wrist as the improvement there is readily apparent, the somewhat tatty finish of the previous model replaced by nicely stitched and fitted fabrics that complement the car’s marketing aspirations.

And improvements to build quality are just as obvious, marked by the absence of most of the creaking and groaning that so irritated us before - not quite perfect though, our test car still retaining one persistent creak from the dashboard on undulating road surfaces.

But the greatest improvements of all were made in Noise-Vibration-Harshness levels.

That first Mondeo was afflicted with road-rumble which at times defied description, mostly emanating from the rear and frequently loud enough on coarse-chip bitumen to make conversation difficult, but this new model is quite serene in comparison, even on corrugated gravel. It has not miraculously become the world’s quietest car, but the improvement is nevertheless remarkable.

The second generation of Mondeo presents a much more attractive face to the world.

Attractive dash layout - and a steering wheel that feels much better than it looks.

Luggage space was not neglected, and is well catered for.

The dash layout is an appealing mix of aesthetically pleasing appearance and sensible control placement with everything in easy reach, including the steering wheel-mounted cruise control buttons which are shaped for easy identification at night, and the leather-wrapped wheel scores bonus points for its grippable thick rim without any sort of `thumb rests’ dictating where it should be held. (Our test-car was an up-spec GLX).

Night driving also revealed another big improvement, the headlights. Previously falling far short of requirements for Australian conditions, they now boast a high-beam capable of picking out potentially suicidal kangaroos well in advance.

European buyers can get a 3.0 litre V6, but our choice of engines for Mondeo is limited to the 2.0 litre "Zetec" twin-cam four cylinder; it may not be the best choice for towing heavy trailers but is a good performer, spinning the tachometer needle rapidly round the dial with a pleasingly `rorty’ sound from under the hood.

Yet it can be a `smoothie’ too. Re-activating the cruise control at 60kmh saw it accelerate without hesitation back up to 110kmh, where the engine sat on a comfortable 2800rpm and produced an average fuel consumption of 8.1 L/100km (34.5mpg).

Handling was initially a disappointment, the car seeming to wallow and roll its way through every corner until I discovered the tyres to be well under the recommended pressure. Correcting that little detail instantly transformed it into an agile and creditable front-drive sedan.

It might still not be to every taste, but Ford Mondeo’s second act is one worth catching.