24 July 2019 Reading time: 8 minutes

After five years with a 2009 Mondeo Mk4, I decided it was time to move on. It was my fourth Ford, but I started the search determined to at least look around at other brands.
On my list? BMW 5-series, Mercedes E-Class, Toyota, Volvo.

About four months later, reality politely tapped me on the shoulder:

• Budget:15,000€.
• BMW or Merc? Anything decent in that money? Forget it.
• Toyota? Solid, but… yawn.
• Volvo? Gorgeous from the outside, but their pre-SPA interiors? Let’s just say “not my type.”

So… I dropped another coin in the Ford jukebox.