Ford Mondeo goes to war with Toyota Camry

Ford has launched its first major offensive for its long-awaited Mondeo - attacking the marketing leading Toyota Camry.

The blue oval brand released the first major details about its Mondeo line-up, ahead of its launch in early 2015, and has taken aim at the Camry Hybrid.

In a sign of how aggressively Ford will pitch the Mondeo against the best-selling Camry in the medium-sized segment, its press release claims the new Ford will have 10 technologies not available on its Japanese rival as well as claiming that the diesel will be more fuel efficient than the Camry Hybrid.

But, Ford hasn't revealed any details about the diesel engine, other than its claim that it will undercut the Camry Hybrid's 5.2-litres per 100km on the combined cycle.

It did, however, confirm that there will be both petrol and diesel variants, both of which will be paired with a six-speed dual-clutch auto transmission, but is saving the details of those until closer to the launch.

In overseas markets, the Mondeo is available with a range of petrol engines including 1.5-litre EcoBoost and 2.0-litre EcoBoost petrol variants and 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre turbo diesels.

The company also confirmed a six-model range, with Ambiente, Trend and Titanium with both five-door hatch and wagon variants.

But while engine and pricing remain under wraps, the company has detailed what safety and convenience features will be available.

Standard gear on all models will include MyKey (that allows parents to limit the car's capabilities), Emergency Assistance (which can dial 000), SYNC2 (the latest version of its infotainment system), eight-inch colour touchscreen and inflatable rear seatbelts.

Ford will also offer a number of optional safety features, including Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Active City Stop and Active Park Assist. Although the company claims these features are "not found on other mid-size cars such as the Toyota Camry" the likes of the Mazda6 and Honda Accord already offer several similar options.