Nevertheless, Ford has addressed the roominess issue, as well as the exterior appearance, with a number of revisions that will be in Ford and Mercury showrooms this spring as 1998 models. And to add additional sizzle, there will also be a sportier edition of the Contour, called the SVT Contour.

We’ve been impressed with the performance of the V6-powered versions of these small mid-size sedans since the beginning. But the SVT version turns the heat up even more, and is one of the hottest numbers in its class. Since the updates to the mainstream members of the Contour/Mystique lineup entail only modest changes to all-around performance, we chose the SVT Contour as our test subject for this report.

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Safety, fuel efficiency and environmentally clean operation are just as compelling in other major world markets as they are here. And American auto preferences in ride, handling and size are much closer to European standards than at any time in the past. That’s the backdrop for the Ford Contour, an all-new car that already has a solid track record in Europe, and is now rolling into U.S. showrooms.

The North American version has had a number of subtle adjustments to its exterior and suspension, but it’s fundamentally the same car a smaller midsize entry that’s about the same size as a Honda Accord or Mazda 626.

The Contour and its Mercury cousin, the Mystique, are nominal replacements for the Ford Tempo and Mercury Topaz. We say nominal, because they’re more expensive and more modern much better qualified to compete directly with popular Japanese cars such as the Accord, 626, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry.

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