I've just changed from the most comfortable car I've ever owned - X type 2.2d auto estate. 4 hour trips went by in a breeze. Car went because I no longer do 4 hour trips and it's not a pootling round town car, which is what I do now.

No xenons on mine, but it had everything else you require, plus lots of other gadgets and gizmos including satnav if you go for SE spec.

30 mpg round town, mid 40s at sensible motorway speeds.

I do the occasional overnight non stop 500 mile trips in our family 2 litre diesel manual X Type estate.

Cannot fault the comfort of it, inc the seats...and i'm at an age where i'm beginning to get lower back pain, when sitting on hard seats e.g. at a meeting at work (now take an orthapaedic cushion in).

I also drive to Switzerland a lot and the Merc was the worst car ever ! I used to cover 16000 miles a month, yes 4000 miles a week average! and it was dreadfull !

I suggest if you have made your mind up that you hire one first and try driving 500 miles plus non stop. The seat squabs are low to the floor so your legs lay almost flat ! and the lumber support wasnt brilliant iether , my lower back used to burn after 3-4 hrs.

For me an Audi A6 est for doing the trips you list would be better. I have also had three Passats 2.0TDi's 1 saloon highline and 2 sport estates and for motorway miles they were brilliant. more room than the x-types for the passengers

You can get ventilated front leather seats even in a Ford mondeo ! its nothing unique to a Merc, In fact the AC tends to be better in the ford so you dont need them.

Many have mentioned long drives across Europe.

This is exactly what I need to do.

I contract over Europe mainly Germany, Netherlands, Austria and could do 600+ miles in a day.

In that case, you need something with a good dealer network in that area (just in case), which would indicate perhaps a member of the VW family. Skoda Superb?

I have just driven from eBonn to Dresden in new c class which was absolutely superb my return journy was in a neew Mondeo combi this was even better,the merc was a pretty basic model whereas the Ford was top of the range but was a lovely car.

bet you didnt do 6-8 hrs in the saddle the ? non stop. Mine was "blue efficency" and I think it stands for unreliability.I used to get 27-33 mpg hardly starship mileage

The people who travel the most and fastest on autobahns are the Germans and the most common cars that are used that supply the required features are Mercedes,BMW and Audi most others are also rans(I am using a Peugeot 407 combi 1.6hdi).The UK you could use a rickshaw its like driving in an eternal traffic jam any car would suffice it just has to be comfortable.As far as the Octavia is concerned Autobild this week has the complete new Skoda range featured some nice looking cars.