Car Review Search
Ford Fiesta
Car Review
Ford Fiesta
The all-new Ford Fiesta offers big car features at a small car price.
The latest Fiesta is being built on three continents and is on sale in five making it Ford’s first truly global car since the Model T. There is no doubt the company has pulled out all the stops to make this supermini stunner a winner.
Ford Fiesta Car Review Summary
Ford has taken the dynamic excellence of the old Fiesta and polished it, without radically altering the nature of the car.
It is still great to drive, rides comfortably and is the most refined motor in its class. But the new Fiesta is now stylish inside and out.
It is the ultimate expression of Ford’s kinetic design as seen earlier in its Mondeo, Focus and Kuga models and it gives the car a sleek sporty presence.
The Fiesta’s sharp lines, double grille, sloping roof and wrap-around headlamps distinguish it from the competition making it a certainty to turn heads wherever it goes.
Style is matched by substance as new manufacturing techniques and high tensile steel help to make the new Fiesta lighter and stronger than the old one. This has the knock-on effect of making it safer and more fuel efficient.
The Fiesta comes in three and five-door body styles with an engine line-up that includes 1.25, 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol versions as well as 1.4 and 1.6-litre diesels.
All the engines are improved to provide better performance and economy and in the case of the 1.6-litre petrol it is a brand new power unit.
They are mated to an excellent five-speed manual gearbox with an automatic option available on certain models.
Practicality
The new Fiesta is competitively priced and running costs should be low with smaller engine options offering particularly good fuel economy.
There is plenty of room in the cabin for five adults – although headroom for passengers in the back will be slightly restricted by the sloping roof - and the boot offers a decent amount of space.
There’s a neat centre console that is easy to navigate with all the buttons and controls clearly marked and simple to use.
Improved sound insulation and better aerodynamics make the Fiesta quieter than ever helping it to offer big-car levels of refinement.
Visibility is good all round which together with a new type of electronic power steering make the Fiesta easy to park. The seats are well shaped and comfortable even for long journeys.
The driver’s seat adjusts across a wider range than average and the steering wheel adjusts for both reach and height.
Ford Fiesta
Life Style
The new Fiesta is a delight to drive with an excellent suspension complemented by informative and responsive steering.
The ride is firm but well controlled while the handling is agile, especially in corners where good levels of grip give the driver confidence.
The Fiesta is a good all-rounder coping with winding country roads and motorway journeys with equal aplomb
The Fiesta is capable of meeting most demands the average family will make of it, while a new dashboard is a bonus for the driver offering Mondeo-style dials and controls.
It is clear the Fiesta is also being aimed at a younger market with a range of attractive new colours and modern design appealing to those who are perhaps buying or being bought their first car. The funky, mobile-phone-inspired dash shows the direction of Ford’s thinking.
Ford wants to get across the idea that the Fiesta is not its small car, but its smallest big car. This is not as silly as it at first sounds as the new model’s refinement and supple ride mean it does feel like a car from the class above.
Ford Fiesta
Security and Safety
All Fiestas come with five airbags, including a driver’s knee ‘bag, while deadlocks and a visible VIN make life difficult for thieves.
The Finishing Touches
The Fiesta offers generous equipment levels throughout the range with the only surprise being that satnav is not available - even as an extra. But there’s a decent radio/CD which has excellent sound quality.
