Ford Fiesta review: Britain’s favourite supermini has just been given a new facelift

Rob Gill

Published: 8:00, 16 Sep 2021

CAR firms and football clubs have more in common than you first think.

Football clubs know how to make money out of you.

The new line of Ford Fiestas includes the sporty ST-Line modelCredit: Charlie Magee

Every year there’s three new shirts to buy, plus pre-match tops and training kits, and before you know it, you’ve bought the mug and pyjamas and spent the best part of £500.

Car firms do the same thing.

Every year there’s a new special edition of a popular car – and every three or four years they get a midlife “facelift” to spike sales, ahead of a complete renewal every seven or eight years.

The current Ford Fiesta is now four years old which means it’s time for a nip/tuck.

The changes come down to new LED lights all round (with black surrounds), new front grilles with the Ford badge on it (rather than on the bonnet lip) and a bit more tech – including 12.3in digital binnacle on mid-spec models upwards. Plus, more colours and wheel designs.

Not a lot, then, but enough to make you want an upgrade. As for the bits you can’t see, Ford’s engine and chassis department has done the square root of not much at all because it didn’t need to.

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Nothing drives as sweetly as a Fiesta for the money and the 1-litre mild hybrid reduces running costs, as well as adding a dollop of torque assistance during acceleration. Win. Win.

Also as before, Britain’s favourite supermini will be available in all sorts of body styles: Standard three-door or five-door, rufty tufty Active version, sporty ST-Line, rock star ST, or Fiesta van.

Actually, I tell a lie. Ford Performance has tickled the 1.5-litre engine on the ST.

It still bangs out 200hp but peak torque has been boosted from 290Nm to 320Nm. It also gets Matrix LEDs, new sports seats and that Incredible Hulk paint job from the Puma ST.

Finally, prices. The new and slightly-improved Fiesta starts at £16,670 for the Fiesta Trend, on sale early 2022, up to £25,490 for the all-singing Fiesta ST-3 with Quaife limited-slip differential.

Me, personally? I’d go ST-Line Vignale at £21,960. Sporty looks, sports suspension and it’s loaded with toys: Digital dash, heated seats, heated steering wheel, reversing camera, adaptive cruise control.

Back of the net.