We review the Ford Fiesta from price to economy and all its features
FORD bosses say the new Fiesta is their most significant global car since the Model T.
And as the Model T changed the face of motoring, you see that Ford’s expectations for the Fiesta are sky high.
Better than ever ... Ford Fiesta
The Fiesta has always been vital to Ford in Europe — they’ve sold more than 12million in the past 32 years and entire British families have been brought up with the car.
With fears over the economy and the credit crunch forcing more buyers to look at downsizing, Ford couldn’t have timed the arrival of the new Fiesta better.
But forget about the basic little Fiesta of the past. The new model rewrites the rule book for small cars and owners will no longer feel like second class citizens. This Ford has everything.
Pictures of the new model are impressive but, having just had an exclusive first UK drive, I was stunned with how good the Fiesta is.
This is one sleek and stylish car. As Ford’s design director Martin Smith told me: “This is a car that provokes an instant emotional response — ‘I want one’ — before you even get near it.”
Just a few minutes in the Fiesta makes you forget this is a supermini because it drives as smoothly as a lot of executive cars.
I tested the top-of-the-range Titanium that came with all the bells and whistles, but even the entry level car is a major advance.
You notice that this isn’t really a small car, as with the original. At just under four metres long, it’s not far short of a Focus.
When you get inside you’ll be amazed not only at how much space there is — the front leg room is the best in its class — but also the sheer quality of the cabin.
It’s a sporty and futuristic affair, particularly the striking centre console that reminds me of a giant mobile phone. This hi-tech Ford will appeal to the iPod generation.
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This is hardly surprising because the designers spent a lot of time talking to younger buyers to find out what they wanted.
The good news is that the Fiesta’s styling will appeal to all ages and sexes.
If you can stretch to the high-end model you’ll be treated to the gadgets you’d expect in an executive car: Keyless entry, a power starter button, automatic headlights and wipers, an on-board computer, sat-nav, sophisticated music system and Bluetooth and iPod connectivity.
There’s lots of handy storage space — the front door bins can take 1.5litre bottles and the boot has 295litres of space, enough to swallow an entire football team kit and three holdalls. The Fiesta may be trendy but it’s also practical.
Ford have done a great job on using bold dual colour combinations, including red and green with matching patterned seats that mix perfectly with the mock aluminium trim.
If the styling is a revelation, the engineers have surpassed themselves with the driving package — it’s superb.
I drove the new 1.6litre turbo diesel and it packs a punch but still delivers over 60mpg. It is also very green, with CO2 emissions of just 110g/km putting it in the lowest road tax band.
There’s still an entry-level 1.25litre petrol, a new economical 1.4litre turbo diesel that will save owners 45litres of fuel a year, plus a performance 1.6litre petrol fitted to the sporty Zetec S model.
The other strength of the Fiesta is a price range to suit every budget, starting from £8,695 and to £13,695 for the 1.6litre Titanium.
The top price is a lot for a Fiesta but you’re getting a lot of car. In fact, the jump in class is so big that you could argue Ford should have changed the name to underline the point.
As a well-known spaceman said: “It’s a Fiesta, Jim, but not as we know it.” On sale October.
What to look out for when buying a used Ford Fiesta Mk 7
Creaks, squeaks and rattles aren’t unusual, and can be very hard to pin down. One, which appears to come from the steering column can actually emanate from the rubber bush in the top-mounting on the front suspension strut.
Other potential glitches include the windscreen washers packing in (the tube gets caught in the bonnet hinge), door seals coming away from the frame and fuel filler flaps sticking shut, so the car can’t be refuelled.
There have been two recalls: in December 2011 and February 2012. The first related to the possibility of exhaust fumes getting into the cabin; the second latter to the rear suspension failing.