Ford Fiesta Vignale review: This is the poshest Fiesta you’ll ever drive – and it costs a staggering £20,000
Britain's biggest selling car, the humble Ford Fiesta, has been given a luxury makeover for 2018 - but it doesn't come cheap
THE Ford Fiesta needs little introduction as Britain's best selling car of all time.
It's topped the charts for the best part of 30 years and pretty much everyone has either driven one or been a passenger in one.
Whether that's your mate's 1980s racy XR2 hot hatch or the boxy P-reg with no power steering you learnt to drive in.
Fiestas have always been fun to drive, value for money, stylish and reliable. And now you can add luxurious to the list.
The Ford Fiesta Vignale is the posh, top-of-the-range model that comes packed with tech and kit and covered in chrome.
There's a Bang & Olufsen sound system, eight-inch touchscreen, cruise control, rear view camera and parking sensors.
Plus a panoramic roof, quilted leather heated seats and steering wheel and 17-inch alloy wheels.
That standard kit list will be unrecognisable to most people who've owned a rather more "basic" Fiesta in their time.
Chances are they also paid a hell of a lot less than the £20,000 Ford is asking for this Vignale model.
Yes, you read that right: £20k for a Fiesta.
For comparison, that same cheque would pay for a new Mercedes A-Class, a Mini Cooper or Mazda MX-5 plus pretty much anything VW Golf sized.
On the used market you could get a three-year-old Jaguar XJ or 2013 Range Rover Evoque or a 335bhp Audi TT.
But, then again, you might not want these gas guzzling, premium models that'll cost more to run or be less practical.
Instead, you can get the luxury touches in a compact and affordable package. And that's the Fiesta's secret.
On the road, the Vignale keeps the revvy 1.0-litre 138bhp EcoBoost engine that's a joy to drive.
It's nippy around town and on the open road doesn't feel remotely strained with four adults on board driving at 70mph on the motorway.
You'll return around 60mpg and CO2 emissions are just 102g/km.
So why go for the £20,000 Vignale over a mid-range Zetec model or even a more upmarket Titanium?
It's a hard case to argue because while the luxury touches are great, having more than £4,000 in the bank is even better.
But, if you're buying on finance - which 85 per cent of people now do - the Vignale could add up for some.
With a £3,000 deposit on a three-year PCP deal, you'll pay £255 a month for the posh model. A Zetec by comparison is £188.
An extra £70 a month sounds a lot more reasonable than £20k up front - plus you'll avoid the crippling depreciation of a new car by being able to hand it back.
Facts and figures
Ford Fiesta Vignale
1.0T Ecoboost 6-Speed Manual 5 Door
Power: 138bhp
0-60mph: 9.0 seconds
Top speed: 125mph
Economy: 62.8mpg
CO2: 102g/km
Price: From £20,745 (£22,290 as tested)
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Even so, the Vignale Fiesta is a tough sell for Ford.
But it needn't worry as almost 100,000 new Fiestas were sold in 2017 - outstripping its nearest rival by 20,000 cars.
Britain's love affair with the Fiesta isn't over yet.