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FIESTA ADOPTS A SHARPER FOCUS

Models Covered: 3 & 5dr hatch: 1.25, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 2.0, 1.4TDCI, 1.6TDCI [Finesse, LX, Zetec, Zetec S, Ghia, ST]

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

When it was launched, version six on the Ford Fiesta theme probably represented the biggest single advance in the history of a model line that extended back more than a quarter of a century. Although there was nothing wrong with the driving characteristics of its predecessor, Ford felt that the market had overtaken it in terms of interior space and set about redesigning the Fiesta to offer class leading versatility. Used versions are now beginning to appear and they represent decent value for money.

Although the fifth generation Fiesta was held up as a byword for handling excellence, it was in fact little more than a heavily facelifted version of the fourth generation car which debuted way back in 1995. Seven years is a long time in the dynamic supermini sector and rivals like the SEAT Ibiza, the VW Polo and the Skoda Fabia had very much overtaken the Fiesta in terms of utility and modernity. Something certainly needed to be done and Ford took a radical approach, designing a Fiesta that notched back the sporting focus a little but which offered a good deal more rear seat space and luggage utility. Five door cars appeared first, hitting the market in April 2002 with three-door models appearing in August of the same year. A Fusion spin off model with chunkier styling and an elevated chassis followed shortly thereafter but this is to all intents and purposes a separate line. Ford suffered a capacity problem with their 1.3-litre engine in early 2003 and started fitting UK Fiestas with 1.25-litre powerplants as seen in the Fiesta Mk 4. It was only when the specifications were put back to back that many noticed the ‘old’ unit was a good deal more impressive than the 1.3-litre engine and more fun to boot. Towards the end of 2004, the 150bhp ST derivative arrived and a 1.6-litre TDCi engine was added to the diesel range. A hefty facelift in the latter stages of 2005 really helped the Fiesta visually. The grille was updated with a diamond mesh design, the headlamps were pointier and the side mouldings became thicker as they progressed rearwards. The rear lights were reshaped were the bumpers and the overall effect is a slight move away from the Fiesta’s inherent chunkiness in a sleeker, more dynamic direction. The quality of the interior materials was also boosted.

The design is everything a modern Supermini should be – as you’d expect, given that Ford had plenty of time to examine the competition during this car’s lengthy development. The first thing we should talk about is space. Rival offerings with Tardis-like interior dimensions had rendered the previous generation Fiesta a touch quaint, and nowhere was this more evident than in rear seat room. Economy class on an Aeroflot internal flight sprung to mind when snugly ensconced in the back of the little Ford. That’s no longer the case of course. With this latest Fiesta, Ford have consciously made it a significantly larger car. In fact it’s 87mm longer, 50mm wider and 100mm taller in five-door guise. Even the three-door version makes the old model seem like one of those tiny citycars. You might assume all this to mean that it’s now no longer as easy to park or as simple to thread through city streets. You might think that, but you’d be wrong, thanks largely to the glassy bodyshell which does an excellent job in disguising the extra bulk. Whether the current car is better looking than its predecessor is a matter for debate. Whereas the front end cribs its styling cues from the larger Focus Family Hatchback, the rear end divides opinion, looking like a bevelled and chamfered Vauxhall Corsa. It’s no great beauty, that’s for sure, but it’s undeniably effective in achieving that goal of providing superior internal accommodation. Drop into the driver’s seat and you’ll be greeted with a dashboard that adopts many of the quality conventions of the Mondeo range, and that’s good news. For those who enjoy tracing the lineage of the design, the Mondeo’s interior designer was poached from Volkswagen – and it shows. Mind you, it’s easy to see where cost has been excised from the Fiesta, competing as it does in a class where margins are utterly cut throat. Some of the fascia plastics feel somewhat hard and nasty and anti lock brakes are an extra cost option across most of the range. Cleverly however, Ford have appreciated that the bits of the cars we physically touch most often lend the strongest impression of quality, and to this end have wisely fitted leather-trimmed steering wheels and tactile gear shifters. Another example of intelligent design comes in the shape of rear head restraints that are deliberately uncomfortable when not slid up into their deployed position. This encourages rear seat occupants to utilise them properly but gets around the issue of encumbered rear vision when rear head restraints are traditionally fitted. Equipment levels are reasonable, spread across Finesse, LX, Zetec and Ghia trim levels. All Fiestas get intelligent windscreen wipers, a CD stereo, central locking and Ford’s ‘Intelligent Protection System’. Market and finance also looks good with low day-to-day running costs and a healthy projected residual value. A Durashift EST sequential manual transmission is also available as an option on the 1.4 16v.

The Fiesta had a slightly slow start in terms of sales, many customers not quite ready for the revolution that Ford wrought upon it. The entry-level 1.3-litre five-door cars start at £3,350 in Finesse trim or £3,500 for an LX version, both on an 02 number plate. The punchier 1.4-litre cars are well worth tracking down, air-conditioned Zetec versions currently retailing at £3,725 – again on the 02 plate – with similar vintage LX models fetching similar money and plush Ghias still commanding £3,825. 1.6-litre Ghia models fetch £4,425 but these were outsold by the 1.4-litre TDCi diesel cars. The Finesse is priced at £3,750, with air conditioned Zetec and LX models pitched at around £3,850. Three door models are still finding their feet on the used market, although many buyers looking for a sporty option were initially disappointed, preferring to either buy something different or hold out until the much-vaunted Fiesta ST150 made an appearance. Insurance for the fifth generation Fiesta reflects its high safety and security provision and generally low cost of repair, ranging from Group 2 to Group 7.

Being so new, there’s little to report. Make sure your prospective purchase has been properly serviced and that the tyres are in decent shape. Otherwise check for the usual kiddie damage and parking scrapes. Engines are, on the whole, reliable, but watch for the usual signs of wear and signs of hard fleet or company use such as worn carpets or beaten up trim.

(approx based on a Fiesta 1.4 Zetec) As you might expect, parts are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. A clutch assembly and an alternator will both be around £75. Front brake pads are around £30 a set and the rears £20, a replacement headlamp is close to £50 and a manual door mirror should be in the region of £50. A full exhaust is about £120 and a catalyst is about £220. A starter motor around is around £110, front wing is around £90, a windscreen about £70.

Three petrol engines are offered, a 75bhp 1.25-litre powerplant, a 16-valve 79bhp 1.4 that looks set to be the most popular and a range-topping 1.6-litre 16-valve that’s good for 99bhp. You’ll also find 1.3-litre models on quite a few used forecourts. For those looking to squeeze a few more miles from their gallon, a latest-generation 1.4-litre TDCi common-rail diesel unit is offered. With 67bhp on tap, it’s no tarmac scorcher, but its 118lb/ft of torque guarantees a relaxed drive. Although Ford have concentrated on improving cabin space, they haven’t rested on their laurels when it comes to driving dynamics. Granted, the recipe doesn’t at first appear promising, this high-sided car wearing a relatively state-of-the-ark twist-beam rear axle powered by a series of engines with modest power figures. Where is the independent control blade suspension that the Focus wears? Where are the trick driver aids? Scythed by the bean counters is the answer, although few will miss them after a drive in the Fiesta. Economy isn’t a major plus with any of the petrol engines as all have to be worked hard to maintain a decent lick, but the diesel unit is competent in this respect, returning 53.3mpg. Yes, the Fiesta is a far more competent handler than its impressive predecessor and that should be praise enough for most. As a result, its handling is elevated to a position above and beyond any existing supermini, whilst its ride and refinement are comparable with the class best – cars like the Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia. The steering was obviously engineered by somebody who understands the needs of keen drivers, being nicely weighted and rich in feedback without becoming a wearing distraction. The Fiesta shrugs off mid-corner bumps well and has a genuine big car feel. If there’s one complaint however, it’s that the Fiesta may almost be too clever for its own good, for it’s true that some of the verve and pizzazz of the old car’s handling has been smoothed out. In making the car more competent, a little of the fun factor has been excised.

The sixth generation Fiesta saw this product line maturing into viable all-round family transport. The national love affair with the Fiesta at first wavered when the radical design was unveiled, but sales figures now show an encouraging level of uptake. The best used buys are probably the early 1.4-litre TDCi diesels, but whichever model you opt for it’s hard to make a wrong move.

THREE WHEELING
Ford Hope The Fiesta 3-Door Will Capture The All-Important Youth Vote. Andy Enright Passes Judgement…

Like many other trades, car designers have some rather arcane jargon at their disposal. Floplines, overhangs, tumblehome, and aspect ratios – it’s pretty impenetrable to the layman. So, when a designer friend of mine looked at the latest three-door Fiesta and mentioned the "astonishingly sexy DLOs" I just nodded sagely. I later discovered he was right.

After donning a black Polo neck and consulting the Impenetrable and Pretentious Guide To DesignerSpeak, I deduced that DLOs are DayLight Openings. Windows to you and me. One suspects George Formby would never have achieved quite such success with ‘When I’m Cleaning DayLight Openings’ but that’s by the by. With the three-door body shape, Ford have managed to give the somewhat staid Fiesta shape a little more pizzazz. And tight pricing starting from £8,595 should help too. It’s surprising just how much the deletion of a pair of doors can do for the looks of a car – and here’s a case in point. The three-door Fiesta’s roofline abandons the squared-off look of the five-door in favour of a more elegantly tapered line. This meets a more sharply raked tailgate with more of a kink than the abrupt angle of its more family-friendly sibling. To emphasise this wedge effect, the hipline – the line of the bottom of the side windows – is angled upwards more aggressively. The facelift that the current car sports has done much the Fiesta’s appearance. The grille is now of a diamond mesh design, the headlamps are pointier and the side mouldings grow thicker as they progress rearwards. The rear lights have been reshaped as have the bumpers and the overall effect is a slight move away from the Fiesta’s inherent chunkiness in a sleeker, more dynamic direction.

"Britain loved the old Fiesta and this one is a breed apart."

A great deal of thought has been put into packaging of this car, an area that was a real weak point of the previous generation model. Emerging from the rear of an old Fiesta after any distance had you empathising with Alec Guinness when he came staggering from the ‘oven’ in Bridge On The River Kwai. The latest car is a world apart. Yes, headroom is 8mm less than in the five-door variant, but the rear is no longer cramped or claustrophobic, rakish rear notwithstanding. Rear passengers also benefit from class leading knee clearance and because there are no rear doors, the shoulder room of 1,355mm is also top of the shop for a three-door supermini. There are stowage bins to the side of the rear seat and entry and exit from the rear is easy due to the long doors. As a result it’s a bit of a stretch for the seatbelts when seated up front. Those expecting something that breathes fire will go for the ST150 version, but the rest of us will have to make do instead with something that rates about room temperature on the hot hatch scale. Six engines are available, a 70bhp 1.25-litre, a 1.4-litre 16v Duratec petrol that develops 80bhp, a 99bhp 1.6-litre 16v, the 2.0-litre 150bhp unit in the ST, a 68bhp 1.4-litre TDCi diesel or a larger 1.6-litre TDCi. The 1.4-litre TDCi unit is a result of a co-operative venture between Ford, Peugeot and Citroen to jointly develop diesel technology and it’s a cracker. Although it’s not hugely rapid, it’ll cover 650 miles on one tank of fuel, eking an average of 65.7mpg from each gallon. The 1.4-litre petrol engine features the option of a Durashift EST gearbox, offering the control of a manual gearbox with the convenience of an automatic. Unlike the batch of usually underwhelming Tiptronic-style automatic transmissions which you can knock up and down using some form of controller, the Durashift EST is a proper sequential manual unit that fits with the three-door Fiesta’s sportier image very well. Without the wasteful torque converter of an automatic gearbox, the EST ‘box is a good deal more economical and, with such systems now becoming more popular and economical to manufacture, costs a good deal less. Early examples of these sequential manual gearboxes weren’t brilliant. Ferrari’s F1 system ate clutches in stop/go traffic, BMW’s first stab at the SMG gearbox was only slightly smoother than a badger’s behind and Alfa’s Mk 1 Selespeed gearboxes were also pretty unappetising. Things have moved on a good way since then and EST includes a number of refinements that offer the best of both worlds. Take your foot off the brake and it will creep forward in gear like an auto, thus making stop and start driving so much smoother, yet when you’re in the mood to mambo, the gearbox will perform racing-like blips of the throttle at each downchange. The Fiesta is unsurprisingly well suited to this sort of treatment. Certainly it’s a far more competent handler than its impressive predecessor - and that should be praise enough for most. As a result, its handling is elevated to a position above and beyond any existing supermini, whilst its ride and refinement are comparable with the class best – cars like the Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia. The steering was obviously engineered by somebody who understands the needs of keen drivers, being nicely weighted and rich in feedback without becoming a wearing distraction. The Fiesta shrugs off mid-corner bumps well and has a genuine big car feel. If there’s one complaint however, it’s that the Fiesta may almost be too clever for its own good, for it’s true that some of the puppy dog enthusiasm of the old car’s handling has been smoothed out. In making the car more competent, a little of the fun factor has been excised. Equipment levels are reasonable, spread across Studio, Style, Style Climate, Zetec Climate, Ghia, Zetec S and ST trim levels. Like its 5-door sibling, this variant isn’t a wildly adventurous piece of design but it all works remarkably well. Add up all the unique selling points and you’d think that this Fiesta can’t possibly fail. Especially with DLOs like that.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta 3 dr range PRICES: £8,595-£13,795– on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 2-13 CO2 EMISSIONS: 114-179g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.4 petrol] 0-60mph 13.2s / Max Speed 104mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.4 petrol] (urban) 32.1mpg / (extra urban) 60.1mpg / (combined) 45.6mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's and passenger airbags WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3917/1800/1432mm

SEVENTH TIME AROUND
Ford’s Fiesta is, more often than not, the go-to state of the art supermini, but the last generation car seemed slightly detached from the cutting edge. The Blue Oval makes amends this time round. Andy Enright reports

If you’ve had a test drive of the Mazda2, you’ll have an early feel for Ford’s latest Fiesta, the two cars sharing a common platform. As good as the Mazda is, expect the Ford to feel even sharper and more driver-oriented. The styling and the commitment to quality might well make the Ford this year’s supermini must-have.

‘Platform sharing’ was, until fairly recently, a big car industry issue. Put simply, cars have become so expensive to design and produce that just spawning one model from a rolling chassis doesn’t make a whole lot of financial sense. Much better economics, for the big companies at least, is to generate a whole host of different cars from the same foundations. That’s why cars as diverse as the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, the Jeep Patriot, the Dodge Caliber and the Citroën C-Crosser all share the same basic underpinnings. Ford is no stranger to this science, and its long term partnership with Mazda has seen family pairings such as the Mazda Tribute/Ford Ranger twins, the Ford Probe/Mazda MX-6 cousins and now the Ford Fiesta and Mazda2 siblings. Those with long memories might well recall that the Fiesta had already spawned a Mazda variant, the 121, back in 1996. This time round, the difference is much more than mere badge engineering. Here’s something that might well make you feel your age. The first Ford Fiestas to hit British roads appeared in 1976. This was the year of the long, hot summer, Brotherhood of Man winning Eurovision with ‘Save All Your Kisses For Me’, Concorde’s first commercial flight and Madonna reaching the age of majority. A clean-cut, rather spare and handsome thing, the Fiesta was an instant sales success, helped by the fact that Vauxhall still required five years to conjure up the me-too concept of the Nova. In the intervening years there have been hits, misses, maybes and twelve 12 million sales but one thing hasn’t changed. The Fiesta has always been the car that signified the health of the supermini sector. It was always there or thereabouts when buyers were drawing up shortlists and it was usually the best car in its class to drive by quite some margin. The most recent sixth generation car was again a great drive but lacked the quality modern cabin of the best cars in its class. This seventh generation Fiesta looks to have covered those bases.

"This Fiesta works smarter as well as harder…"

Although it does share its underpinnings with the Mazda2, big car companies such as Ford have become a little cleverer in the way they can tune a car’s suspension, its tyre choice, its steering and braking feel and even details such as the firmness of the seat cushions to give either a more sporty, focused feel or a softer, more refined ride. The ultimate compromise is a smooth drivetrain and refined ride coupled with roll-free and tenacious cornering abilities. The key to this is managing weight and the latest Fiesta does just that. The basic chassis dynamics of MacPherson struts up front and a beam axle at the back are components carried over from the last generation car but they work, they’re space efficient and they’re relatively inexpensive to manufacture. Electrically assisted power steering makes its debut on the Fiesta and while this may have enthusiasts groaning, the technology has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years. Engine choices start with the familiar 1.25 and 1.4-litre Duratec petrol units which are joined by the 1.6-litre T-VCT powerplant. Those looking for a diesel engine get the choice of 1.4 and 1.6-litre TDCi units. A 200bhp ST flagship is also said to be in the planning stage. If you go by the maxim that if something looks right, it is right, then you’ll probably like the latest Fiesta. It’s offered in both three and five-door body styles and both are tidy pieces of styling. Penned by a British-led team headed up by Martin Smith, it adheres to the ‘kinetic design’ philosophy of modern Fords; this direction first signalled by the 2005 Iosis show car and the later Verve prototype. The most important aspect in designing a car such as this is to get the stance right. The Fiesta looks pugnacious, its wheels filling its arches well, plenty of tension in the flanks and the rising waistline giving it the crouched appearance of a sprinter in the blocks. The front end features a sliver of a grille with a big trapezoidal air intake down below. The rear end features huge light clusters that smear round onto the flanks of the car, freeing up space for a very wide hatch aperture. The fascia is radically different to what has gone before, the twin-cowled instrument cluster and boldly jutting centre console with a winged effect for the minor controls being a far cry from the somewhat utilitarian grey plastics of this car’s predecessor. Ford’s Convers+ infotainment system will also be offered. Some of Ford’s future plans for the model range look mouthwatering. Aside from the 200bhp ST model that is sure to give both the Honda Civic Type-R and the Clio Renaultsport 197 Cup something to think about, rumours persist of a five-door supermini MPV version called the B-MAX to go head to head with Vauxhall’s Meriva. The engineering permutations for this chassis are inherently flexible and if capacity can be found on Ford’s lines, then expect a coupe, a four-door saloon and even a 4x4 crossover vehicle to slot in beneath the Kuga. The Ford Fiesta has garnered a reputation for being one of the cheapest superminis to run. Certainly the offer of a well-specced 1.4-litre TDCi diesel for less than £10,000 is tempting but Ford periodically offers discounts or special edition models that sweeten the deal further. The crucial pence per mile cost of a typical 1.4 16v petrol model is very similar to that of an equivalent Vauxhall Corsa and a little less than a comparable Renault Clio. Choose this engine and you’ll be looking at a 45mpg capability, with the 1.6-litre T-VCT petrol unit only marginally worse. The diesels of course, offer the real standout fuel figures. Expect around 63mpg from the 1.4TDCI and around 65mpg from the 1.6-litre unit. Both emit under 120g/km of carbon dioxide per kilometre, making them a smart choice for those living or regularly visiting the London congestion zone. The Fiesta has long been a decent car, albeit one with the capacity to frustrate. Despite the enormous assets available to Ford, each successive generation seemed to lack one or two crucial aspects of what made a great supermini. While Fiestas have always been great to drive, I can’t remember one with a decent interior, some have been almost wilfully ugly in their exterior styling and reliability has been hit and miss. Talk about revolution. The latest Fiesta, on first inspection, doesn’t seem to have an Achilles heel. Perhaps the only material criticism that could be levelled at it is that there are superminis that are a bit larger on the inside. If space is the key priority, the Renault Clio will probably be the prime pick. On just about every other score, the Fiesta works smarter as well as harder. It’s a pragmatic mix between tried and tested elements that are cost effective and shiny new details that gel extremely well. You’ll want to reserve judgement in lieu of a full road test but from here, the omens look very good indeed.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta range PRICES: from £8,000 [est] – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 2-8 [est] CO2 EMISSIONS: 119-176g/km [est] PERFORMANCE: [1.4 petrol] 0-60mph 13.2s / Max Speed 104mph [est] FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.4 petrol] (urban) 32mpg / (extra urban) 60mpg / (combined) 45mpg [est] STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's and passenger airbags, ABS [est] WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height tba mm

CELEBRATING IN STYLE
Sporty Fiestas have long found favour with British buyers but the ST version of the current generation model has won its sales on merit. With only a few months left for it to live, Ford are celebrating its passing with this ST500 special edition. Jonathan Crouch checks it out

Going out on a high is always worth doing, particularly if this applies to a car worth celebrating. For years, Ford struggled to produce a hot hatch Fiesta worthy of the name, only really managing it with the current generation ST model. This car of course hasn’t long to live thanks to the arrival of an all-new Fiesta but GTi versions of that car are some way off. Which means that fans of fast, affordable motoring with a blue oval badge might do well to consider this Fiesta ST500 last-of-the-line special.

At £15,000, it costs just over £1,000 more than a standard Fiesta ST but you don’t mind that so much if the finished result looks special. This does. You get Panther black metallic paint, black alloy wheels with red brake callipers (a first for any Fiesta), a carbon fibre-pattern for the interior trim, a Sony audio system and ebony-coloured heated leather seats. You also get unique silver ‘U’-shaped stripes on the bonnet and sides of the car, supposed to echo the livery of the ‘classic’ Escort RS2000 of the 1980s. Only 500 of these three-door Fiestas will be produced. The Fiesta ST has built a decent reputation on these shores with its punchy 2.0-litre 150bhp engine, sports-tuned steering, lowered and stiffened sports suspension and short-shift close ratio gearbox. It worth remembering that back in the days on this model’s ancestor, the Fiesta XR2i, a solid 150bhp was the preserve of pretty serious executive cars. Even BMW’s 323i - the benchmark driver’s car in its class – could only muster 120bhp. The Fiesta ST would eat it for breakfast before dropping the kids off at school, taking a run to Asda and then giving the groceries a good agitation on the twisty route back. Sixty from rest takes 7.9s on the way to 129mph. If that’s not fast enough, Ford is offering Fiesta ST customers in the UK a unique opportunity to buy performance upgrades for their cars through a choice of two special dealer-fit options. The Mountune Performance Stage 1 package retails at £1,435 (plus fitting) and consists of a high-flow air induction system, a high performance exhaust system including high flow catalyst and tubular manifold, and re-calibration of Ford’s potent 2.0-litre Duratec ST engine to produce 165bhp. The more powerful Mountune Performance Stage 2 package will cost £1,838 (plus fitting) and adds new camshafts and valve springs to the basic package to deliver 185bhp.

"You don’t mind a slight premium if the finished result looks special. This does. "

Whatever version of the Fiesta ST you choose, it’s easily identifiably by the beefier front and rear bumpers, side moulding strips and colour-keyed detailing such as the door handles and mirrors. Indoors there are racing style seats, while a leather steering wheel, white metal pedals and a metal finish for the handbrake and door handles help give the interior a little extra visual flair. Otherwise, things are much as they are in any Fiesta three-door. Headroom is 8mm less than in the five-door variant, but the rear is not as cramped or claustrophobic as you might expect. Rear passengers also benefit from decent knee clearance and because there are no rear doors, the shoulder room of 1,355mm is also impressive for a three-door supermini. There are stowage bins to the side of the rear seat and entry and exit from the rear is easy due to the long doors. As a result it’s a bit of a stretch for the seatbelts when seated up front. The 2.0-litre Duratec engine is the brainchild of Leo Roeks and his band of engineers at FordTeamRS. They have worked to create not only the ST but also a 180bhp RS version which sadly never saw the light on day in the car’s current shape. Ford insiders have hinted that the ST isn’t much slower around their Lommel test track than the mighty RS Focus. High praise indeed, suggesting that this car is as good in this era as the old XR2i was in its. That particular hot hatch certainly painted a huge grin our Road test Editor’s brother’s face - right up to the point that he drove it head-on into a Volvo 244DL. After that, he had to concede that the car’s crashworthiness wasn’t all it could have been. One sure thing is that this ST will be a much better car to crash in. But please – just take our word for that. The ST500 is a fitting way to mark this car’s passing. There’s are newer hot hatch designs sure but few that will reward you quite as much on a twisting country road or feel as special in the driveway. This car’s replacement will have a lot to live up to.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta ST500 special edition PRICE: £15,000 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 13E CO2 EMISSIONS: 179g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 7.9s / Max speed 129mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 27.2mpg / (extra urban) 49.6mpg / (combined) 38.2mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's and passenger airbags, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3921/1683/1468mm

LIFE BEGINS AT 30
The Fiesta is over thirty years old as a model range but the Zetec Red special edition shows it’s still young enough to have fun. Steve Walker reports…

Cars have an uncanny knack of making you feel old. How many of us have stifled a snigger at some anachronistic old vehicle, still in service but with its best days long behind it, before the dismal realisation dawns that we lusted after, learned to drive in or used to own that exact same make and model? It can be a crushing blow as it dates you as much as the car in question and if you’d rather avoid this kind of reality check, best look away now because Ford’s Fiesta is now over 30 years old as a model range.

If you’re one of the thousands of people who still look on the original Fiesta through a rose-tinted windscreen, fondly remembering the halcyon days of the late 70s when the little Ford represented the pinnacle of small car design, your disco dancing days are probably over. Fortunately, by way of a celebration, Ford have laid on the perfect antidote to feelings of sorrow and decrepitude caused by the Fiesta’s entry into middle age. It’s called the Zetec S Red and it’s designed to put the spring back in anyone’s step. There’s no doubt that the Ford Fiesta has come a long way over the years and the Zetec S Red edition is a good indicator of where it’s at right now. You won’t find these models hard to spot as the unique and rather vivid Colorado Red paintwork is topped off with a full chequered-flag roof decal. It’s that other throwback to motoring days past, BMW’s new MINI, that has helped re-popularised the personalisation of small cars with exterior graphics and the current Fiesta is one of a number of rival models to get in on the act. The range-topping Fiesta ST is available with roof stripes that evoke the famous livery of the 1960s Ford GT40 racecars and the Zetec S Red has its black and white checks. Equipment levels are particularly generous given that the special Zetec S Red elements come in addition to the items found on the standard Zetec-S, which itself is no pauper. There’s dark privacy glass on the rear windows, while panther black paint features on the door mirrors, door handles, bodyside mouldings, roof spoiler and tailgate handle, all adding to the stylish look. Also standard are a Quickclear heated front windscreen, ebony leather seats, 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning and heated electrically-operated door mirrors.

"Equipment levels are particularly generous"

The asking price for all this is £13,000 which, according to Ford, gives the Fiesta Zetec Red edition over £1,000 of free equipment. The red bodywork and chequered roof won’t be to everyone’s taste but that price tag and the fact that only 400 of these special Fiesta models will be available should prove a strong draw. Though the standard Fiesta Zetec S is available with a choice of petrol and diesel powerplants, Ford is only offering the Zetec S Red with the petrol option. The 16-valve 1.6-litre engine is certainly no ball of fire but it’s enough to render the Fiesta a warm hatchling. Ford claims a sprint to 60mph in 9.9 seconds and a top speed of 114mph and we wouldn’t argue with such figures. The engine note is rather uninspiring, but the exhaust sounds a little fruitier in Zetec S guise than on less sporty models and a combined fuel consumption figure of 41.5mpg coupled with manageable insurance ratings means it’ll doubtless appeal to younger buyers. Where the Fiesta really scores is in the handling stakes. Its road manners have been elevated to a position to challenge any existing supermini, whilst its ride and refinement is comparable with the class best – cars like the Renault Clio and Volkswagen Polo. The steering was obviously engineered by somebody who understands the needs of keen drivers, being nicely weighted and rich in feedback without becoming a wearing distraction. The seats are a different matter altogether, lacking lateral support at the sort of cornering speeds the excellent chassis routinely coaxes you into. The Fiesta shrugs off mid-corner bumps well and has a genuine big car feel. If there’s one complaint about the Fiesta’s handling, it’s that it may almost be too clever for its own good. The verve and pizzazz of the old car’s handling has been smoothed out. In making the car more competent, a little of the fun factor has been excised. With the current facelifted Fiesta, Ford haven’t gone too overboard. The grille is now of a diamond mesh design, the headlamps are pointier and the side mouldings grow thicker as they progress rearwards. The rear lights have been reshaped, as have the bumpers and the overall effect is a slight move away from the Fiesta’s inherent chunkiness in a sleeker, more dynamic direction. Dramatic the changes are not. If you liked the look of the sixth generation Fiesta, and the sales charts suggest that plenty of people did, you’ll like today’s version of it. Get comfortable in the narrow driver’s seat and you’ll be greeted with a dashboard that adopts many of the quality conventions of the Mondeo range, and that’s good news. On the current model, there are more of the in vogue soft-touch surfaces but, happily, the uncomplicated layout and the durable feel remain. Nice touches include a digital display in the instrument cluster which gives the radio station name and other handy titbits that you’d otherwise have to divert your eyes from the road to obtain. The volume on the stereo is speed sensitive, so as wind, road and engine noise increase with your velocity, so does the volume of your favourite song. The driving position is fairly good, with light pedals and a height adjustable driver’s seat. The way that Ford have raised the gearlever onto a pedestal places it quickly to hand. On a practical note, the seats are easy to fold down, those integrated rear headrests making the operation simplicity itself. Where the Fiesta falls down is in the lack of clever cubbyholes and the singular lack of any cup holders. Grab a takeout from KFC and you’d better get used to the Colonel’s Hot Wings tasting of Fanta. If news that the Ford Fiesta has been on our streets for 30 years makes you feel a little long in the tooth, the Zetec S Red edition could be just the elixir you need to stave off a midlife crisis. It’s certainly fun and the tight pricing means there should be plenty left over for that new set of dentures. If the first Fiesta was well before your time, then this energetic Red special edition model is pitched directly at you. Enjoy it, but remember, old age comes to us all, even cars, and there’ll be a 60th Anniversary Fiesta along before you know it.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta Zetec S Red special edition PRICE: £13,000 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 7E CO2 EMISSIONS: 159g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 9.9s / Max Speed 114mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 30.7mpg / (extra urban) 52.3mpg /(combined) 41.5mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's and passenger airbags, IPS, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3921/1683/1468mm June 29th 2008

DURATORQ SPORT
Ford Is Developing A Reputation As A Centre Of Excellence For Diesel Engines. The Fiesta Is A Grateful Beneficiary. Andy Enright Reports…

If there’s one word that neatly encapsulates the public’s response to the latest Fiesta, it would have to be ‘expectation’. Whereas Ford’s popular supermini was once underwhelming, cramped and obviously built down to a price, those attributes don’t cut the supermini mustard today. That’s particularly true in the growing diesel sector, so this version of the latest Fiesta had to be good. Prices start at £9,595 across Studio, Style, Style Climate, Zetec Climate and Ghia trim levels.

Despite the burgeoning reputation of Ford’s Centre for Diesel Excellence at Dagenham, the 67bhp 1.4-litre engine the Fiesta TDCi sports under its bonnet originally hails from France. Peugeot, to be exact, who use it in some of their smaller models. In the 307, this unit seems to struggle to move the sheer bulk of a full-sized family hatch, but the prospects for a smaller Supermini like the Fiesta seem better, even if it does tip the scales at a hardly featherweight 1,065kg. Around 118lb/ft of torque should even serve up the promise of some fun behind the wheel. If you do need more urge, a 1.6-litre TDCi is available. After all, wasn’t that the key thrust of the Richard Parry-Jones led revolution at Ford? Wasn’t that what put the Focus and Mondeo at the top of their respective classes in terms of dynamics? Fords gained a reputation as being fun to drive, possessed of sparkling chassis and keen engines. The Fiesta 1.4 TDCi is no different, but it doesn’t rewrite the class standard in the way its predecessors did. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but other manufacturers soon aped Ford’s approach. Therefore, the Fiesta 1.4 TDCi must be more than simply good to drive. It must also score on a number of subtler levels.

"On a run you’ll return an economy figure in excess of 76mpg. Scarcely believable, but there it is…"

Fortunately it manages to live up to expectations, dynamically at least. Fitting a heavy diesel engine into the front of a lightweight car usually means all sorts of decidedly sub-optimal fixes regarding the ride and handling. If the engine in question was lighter, you wouldn’t need industrial strength front suspension, nor a set up that caused the car to understeer wildly in order to provide some modicum of ride comfort. That’s the basic premise of the Duratorq 1.4 TDCi engine fitted to the Fiesta, weighing as it does a mere 98kg. The handling certainly benefits from this lightweight powerplant. There’s less understeer than even the 1.6 16v petrol unit, and comfortably more torque. When driven back to back with the 1.4-litre petrol Fiesta, the diesel version is infinitely more desirable, the additional muscularity of the powerplant making those annoying downchanges on long uphill stretches virtually superfluous. The acceleration to 60mph is a fair deal tardier at 14.7 seconds, but this gives little clue as to the satisfying nature of the Duratorq engine’s mid range pull. The in-gear acceleration times give a more accurate representation of the car’s punch, and here the scores are reversed, the diesel car comfortably acing its petrol counterpart. That’s perhaps not surprising given that the midrange is where the turbocharger really gets to work, and what’s also equally predictable is the way the diesel car excels in terms of fuel consumption. What’s surprising are the raw figures. Even around town you’ll see over 53mpg whilst on a run, you’ll return an economy figure in excess of 76mpg. Scarcely believable, but there it is. The official combined fuel economy equates to a creditable 65mpg whilst the carbon dioxide emissions are an almost-saintly 114 grammes per kilometre. Ford haven’t gone too overboard with the facelift that’s currently to be found adorning the front of their Fiesta. The grille is now of a diamond mesh design, the headlamps are pointier and the side mouldings grow thicker as they progress rearwards. The rear lights have been reshaped as have the bumpers and the overall effect is a slight move away from the Fiesta’s inherent chunkiness in a sleeker, more dynamic direction. Dramatic the changes are not. If you liked the look of the sixth generation Fiesta, and the sales charts suggest that plenty of people did, you’ll like today’s version of it. Drop into the driver’s seat and you’ll be greeted with a dashboard that adopts many of the quality conventions of the Mondeo range, and that’s good news. Ford have appreciated that the bits of the cars we physically touch most often lend the strongest impression of quality, and to this end have wisely fitted leather-trimmed steering wheels and tactile gear shifters. Another example of intelligent design comes in the shape of rear head restraints that are deliberately uncomfortable when not slid up into their deployed position, thus encouraging rear seat occupants to utilise them properly but gets around the issue of encumbered rear vision when rear head restraints are traditionally fitted. If the Mondeo and the Focus had never existed, the Fiesta would have been winning awards left, right and centre, it’s that good. In the final reckoning it doesn’t quite play out like that. Familiarity has bred, if not contempt, then a blind spot for the work Ford have put into the Fiesta. However tempting it is to call the 1.4-litre TDCi a quick fix, the engine having been sourced from a rival, the overall package is too good in too many key areas to ignore. It’s a super engine in a car that handles well and ticks all the focus group boxes. With the Renault Clio, Seat Ibiza and VW Polo all queuing up to take a pop at the Fiesta 1.4 TDCi, it’s got a fight on its hands but also the ability to come out on top.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta TDCi range PRICES: £9,595-£13,495 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 4 CO2 EMISSIONS: 114g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 14.7s / Max Speed 101mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 53.3mpg / (extra urban) 76.3mpg / (combined) 65.7mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's and passenger airbags WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3917/1800/1432mm

TORQUE TO THE HAND
Ford’s Best Fiesta Might Just Be This Mildly Sporting Diesel Model. Andy Enright Explains Why

It’s unlikely you’ll have missed the column inches devoted to the Fiesta ST sports hatch but there’s a lesser known sporting Fiesta that could well be the pick of the range. What’s more, it’s powered by a diesel engine. Although a Fiesta diesel doesn’t promise a thrilling steer, the Zetec-S 1.6 TDCi makes a great all rounder and has a chassis that can show many more illustrious GTi hatches what handling is all about.

It has to be said that the headline figures don’t make exciting reading. Packing 90bhp isn’t going to impress too many people and a sprint to 60mph of 11.2 seconds isn’t exactly concussive. Look beyond the raw figures and you’ll get a better handle on the performance of this common rail diesel engine. For a start, it’s fairly refined and certainly a good deal quieter than the same unit fitted to its Fusion sibling. It’s unlikely you’ll pull up at the pumps and reach for the green nozzle, but it features an inoffensive soundtrack with what is, for a smallish diesel, a broad spread of torque. On Ford’s press launch we drove the Fiesta ST first and then Zetec-S TDCi models. This is normally a recipe for finding the diesel car sluggish beyond belief, but this was far from the case. Much to Ford’s chagrin, their star car had, in the eyes of many journalists present, been upstaged by the diesel hatch. The ST’s big engine endows it with far more torque than a sporty supermini usually packs but the TDCi is another step ahead. On the twisty, hilly road route around Siena, the additional pulling power of the Zetec-S made light work of the punishing inclines. With 204Nm of torque on tap, the Zetec-S TDCi offers effortless muscle out of hairpin bends. The car’s torque to weight ratio is the reason for this, and this means that you won’t need to constantly grab for gears to maintain decent progress. This is just as well, as the short throw manual shift isn’t the sweetest, with a particularly obstreperous change from second to third.

"Beneath the somewhat ordinary styling is a car with a great chassis and enough pulling power to entertain"

Being a diesel, you can take for granted excellent fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions. In this instance, you can count on a combined fuel figure of 62.8mpg and an emissions showing of just 118g/km. Even when hammering the car hard up and down hillsides all day, the fuel economy didn’t drop below 40mpg. Developed in conjunction with PSA Peugeot Citroen, this lightweight all aluminium alloy engine features twin overhead cams and a drive by wire throttle system, which means that features such as ESP stability control can also be offered. The engine weighs less than 120kg, helping to avoid that lumbering nose heaviness that has often afflicted small sporting diesel cars. The Zetec-S features recalibrated spring and damper settings and a ride height that’s been lowered by ten millimetres. The rear twist beam has also been beefed up by around fifteen per cent. Unique 16-inch alloy wheels are shod with either Continental or Pirelli P Zero rubber. Its road manners have been elevated to a position above and beyond any existing supermini whilst its ride and refinement is comparable with the class best – cars like the Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia. The steering was obviously engineered by somebody who understands the needs of keen drivers, being nicely weighted and rich in feedback without becoming a wearing distraction. The seats are a different matter altogether, lacking lateral support at the sort of cornering speeds the excellent chassis routinely coaxes you into. The Fiesta shrugs off mid-corner bumps well and has a genuine big car feel. If there’s one complaint about the Fiesta’s handling, it’s that it may almost be too clever for its own good. The verve and pizzazz of the old car’s handling has been smoothed out. In making the car more competent, a little of the fun factor has been excised. With the current facelifted Fiesta, Ford haven’t gone too overboard. The grille is now of a diamond mesh design, the headlamps are pointier and the side mouldings grow thicker as they progress rearwards. The rear lights have been reshaped, as have the bumpers and the overall effect is a slight move away from the Fiesta’s inherent chunkiness in a sleeker, more dynamic direction. Dramatic the changes are not. If you liked the look of the sixth generation Fiesta, and the sales charts suggest that plenty of people did, you’ll like today’s version of it. Get comfortable in the narrow driver’s seat and you’ll be greeted with a dashboard that adopts many of the quality conventions of the Mondeo range, and that’s good news. On the current model there are more of the in vogue soft-touch surfaces but, happily, the uncomplicated layout and the durable feel remain. Nice touches include a digital display in the instrument cluster which gives the radio station name and other handy titbits that you’d otherwise have to divert your eyes from the road obtain. The volume on the stereo is speed sensitive so as wind, road and engine noise increase with your velocity so does the volume of your favourite song. The driving position is fairly good, with light pedals and a height adjustable driver’s seat. The way that Ford have raised the gearlever onto a pedestal places it quickly to hand. On a practical note, the seats are easy to fold down, those integrated rear headrests making the operation simplicity itself. Where the Fiesta falls down is in the lack of clever cubbyholes and the singular lack of any cup holders. Grab a takeout from KFC and you’d better get used to the Colonel’s Hot Wings tasting of Fanta. Priced at £12,795, the Fiesta Zetec-S TDCi probably isn’t the most obvious sports hatch out there for those looking for something both responsible and reasonably rapid. Other manufacturers offer far more eyecatching wares, but the Fiesta is a fantastic all rounder. Beneath the sportier facelifted styling is a car with a great chassis and enough pulling power to entertain. New owners will, within the space of a few miles, be content that they’ve made a very smart choice indeed.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta Zetec S TDCI PRICE: £12,795 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 6E CO2 EMISSIONS: 118g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 11.2s / Max Speed 112mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 52.3mpg / (extra urban) 68.9mpg /(combined) 62.8mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's and passenger airbags, IPS, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3921/1683/1468mm

BACK TO THE FUTURE
Ford’s Fiesta 1.25 May Have An Old Engine But It’s A Good One. By Andy Enright

Car manufacturers aren’t exactly renowned for putting their hands in the air and admitting they got it wrong. Ford virtually admitted as much since the return of the 75bhp 1.25-litre to the Fiesta range. When the latest generation Fiesta first went on sale here, buyers were treated to an unspectacular 70bhp 1.3-litre engine in entry-level petrol models and quickly voted with their feet. Great car, OK engine. Hence the quick return of the 1.25-litre engine size which has been with us ever since. The Bridgend-built 1.25 may be a bit of a blast from the past, but what a blast it is.

The lightweight aluminium engine was a highlight of the last generation Fiesta range and certainly offers plenty of zip. Take performance figures for example. Whereas the 70bhp 1.3-litre unit Ford originally earmarked for this car would make 60mph in 15.8 seconds, the smaller engine slices over a second off, stopping the watch at 14.5 seconds. The combined fuel economy figure of 45.6mpg remains unchanged, but CO2 emissions creep up slightly to 148g/km. Prices start at £8,595 and there’s a trim choice ranging from entry-level Studio to Zetec Climate. With the facelift that dominates the front end of the current Fiesta, Ford haven’t gone too overboard. The grille is now of a diamond mesh design, the headlamps are pointier and the side mouldings grow thicker as they progress rearwards. The rear lights have been reshaped as have the bumpers and the overall effect is a slight move away from the Fiesta’s inherent chunkiness in a sleeker, more dynamic direction. Dramatic the changes are not. If you liked the look of the sixth generation Fiesta, and the sales charts suggest that plenty of people did, you’ll like today’s version of it. Ford’s primary concern when designing the car was the quest for internal space. Not content with the musings of some polo-necked designers with pencils and napkins, Ford employed a RAMSIS supercomputer to maximise internal space, using the enormous processing power to shift seats, floor, wheelbase and so on to attain an agreeably spacious cabin. You’d have to say their investment was worth it. It also meant that the rear suspension was modified in order to save space. The suspension turrets now no longer intrude into the loading bay and a relatively archaic torsion beam system is used at the back. Therefore, the Fiesta should be about as composed through corners as a frog in a sock but it doesn’t work out that way. This, we have to surmise, is progress.

"The Fiesta is an entertaining handler, if a little less infectious than the larger Focus"

The Fiesta is an entertaining handler, if a little less infectious than the larger Focus. The steering’s rich in feedback and the body roll well controlled. That may sound irrelevant if all you want to do is bimble to the shops and back but should you ever be in an emergency, having a car that changes direction easily, controllably and predictably could just make the difference between having or avoiding an accident. Twin dual stage front airbags are standard equipment as are five three-point seat belts. Ford have developed a clever crash severity sensor at the front of the car that can work out whether you’ve bumped a supermarket trolley or fallen asleep at the wheel and encountered the Watford Gap Service Station thus deploying the airbags correspondingly. There’s also an ingenious ‘de-coupling’ brake pedal assembly that serves to reduce the possibility of lower leg injuries in the event of a shunt. Where the Fiesta really scores is in terms of space. It’s a small car you’d certainly consider it for the longer journey. Though it can’t claim to be the largest cabin in its class, extending the length, width and height of the car over its predecessor has paid dividends. Whereas the rear of the old Fiesta was a place suitable solely for small children, pixies and handbags, the latest car makes a justifiable claim as a full five-seater thanks to more knee-room at the rear than some cars from the next class up. There’s a good luggage capacity too (of 284 litres or 10 cubic feet) up 14% on the old car. Wide opening rear doors and that impressive rear seat roominess mean that installing a child seat in the back won’t prove the usual Olympic challenge. Although the backrest of the rear seat is split for increased versatility, unfortunately the seat cushion itself isn’t. While we’re carping, it would also have been useful if someone at Ford had thought to include an interior boot release catch (though there is one on the key fob). Drop into the height-adjustable driver’s seat and you’ll be greeted with a dashboard that adopts many of the quality conventions of the Mondeo range, and that’s good news. For those who enjoy tracing the lineage of the design, the Mondeo’s interior designer was poached from Volkswagen – and it shows. It’s easy to see where cost has been excised from the Fiesta, competing as it does in a class where margins are utterly cut throat. Some of the fascia plastics could be nicer to the touch, there’s a lack of cupholders and storage spaces and whilst the rear seat backs split 60:40, the cushions remain obtrusively fixed. It isn’t often that a company of Ford’s size gets an engine decision so publicly wrong but in this case, it didn’t do them any harm. Perhaps a little egg on the corporate face from time to time will end up in better customer focus.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta 1.25 range PRICES: £8,595 - £10,995 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 2-3 CO2 EMISSIONS: 139g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 15.8s / Max Speed 99mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 48.7mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's and passenger airbags WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3917/1800/1432mm

FAST FIESTA EARNS ITS STRIPES
Ford Have An Illustrious History When It Comes To Hot Hatchbacks And We’ve Undertaken A Long Term Test To Decide If Today’s Fiesta ST Comes Up To Scratch. Steve Walker Reports…

The boss was away from the office on the day that Ford called to enquire as to the engine and specification we’d like on our long term Fiesta test vehicle. After exhaustive attempts to contact him failed, it became clear that an executive decision would have to be made. The office put its heads together and a few months later, a fully-loaded delivery mileage Fiesta ST appeared in the company car park, resplendent in its Diamond White paintwork with blue body stripes.

Had a more senior member of staff been in attendance on that fateful day, you might now be reading the tale of a dull but worthy 1.4-litre Fiesta - the kind of car that most supermini buyers end up with. Had the individuals who were present adopted a more responsible outlook, perhaps I’d be recounting details of the remarkable fuel economy we’d achieved over a few months at the wheel of a highly sensible TDCi diesel model. But no, faced with carte blanche and a lustrous options list, the team succumbed fully and wholeheartedly to temptation, excitedly specifying the most fanciful of Fiestas. You’d do the same, wouldn’t you? The look of the ST divided opinion form the word go. There seems little doubt that white cars are coming back in a big way with trendsetting brands (notably Saab and Porsche) increasingly choosing to display their showpiece concept cars in this blank canvas colour. The problem, as far as our model was concerned, wasn't the snowy hue of the bodywork, it was more the blacked-out windows, the spoilers, the side skirts, the 17" wheels and, yes, those stripes. It was instantly apparent that the Fiesta ST was going to be a real attention grabber and that the attention it grabbed was going to be a mix of the appreciative and the scornful. Ultimately though, the target market for the ST is younger people looking for a vehicle that’s fast, affordable and flamboyant. Our ST ticks those key boxes and the people who turn up their noses probably aren’t of the sort who are going to buy a Fiesta ST anyway. ST buyers who prefer a more subdued look can choose to leave the gaudier styling features on the options list.

"The single best thing about the Fiesta ST is the way everything feels so solid"

Despite the strong hint of aftermarket about our model’s jazzed-up exterior, the Fiesta ST’s interior is fairly standard. The waist-hugging ST-branded seats stand out, as does the branded steering wheel but aside from that, you could almost be in a far more normal Fiesta. This is no bad thing, however, because the Fiesta’s interior has a simple, quality feel about it these days. Strong plastics are used and the controls are easy to get to grips with while the two-tone dash with its bulging air-vents is a nice touch. Storage space isn’t particularly generous and you soon find items cluttering-up the passenger seat and footwell but the pots below the dash are fine for your wallet, keys and mobile. The in-dash six-CD autochanger that’s standard in the ST is a really nice piece of kit that’s refreshingly easy to use. The chunky front seats don’t compromise rear legroom too seriously and it’s quite possible to get a pair of adults in the back. The boot measures in at 268-litres and that’s amongst the best in class. I can also confirm that the bag of golf clubs (now apparently a standard unit for measuring vehicle carrying capacity) will fit – just about. The single best thing about the Fiesta ST is the way everything feels so solid. In common with lesser models in Ford’s supermini range, you start to get this impression from the moment you set off. The fat handle and button on the handbrake, the short punching action of the gearbox, the weightiness of the steering, it’s all in keeping with the car’s character. The damping is first rate, the engineers having achieved a fine balance between ironing out the bumps and letting you know they’re there. The cabin is remarkably free from rattles and squeaks with the Fiesta thudding over speed humps and potholes with none of the shudder and shake you get from some rivals. The ST is a great car to hustle along a twisting B-road. The throttle response is sharp and the brakes have a reassuring, progressive feel. The best of the performance is accessed above 4,000rpm which means that the ST doesn’t come across as being all that quick under normal driving conditions. It certainly feels more sluggish than many turbocharged petrol and diesel rivals but hold each gear to the redline and the performance from the 2.0-litre engine should be enough for most. There’s a satisfyingly gruff engine note to accompany it all as well, but this and the engine’s desire to be revved don’t help the ST’s cruising credentials. Doing 70mph on the motorway in fifth, the car tops 3,000rpm and a speed of 80mph is achieved at 4,000rpm. The engine is working fairly hard and it sounds like it with a lot of noise finding its way into the cabin, you find yourself reaching down for a sixth gear but there isn’t one. Another penalty for the engine’s rev-happy persona is the fuel economy. From our experience, you can expect to achieve something just over 35mpg on motorway trips and less than 28mpg in stop-start urban traffic. The economy issue isn’t helped by the fact that the ST is a car that rewards a little overuse of the right boot so generously. It’s brilliantly composed in corners, has impressive levels of grip and always delivers that important fun factor. The fact that the refinement when cruising, the absence of a space to rest your clutch foot and a slightly high driving position are the only real criticisms says a lot for the ST driving experience. The ‘white with blue stripes’ colour scheme might not be to everyone’s taste but hot hatches should be a little gregarious and our nuggety little Fiesta ST is a cracking drive. If you want outright pace, there are quicker hot hatch offerings but our period at the wheel of Ford’s fastest Fiesta has revealed it to be a thoroughly enjoyable driver’s car with a feeling of build integrity that you don’t necessarily expect in this sector.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta ST PRICE: £13,795 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 13E CO2 EMISSIONS: 179g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 7.9s / Max speed 129mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 27.2mpg / (extra urban) 49.6mpg / (combined) 38.2mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's and passenger airbags, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3921/1683/1468mm

STUCK WITH FIRST GHIA?
The 99bhp 1.6-Litre Fiesta Is A Modest Offering By Modern Hot Hatch Standards But That Doesn’t Mean Fun Is Off The Agenda. Andy Enright Reports…

Hands up who remembers the first Ford Fiesta XR2? As a passport to performance for the penniless petrolhead this was in many ways unsurpassed. Ventilated front disc brakes, uprated suspension, spoiler kit, body graphics, wheelarch extensions, fog lights, sports instruments and alloys. Oh, and 84bhp. Therefore, before we sniff at this 1.6-litre Fiesta’s 99bhp power output, let’s enjoy a little historical perspective.

These days you’ll need a hand blender with at least 84bhp to pull the skin from a rice pudding. We’ve become accustomed to cars loaded with air-conditioning, plush stereos, airbags, sophisticated electronics and more than enough heavyweight quality to sink the Scharnhorst. The current Fiesta 1.6 is a beneficiary of our demand for increased sophistication in a small car. Perhaps that’s why the manual version is offered only in plushest Ghia trim at £12,795 as a five-door or in sporty three-door Zetec S trim for £11,795. There’s also a Durashift automatic gearbox available on the Ghia at a £1,000 premium. With the facelift that dominates the front end of the current Fiesta, Ford haven’t gone too overboard. The grille is now of a diamond mesh design, the headlamps are pointier and the side mouldings grow thicker as they progress rearwards. The rear lights have been reshaped as have the bumpers and the overall effect is a slight move away from the Fiesta’s inherent chunkiness in a sleeker, more dynamic direction. Over the years, our definition of what a small car ought to be has evolved too. Believe it or not, there’s not a great deal of difference between the interior dimensions of the latest Fiesta and the range-topping Ford of the XR2’s era, the Granada. This MkVI Fiesta is resolutely larger than its predecessor inside, yet is a mere 87mm longer, 50mm wider and 100mm taller in five-door guise. The interior is a vastly different proposition. Whereas the old car’s rear seats were only really suitable for small kids and pensioned off ex-employees of Rimfire Landmine Clearance, the current version feels positively capacious. Were there a cat handy, you’d feel the temptation to swing it.

"Where the Fiesta really scores is in the handling stakes…"

The 16-valve 1.6-litre engine is certainly no ball of fire but it’s enough to render the Fiesta a warm hatchling. Ford claims a sprint to 60mph in 10.4 seconds and a top speed of 114mph and we wouldn’t argue with such figures. Still, it’s usefully more flexible than the rather poor 1.4-litre version, if lacking in the elastic torque of the TDCi diesel models. The engine note is rather uninspiring, but the actual feel is willing and reasonably smooth. A combined fuel consumption figure of 42.8mpg is some recompense for this otherwise somewhat undistinguished showing. Where the Fiesta really scores is in the handling stakes. Its road manners have been elevated to a position above and beyond any existing supermini whilst its ride and refinement is comparable with the class best – cars like the Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia. The steering was obviously engineered by somebody who understands the needs of keen drivers, being nicely weighted and rich in feedback without becoming a wearing distraction. The seats are a different matter altogether, lacking lateral support at the sort of cornering speeds the excellent chassis routinely coaxes you into. The Fiesta shrugs off mid-corner bumps well and has a genuine big car feel. If there’s one complaint about the Fiesta’s handling it’s that it may almost be too clever for its own good. The verve and pizzazz of the old car has been smoothed out. In making the car more competent, a little of the fun factor has been excised. Despite this, it’s a mouthwatering proposition to imagine coupling a chassis this good with an engine of, say, 150bhp. In fact, a 150bhp engine like the one you can now buy in the range-topping Fiesta ST model. Get comfortable in the narrow driver’s seat and you’ll be greeted with a dashboard that adopts many of the quality conventions of the Mondeo range, and that’s good news. For those who enjoy tracing the lineage of the design, the Mondeo’s interior designer was poached from Volkswagen – and it shows. It’s easy to see where cost has been excised from the Fiesta, competing as it does in a class where margins are utterly cut throat. Some of the fascia plastics feel somewhat hard and nasty and side airbags cost extra even on this plushest model. Ford have appreciated that the bits of the cars we physically touch most often lend the strongest impression of quality, and to this end have fitted leather-trimmed steering wheels and tactile gear shifters. Another example of intelligent design comes in the shape of rear head restraints that are deliberately uncomfortable when not slid up into their deployed position. This encourages rear seat occupants to utilise them properly but gets around the issue of encumbered rear vision when rear head restraints are traditionally fitted. Ghia equipment includes air conditioning, alloy wheels, a remote control CD stereo, electric windows, a Quickclear front windscreen and ABS. The driving position is fairly good, with light pedals and a height adjustable driver’s seat. The way that Ford have raised the gearlever onto a pedestal places it quickly to hand. On a practical note, the seats are easy to fold down, those integrated rear headrests making the operation simplicity itself. Where the Fiesta falls down is in the lack of clever cubbyholes and the singular lack of any cup holders. Grab a takeout from KFC and you’d better get used to the Colonel’s Hot Wings tasting of Fanta. The Fiesta 1.6 is a car that doesn’t endear itself straight away. There’s none of the puppyish infectiousness of a Fiat Punto or the innovation of a Honda Jazz. It’s very ordinary, albeit in a very well engineered, easy to use manner. The inherent excellence of its chassis isn’t exploited by the humdrum engine, though keen drivers who know their stuff will turn to it before any supermini rival. Super sharp handling is rarely a priority in this sector, and despite our predilection for fun, this must make the Fiesta 1.6 something of a minor disappointment. The potential is there to make it something special but you may have to upgrade to the ST model to realise it.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta 1.6 16v PRICE: £11,795-£12,795 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 7E CO2 EMISSIONS: 157g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 10.4s / Max Speed 114mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 42.8mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's and passenger airbags, IPS, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3917/1800/1432mm

THE SINGING ZETECTIVE
If The ST Is Ford’s Hot Fiesta, It Would Seem The Zetec-S Is Hovering Around Room Temperature. It's Still Enough In 1.6-litre Petrol Form To Generate Some Fun - As Andy Enright Reports

Insurance companies have a great deal to answer for. Back in the day, the apple of any spotty youth's eye was a Fiesta XR2, 84bhp worth of the hottest wildest Fiesta money could buy. As insurance costs rose ever higher and cars became a good deal more powerful, teenagers were priced out of the market. Or have they been? The Zetec-S represents the first rung on the Fiesta performance ladder these days and is a good deal more powerful than the original XR2. What's more it's even reasonably affordable. Who said youth was wasted on the young?

The Zetec-S is in many ways the spiritual successor to the Fiesta S, a car that those with long memories or huge magazine collections will recall was available in either 1.3 or 1.6-litre guise and while mechanically similar to more regular models in the range, offered ritzier styling. Trouble was, back then ritzier styling encompassed side stripes, some gaudy seats, a rev counter and a rear anti roll bar. These days, things are a good deal more sophisticated. The Zetec S wears 16-inch alloy wheels and a rear spoiler and features a trick sports suspension set up. Sporty small Fords have always been greeted with great enthusiasm in the UK. Some of them have turned out to be lemons but others have gone down as minor classics. The Escort RS1600i, the early XR2 and the Escort Cosworth are all well worth a pedal. The Fiesta RS Turbo also proved a hit with aftermarket tuners, many of whom could extract over 200bhp by turning up the wick on the engine software! While the Fiesta Zetec-S can't promise that sort of thrust, it shares its predecessors’ enthusiasm for a decent set of well cambered bends where it can really show its stuff. Two models are being offered. There's a petrol version with the 99bhp 1.6-litre engine that will be familiar to Fiesta Ghia and Zetec buyers and then there's a 1.6-litre TDCi diesel-engined version that will appeal to those who prefer a lazier slug of torque and who savour the excellent economy of a diesel engine. With 90bhp on tap, the Zetec S TDCi may not be quite so quick off the mark as the petrol-engined version but it will feel quicker and more muscular when out on the open road, thanks in no small part to its 200Nm of torque.

"Where the Fiesta really scores is in the handling stakes"

The 16-valve 1.6-litre engine is certainly no ball of fire but it’s enough to render the Fiesta a warm hatchling. Ford claims a sprint to 60mph in 9.9 seconds and a top speed of 114mph and we wouldn’t argue with such figures. The engine note is rather uninspiring, but the exhaust sounds a little fruitier in Zetec S guise and a combined fuel consumption figure of 41.5mpg coupled with manageable insurance ratings means it’ll doubtless appeal to younger buyers. Where the Fiesta really scores is in the handling stakes. Its road manners have been elevated to a position above and beyond any existing supermini whilst its ride and refinement is comparable with the class best – cars like the Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia. The steering was obviously engineered by somebody who understands the needs of keen drivers, being nicely weighted and rich in feedback without becoming a wearing distraction. The seats are a different matter altogether, lacking lateral support at the sort of cornering speeds the excellent chassis routinely coaxes you into. The Fiesta shrugs off mid-corner bumps well and has a genuine big car feel. If there’s one complaint about the Fiesta’s handling, it’s that it may almost be too clever for its own good. The verve and pizzazz of the old car’s handling has been smoothed out. In making the car more competent, a little of the fun factor has been excised. With the current facelifted Fiesta, Ford haven’t gone too overboard. The grille is now of a diamond mesh design, the headlamps are pointier and the side mouldings grow thicker as they progress rearwards. The rear lights have been reshaped, as have the bumpers and the overall effect is a slight move away from the Fiesta’s inherent chunkiness in a sleeker, more dynamic direction. Dramatic the changes are not. If you liked the look of the sixth generation Fiesta, and the sales charts suggest that plenty of people did, you’ll like today’s version of it. Get comfortable in the narrow driver’s seat and you’ll be greeted with a dashboard that adopts many of the quality conventions of the Mondeo range, and that’s good news. On the current model there are more of the in vogue soft-touch surfaces but, happily, the uncomplicated layout and the durable feel remain. Nice touches include a digital display in the instrument cluster which gives the radio station name and other handy titbits that you’d otherwise have to divert your eyes from the road obtain. The volume on the stereo is speed sensitive so as wind, road and engine noise increase with your velocity so does the volume of your favourite song. The driving position is fairly good, with light pedals and a height adjustable driver’s seat. The way that Ford have raised the gearlever onto a pedestal places it quickly to hand. On a practical note, the seats are easy to fold down, those integrated rear headrests making the operation simplicity itself. Where the Fiesta falls down is in the lack of clever cubbyholes and the singular lack of any cup holders. Grab a takeout from KFC and you’d better get used to the Colonel’s Hot Wings tasting of Fanta. This car helped Ford to re-establish itself as the first choice for keen younger drivers and now the ST is also on hand to deliver a little more oomph. Some might accuse the Fiesta Zetec S of being a sheep in wolf’s clothing. Chances are they won’t have driven it.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta Zetec S 1.6 16v PRICE: £11,795 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 7E CO2 EMISSIONS: 159g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 9.9s / Max Speed 114mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 30.7mpg / (extra urban) 52.3mpg /(combined) 41.5mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's and passenger airbags, IPS, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3921/1683/1468mm November 5th 2007

CRASHING THE PARTY
Sporty Fiestas have long found favour with British buyers. Ford hope the Fiesta ST will be no exception. By Andy Enright…

There are very few dead certs in the motoring world. That which we think is set in stone often turns out to be built on foundations of clay. A car that’s at the top of the sales charts one year can rapidly fall from favour the next. Despite this, it’s difficult to see how a car like the Ford Fiesta ST can possibly come up short. Hot Fiestas have long been a favourite amongst the young and young at heart and the ST will doubtless be the most capable yet.

I can still remember the moment that my brother, freshly commissioned into the Royal Air Force, arrived home with his present to himself, a Mk 1 1983 Ford Fiesta XR2 finished in Glacier Blue. Having cut his teeth in a Triumph Toledo, the 84bhp of the XR2 represented some seriously extreme power under his teenaged right boot. He let me drive it in a suitably spacious car park and I can remember being astonished at the brakes, the grip and the overall performance. But then I was fifteen. Fast forward a good few years and we are now treated to the £13,795 Fiesta ST, a car that packs a hefty 150bhp but which represents only the first rung on the specialist Fiesta performance ladder. Yes, we had seen the Focus ST170 and the Mondeo ST200/220 but the Fiesta was the first of Ford’s ‘Sports Technologies’ models to carry a newly designed ST badge without the use of numbers. This branding has since appeared on the Focus ST and will be adopted by all new ST models for the foreseeable. Back in the days of the XR2, a solid 150bhp was the preserve of pretty serious executive cars. Even BMW’s 323i - the benchmark driver’s car in its class – could only muster 120bhp. The Fiesta ST would eat it for breakfast before dropping the kids off at school, taking a run to Asda and then giving the groceries a good agitation on the twisty route back. Sixty from rest takes 7.9s on the way to 129mph.

"Ford insiders have hinted that the Fiesta ST isn’t much slower around their Lommel test track than the mighty RS Focus"

If that’s not fast enough, Ford is offering Fiesta ST customers in the UK a unique opportunity to buy performance upgrades for their cars through a choice of two special dealer-fit options. The Mountune Performance Stage 1 package retails at £1,435 (plus fitting) and consists of a high-flow air induction system, a high performance exhaust system including high flow catalyst and tubular manifold, and re-calibration of Ford’s potent 2.0-litre Duratec ST engine to produce 165bhp. The more powerful Mountune Performance Stage 2 package will cost £1,838 (plus fitting) and adds new camshafts and valve springs to the basic package to deliver 185bhp. Whatever version of the Fiesta ST you choose, it’s easily identifiably by the beefier front and rear bumpers, side moulding strips and colour- keyed detailing such as the door handles and mirrors. Most will be attracted by a set of very purposeful looking seventeen-inch multispoke alloys. They’re not quite as iconic as the old XR2’s ‘pepperpot’ alloy wheels but they’re a neat set of rims nonetheless. Indoors there are racing style seats embroidered in black leather with bright red cloth inserts and finished with ST logos. A leather steering wheel, white metal pedals and a metal finish for the handbrake and door handles help give the interior a little extra visual flair. All of these extras fit over the latest Fiesta facelift with its improved interior plastics and the sleeker front end that lends itself to sportier models in the range like the ST. More than 34,000 XR2i's were bought by Britain's hot hatch fans. According to Ford, the Fiesta ST puts them back into the heartland of small-car performance in a ‘great-to-drive’ package that’s accessible for driving enthusiasts to own and insure. Feel free to disagree. The 2.0-litre Duratec engine is the brainchild of Leo Roeks and his band of engineers at FordTeamRS. They have worked to create not only the ST but also a 180bhp RS version. Roeks explains how an RS model "would join the new Fiesta ST to demonstrate how two distinct Ford performance brands can complement our mainstream models. I believe that Ford performance cars will be true to their heritage and exploit to the full the outstanding vehicle dynamics that are recognised to be an intrinsic part of the modern Ford range." He has a point. Ford have recently opened up quite a gap over the chasing pack when it comes to vehicle dynamics and given the paucity of talent in the Vauxhall Corsa line up, the Fiesta ST should hammer its point home hard. The key threat will doubtless come from Renault, as hotter Clio Sport models are both inexpensive and abundantly powerful. Otherwise, things are much as they are in any Fiesta three door. Headroom is 8mm less than in the five-door variant, but the rear is no longer cramped or claustrophobic, rakish rear notwithstanding. Rear passengers also benefit from class leading knee clearance and because there are no rear doors, the shoulder room of 1,355mm is also top of the shop for a three-door supermini. There are stowage bins to the side of the rear seat and entry and exit from the rear is easy due to the long doors. As a result it’s a bit of a stretch for the seatbelts when seated up front. The Fiesta had something of a low key introduction. The ST will certainly be enough to get it noticed a little more amongst keen drivers, although many genuine enthusiasts will doubtless hold out in hope of a more evocative RS model becoming available. Patience may be a virtue but it’s not going to paint as big a grin on your face as a few months behind the wheel of a Fiesta ST. Ford insiders have hinted that the ST isn’t much slower around the Lommel test track than the mighty RS Focus. High praise indeed, suggesting that this car is as good as the old XR2. That particular hot hatch certainly painted a huge grin on my brother’s face - right up to the point that he drove it head-on into a Volvo 244DL. After that, he had to concede that the car’s crashworthiness wasn’t all it could have been. One sure thing is that the ST will be a much better car to crash in. But please – just take our word for that.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta ST PRICE: £13,795 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 13E CO2 EMISSIONS: 179g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 7.9s / Max speed 129mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 27.2mpg / (extra urban) 49.6mpg / (combined) 38.2mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's and passenger airbags, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3921/1683/1468mm

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREEDOM
Ford’s Fiesta Freedom Attempts To Make Modern Mobile Technology More Hands-Free Than Handful. Steve Walker Reports…

Is modern technology an agent of freedom, shrinking the globe with instant communications, furnishing us with 24-hour mobile information and entertainment? Or does it shackle us to our tiny bleeping boxes, reduce personal contact and provide sinister avenues for potential surveillance? It’s an interesting philosophical point but while you ponder this thorny issue, I’ll get started on all the gadgets you get with the Ford Fiesta Freedom special edition.

Are you the sort of motorist whose dashboard is littered with plastic mountings for your various handheld devices, a tangle of wires trailing down to form a giant electrical tumbleweed in the passenger footwell, or one for whom there never seem to be enough 12-volt power outlets to keep all your lithium ion batteries topped up? If so, you may like the concept behind the latest special edition Fiesta from Ford. In the modern age, it’s perfectly usual for a driver to have a mobile phone, an MP3 player and even a mobile satellite navigation system in tow but the Fiesta Freedom has the capacity to condense these systems down, adding a hands-free dimension for improved safety, without sacrificing functionality. Ford have linked-up with Vodafone to offer a comprehensive technology package with the Fiesta Freedom. The car features Bluetooth wireless technology and voice control for the MP3-compatable CD stereo which has an auxiliary input for MP3 players to be directly plugged into. Buyers who want to can then sign-up for an exclusive Vodafone contract costing £25 per month which gets them the Nokia N70 G3 mobile phone complete with Tom Tom Mobile 5 satellite navigation technology. The phone comes with a cradle in the car so you can make calls or use the sat nav system while driving but you can also have all the functionality of the handset in your pocket at all times. Ford are valuing the Fiesta Freedom’s free technology package at £800.

"The Fiesta Freedom offers a great opportunity for technophile motorists to unclutter the inside of their vehicles"

Externally, the Fiesta Freedom hints at the technological showcase that lies inside with a collection of styling accessories. It features 15" alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, front fog lights, a ‘Freedom’ badge on the tailgate and body-colouring for the bumpers, heated mirrors and tailgate handle. In addition, buyers receive remote central locking, remote tailgate release, electric front windows, a leather steering wheel with aluminium trim and silver trim for the dash. The package is available in the three or five-door bodystyles with 1.25-litre or 1.4-litre petrol power and prices start from £9,990. Only 2,500 Fiesta Freedom models are available and with a choice of 12 paint colours means that exclusivity is further enhanced. The engine choice is an interesting one with not as much as you might imagine between the 1.25 and 1.4-litre powerplants. They’re closely matched in terms of power with the smaller unit developing 75bhp and 79bhp from the 1.4. The 1.25-litre engine isn’t particularly quick with a 13.6s 0-60mph sprint and a 101mph top speed but the key number for many will be the 47mpg average economy. The 1.4 is £300 more expensive model for model but it’s quicker with a 12.3s sprint and a 104mph top speed. The engine also turns in a 45mpg average economy figure which is virtually as good as the 1.25 and the two engines are equally hard to split on CO2 emissions - 142 and 147g/km are the figures for the 1.25 and 1.4 respectively. The one you go for will depend on how highly you value the 1.4’s superior performance. As with the old-shape Fiesta, this car is a great handler – and it may well bring out the Colin McRae side to your character, assuming of course that you’ve got one. The steering’s great, the grip impressive and the body roll well controlled. That may sound irrelevant if all you want to do is tootle to the shops and back but should you ever be in an emergency, having a car that changes direction easily, controllably and predictably could just make the difference between having or avoiding an accident. While we’re on dynamic excellence, the ride is also very good, one of the things that makes this a small car you could quite happily use on longer journeys. To that end, the spacious cabin will be a boon. Though its not the largest in its class, you can (just about) seat five adults in reasonable comfort, thanks not only to the surprising width but also thanks to more knee-room at the rear than some cars from the next class up. There’s a good luggage capacity too (of 284 litres or 10 cubic feet) arranged in a shape to optimise usable volume for longer items like foldable baby buggies. Large rear doors and that impressive rear seat roominess mean that installing a child seat in the back won’t prove the usual Olympic challenge. Although the backrest of the rear seat is split for increased versatility, unfortunately the seat cushion itself isn’t. While we’re carping, it would also have been useful if someone at Ford had thought to include an interior boot release catch (though there is one on the key fob). Drop into the height-adjustable driver’s seat and you’ll be greeted with a dashboard that adopts many of the quality conventions of the Mondeo range, and that’s good news. For those who enjoy tracing the lineage of the design, the Mondeo’s interior designer was poached from Volkswagen – and it shows. It’s easy to see where cost has been excised from the Fiesta, competing as it does in a class where margins are utterly cut throat. Some of the fascia plastics could be nicer to the touch, there’s a lack of cupholders and storage spaces aren’t too prevalent. The Fiesta Freedom offers a great opportunity for technophile motorists to unclutter the inside of their vehicles and for those who don’t know our iPods from our elbows, it’s a relatively straightforward way to catch-up with the latest developments in one fell swoop. MP3, Bluetooth, satellite navigation and G3 Mobile technology in one automotive package, we could be talking about the latest executive saloon but this unassuming Fiesta is having a darn good go at democratising technology.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta Freedom special edition range PRICES: £9,990-£10,890 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 3-4 CO2 EMISSIONS: 142-147g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.4] 0-60mph 13.2s / Max Speed 104mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.4] (urban) 32.1mpg / (extra urban) 60.1mpg / (combined) 45.6mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's and passenger airbags, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3917/1800/1432mm

CLIMATE CHANGE
Ford’s Fiesta Zetec Climate now looks a good deal smarter. By Andy Enright

If Al Gore is to be believed, climate change is something we should be very serious about. An inconvenient truth, maybe, but an inescapable one nevertheless. Perhaps I should say largely inescapable because the Ford Fiesta Climate doesn’t really care what temperature it is outside. With standard climate control, it doesn’t matter whether Britain is basking in balmy Mediterranean heat. Set the dial to your desired temperature and you’ll be good to go.

This much you probably know already – the clue is in the car’s name after all. What might well be less obvious is that the Zetec Climate has undergone a brush-up to make it that much more attractive. This section of the supermini market is hotly contested and it’s worth remembering that the basic Fiesta shape has been with us since 2002. While customers might be seduced by fresher designs, Ford is keen to really sweeten the deal on Fiestas. So it is that this Zetec Climate now gets body-coloured powered and heated door mirrors, as well as body-coloured side mouldings, door and tailgate handles. These give the car a more upmarket look than standard-issue black plastic items and are complemented by a chromed front grille. Inside, there’s a silver dashboard bezel to brighten up the fascia a tad and there’s also a leather-trimmed steering wheel with aluminium detailing. Just these small changes give the car a much classier feel. For those who want to give a sportier impression, there’s also an optional Sport Pack that adds 16-inch seven-spoke alloy wheels and tinted privacy glass. Also available is a Technology Pack that includes automatic headlights and wipers, power folding door mirrors, stereo remote controls and a second remote key fob. The Fiesta Zetec Climate range, priced from £10,395, offers up few surprises but an impressive degree of choice. You can specify your car in the three or five-door body styles or even opt for the high-riding Fusion model that nobody can quite see the point of. Whichever option you ultimately pick, interior space is a definite strongpoint. In versions past, Ford’s supermini served up cattle class rear seating that would ask serious questions of anyone bar small children and national hunt jockeys. Now two proper adults can be accommodated with little fuss. There’s 268 litres of luggage space in the three-door Fiesta or 284 litres in the five-door and in each instance those volumes more than treble when you fold the rear seats down.

"The Zetec Climate range is the value pick of the Fiesta line up"

As regards engines, you have two entry-level petrol options - solid units, tightly priced and economical but which struggle to inject much verve into the substantial Fiesta package. The 1.25-litre entry-level option produces 74bhp and a 13.6s 0-60mph sprint but its major selling-point will be the 45.6mpg combined fuel consumption. The 79bhp 1.4-litre alternative can hit 60mph in 12.3s and returns 43.5mpg, so many will be inclined to find the required premium over the smaller alternative. The 1.4-litre TDCi has just 67bhp to call upon and a pedestrian 14.4s 0-60mph time but an outstanding 64.2mpg combined economy showing and a full 160Nm of torque at 2,000rpm mean that this unit has a muscular feel and a puny appetite. The 1.6-litre TDCi option has more torque still, more even than Ford’s 2.0-litre petrol unit, with 204Nm at 1,750rpm. Like the 1.4, it uses common-rail injection technology to produce a crushing surge of mid-range acceleration. 0-60mph in 11.2s doesn’t tell you the half of it and a 62.8mpg average makes this engine a first class all-rounder. There should be few complaints about the Fiesta’s handling whichever engine you choose. With accurate steering, one of the best gearboxes in the sector and plenty of grip, fun is always on the cards. All Fiestas get intelligent windscreen wipers, a CD stereo, central locking and Ford’s ‘Intelligent Protection System’. The plusher models get body-coloured door handles and mirrors with all Fiestas benefiting from a reasonable quota of safety equipment. Twin front airbags, ABS, seatbelt pretensioners and extensive impact protection are standard. The car also illuminates its hazard lights automatically during heavy braking. The Fiesta has come in for some criticism in the past over the quality of the materials used in its cabin but the current car has progressed on this score. There are more of the in vogue soft-touch surfaces but, happily, the uncomplicated layout and the durable feel remain. Nice touches include a digital display in the instrument cluster which gives the radio station name and other handy titbits that you’d otherwise have to divert your eyes from the road obtain. The volume on the stereo is speed sensitive so as wind, road and engine noise increase with your velocity so does the volume of your favourite song. The Ford Fiesta is a small car with real substance. Enjoyable to drive with good interior space, it’s well-equipped and has a genuine feeling of strength about its construction. Visually it isn’t the most exciting supermini you’ll encounter, although tweaks to the styling have refreshed things to some extent, and the smaller engines sometimes make hard work of things. The Fiesta may have been around in various forms since 1977 but the current one is bang up to date and worthy of its place amongst the UK’s supermini favourites. The Zetec Climate model is probably the best value of the mainstream trim levels, offering the essentials that keen drivers look for and a little more, without plumping up the price too steeply. If forced to pick favourites, my selection would be a 1.6-litre diesel but so good are the basic Fiesta underpinnings that there isn’t a duff choice amongst them.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta Zetec Climate range PRICES: £10,395-£12,595 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 3-6 CO2 EMISSIONS: 114-147g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.4 petrol] 0-60mph 13.2s / Max Speed 104mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.4 petrol] (urban) 32.1mpg / (extra urban) 60.1mpg / (combined) 45.6mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's and passenger airbags WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3917/1800/1432mm

TAKE THE STRAIN OUT OF SHIFTING
It’s Not Only City Dwellers Who Will Love Ford’s Fiesta 1.4 Durashift. This Is A Car With A More Versatile Sequential Manual Transmission. By Andy Enright

If you’re the average British driver, driving an average mileage on decidedly average UK roads, Ford estimate you’ll change gear approximately 200,000 times a year. Think about it. By rights, your left leg should be the size of a tree trunk. Which is why Ford’s latest Fiesta can be specified with the Durashift EST gearbox: a system that takes the effort out of changing gear without depriving the driver of that vital element of control.

Ask many drivers committed to manual gearboxes what they dislike most about a conventional automatic and it would probably be just that: the removal of that vital element of control. We’ve all driven poor automatics that change up halfway through corners, thus depriving us of grip. Either that or they’ll snick the next gear up as you start descending a hill, ensuring that you wear through brake pads at double the normal rate. Durashift EST is different. It’s a clutchless manual gearbox that retains all the control, performance, low cost and economy of a manual ‘box, along with the convenience and simplicity of an automatic. That’s Ford’s party line at least. This sort of gearbox isn’t particularly novel. The famous Ferrari F1, Alfa Romeo Selespeed and BMW SMG systems were all early examples of its ilk, but the Fiesta’s system runs headlong into more prosaic and slightly less well-known competitors. Direct rivals like the Renault Clio Quickshift and the Vauxhall Corsa Easytronic have made inroads into this market. In order to move the game forward, the Fiesta Durashift needed to bring something new to the table.

"The Durashift gearbox adds another string to the Fiesta’s formidable bow"

Priced from £11,195 and available as a £500 option on Fiesta Zetec Climate models fitted with the Duratec 1.4-litre 16v petrol engine, Durashift EST is an electromechanical adaptation of the Ford Fiesta five speed manual transmission with two distinct modes of operation – Auto Shift Mode (ASM) and Select Shift Mode (SSM). Three tiny electric motors take the place of the clutch pedal and the cables normally required by the clutch and shifting mechanisms. Two of these motors do the shifting work on the driver’s behalf and the third motor, supported by a hefty spring, actuates the clutch. So yes, despite there being no clutch pedal, you still get a clutch. If you go for the larger 1.6-litre engine, there’s the option of the Durashift Automatic, a conventional automatic gearbox. To engage the manual SSM mode, the driver merely has to move the lever from the ‘D’ position and tip the lever back to change up and forward to change down. Unlike most systems which can be a little jerky, the Fiesta Durashift is easy to flick smoothly up and down the gearbox, the engine even blipping instantaneously on downshifts to match the revs for you. The key difference between Durashift EST and many other sequential manual transmissions is the quality of the software in full automatic ASM mode. Drop the lever into ‘D’ and roll away and you’ll probably appreciate the syrupy smoothness, but there’s a whole lot of clever programming behind it. The Transmission Control Unit (TCU) is a box of tricks that gathers information from a number of sensors, analyses driving styles and communicates with the car’s main brain, the engine control unit (ECU). This allows the Durashift-equipped Fiesta to include a number of clever driving ‘strategies’. It has a downhill detection system that compares vehicle acceleration and driving torque. When the downhill mode is activated, the system reacts by forbidding upshifts below a certain engine speed. When the brakes are applied, the system downshifts to a lower gear ratio. Likewise, the system has strategies for driving uphill or when driving against resistance, for example when pulling a trailer. There’s a curve detection mode to prevent unwanted gearchanges midcorner and a ‘fast-off detection’ system that stops the gearbox upshifting if the driver’s foot flies rapidly off the accelerator – a typical response when he or she is unsure of the road ahead or about to hit the brakes. Like any automatic, there’s even a ‘creep’ function that eases the car forward when in ‘Dâ€