Special Offer detail

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

Many of us have grown up with Ford Fiestas. This car is an intrinsic part of modern small car motoring – it’s as simple as that. And the model we’re looking at here? Well, it’s the sixth generation version, which sold between 2002 and 2008. This car, more than any other Fiesta, represented the single biggest advance in the history of this iconic model line, fir the first time offering decent interior space as well as the car’s usual class-leading driving characteristics. Here’s how to bag a good one.

By 2002, without a major re-design in seven years, the Fiesta was beginning to be overtaken by more modern and more spacious rivals. In response, Ford took a radical approach, designing a car that notched back the sporting focus a little but which offered a good deal more rear seat space and luggage utility. There was a choice of three or five-door bodystyles, with buyers who wanted even more versatility being offered the option of the slightly larger Fusion model. Entry-level Fiestas had either 1.3 or feistier 1.25-litre petrol engines, both unremarkable, but better powerplants were to follow in 2004. Towards the end of that year, a revvy 150bhp 1.6-litre petrol unit was installed in the new hot hatch ST 3-door model, while an equally good 1.6-litre TDCi diesel represented the range pinnacle for 5-door buyers. Don’t worry if you can’t stretch to one of the post-2005 facelifted models. This was a cosmetic nip and tuck, with minor cosmetic changes inside and out. 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 MK5 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 the MK6 Fiesta, Ford were consciously out to make 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 MK5 model seem like one of those tiny citycars. You might assume all this to mean that this car is not as easy to park or as simple to thread through city streets as its predecessor. 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 MK3 (2000-2007) Mondeo range, and that’s good news. For those who enjoy tracing the lineage design, that 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 appreciated that the bits of the cars we physically touch most often lend the strongest impression of quality, and to this end 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, plus the sporty Zetec-S and ST variants. All MK6 Fiestas get intelligent windscreen wipers, a CD stereo, central locking and Ford’s ‘Intelligent Protection System’. The figures should stack up OK too, with low day-to-day running costs and reasonable projected residual values. A Durashift EST sequential manual transmission was 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.

All right so let’s work through what is a pretty short list. Let’s start with the gearbox. If you’ve opted for the Durashift automatic on a 1.4-litre model, there can be some problems with the clutch unit, so get it checked. On the move in all Fiestas, you want to listen for front suspension creaks over bumps which will indicate that the drop links have worn – a cheap thing to fix. Inside, check the seat catches in three-door cars, making sure both front seats tilt forward properly when you operate the catch. Look in the front passenger footwell too. If it’s damp, that could mean that the seals for the pollen filter aren’t properly fitted. Finally, make sure all the dashboard warning lights illuminate on start-up. They should all go out again but glowing ECU lamps with a loss of power are common, and expensive to fix. Otherwise, just make sure your prospective purchase has been properly serviced and that the tyres are in decent shape, plus 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.

Five petrol engines were offered at various times, a 67bhp 1.3, a 75bhp 1.25-litre powerplant, a 16-valve 79bhp 1.4 and a range-topping 1.6-litre 16-valve that’s good for either 99 or 150bhp. For those looking to squeeze a few more miles from their gallon, there’s a leisurely 67bhp 1.4-litre TDCi common-rail diesel that manages over 50mpg in normal use or a much feistier 90bhp 1.6-litre TDCi unit. On the road, this Fiesta isn’t as entertaining a steer as the previous generation model or the larger Focus, thanks to the fact that Ford’s bean counters blocked the inclusion of the larger car’s independent control blade suspension. Still, Ford’s knowhow in this respect is still good enough to lift this car clear of most of its rivals, something you’ll really feel at the wheel of the sportier models. The steering, for example, 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 and the national love affair with Fiesta motoring shows no sign of waning. 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. Jonathan Crouch reports

With 12 million Ford Fiestas already sold across the world, the latest model has a lot to live up to and it’s been carefully designed to succeed. It’s lighter, yet stiffer, greener and cheaper to run. It’s also safer and better to drive even than the Mazda2 supermini with which it shares a common platform. This car represents Ford’s future – in more ways than one.

Ford’s Fiesta lineage goes back to 1976 but over all those years, one thing has remained constant. This 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. So, climb in: what’s the experience like? Well, the first thing that you’ll probably notice is that there’s nowhere to put your key, Ford having switched to one of those trendy (but rather pointless) ‘Power’ buttons which you press to start. It’s easier to get comfortable at the wheel than it was in the old car thanks to the improved seating and rake/reach wheel adjustment. Peace of mind comes with the news that this is the first Ford small car to feature a driver’s knee airbag, along with side airbags and optional curtain airbags. On the road, your experience should be that the car has a more solid feel, despite the fact that it’s 40kgs lighter. 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, the feeling no longer being as if you were at the wheel of a PlayStation. We particularly liked the ‘Stall Prevention’ feature, designed to help in low speed manoeuvres by altering the engine’s ignition profile and preventing that embarrassing stalling moment when there’s a queue of traffic behind you.

"If you go by the maxim that if something looks right, it is right, then you’ll probably like the latest Fiesta"

Engine choices start with the familiar 60PS 1.25 and 90PS 1.4-litre Duratec petrol units. Also carried over is the old, frugal if rather leisurely 68PS 1.4-litre TDCi. Above this level, things start to get a bit more interesting. Ford have been doing a bit of work on the old model’s 90PS 1.6-litre TDCi Duratorq engine with the result that you can now order it in ECOnetic form in which it emits just 99g/km of CO2, making it exempt from UK road fund duty. Other superminis look like lumbering 4x4s in comparison. At the other end of the scale, Ford is keen to reassure driving enthusiasts that it hasn’t forgotten them either, with the introduction of a 120PS 1.6-litre T-VCT petrol powerplant that makes 60mph in 9.9s, used in plusher models that include the sporty Zetec-S. 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, with details such as sleek, wraparound headlamps, bold, pronounced wheelarch lips and a strong bodyside beltline to create a dynamic look, even when the car’s stationary. 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 ‘mobile ‘phone-inspired’ Convers+ infotainment system is also offered. There’s reasonable, if not outstanding, stowage space, the boot capable of swallowing 295 litres, and ingenious storage areas abound throughout the cabin, including charging points for mobile ‘phones and MP3 players. Prices range between £8,695 and £12,095. Trim levels start with Studio, rising through Style and Style+ to the low running cost-ECOnetic model. Zetec, as before, is expecting to be popular, likely to account for around 35% of sales, while sporty drivers get the 3-door-only Zetec-S, offered either with 1.6-litre TDCi diesel power or the 1.6-litre Duratec Ti-VCT petrol unit. At the top of the range, Titanium variants are specced up like Christmas trees but retail at the kind of money which would buy you a significantly larger car. Less, as so often, is more. Anyway, even entry-level Fiestas come with ABS, front, side and knee airbags, a CD player, central locking and electric mirrors. There are nice touches too: we particularly liked the EasyFuel cap-less refuelling. The Ford Fiesta has garnered a reputation for being one of the cheapest superminis to run and this continues. Ford reckons that the improvements in efficiency made across the range will save owners of 1.4 TDCi models, as just one example, around a thankful of fuel a year (45 litres over 9,300 miles). Insurance premiums and repair costs have been kept low by an intelligent approach to manufacturing. Bake-hardened steel on the front wings, for example, offers better resistance to low speed bumps and scrapes, though the plastic approach favoured by other makers seems a better solution. Headlamps and tail lamps are positioned high, away from potential impacts, while specially shaped ‘crash cans’ are designed as sacrificial parts, collapsing predictably in an impact to prevent more extensive damage and higher repair costs. The crucial pence per mile costs of typical models are very similar to those of equivalent Vauxhall Corsa and Renault Clio rivals, the exception of course being the super-green ECOnetic version which, aside from its headline-grabbing sub-100g/km CO2 figure, returns a highly impressive 61.4mpg fuel figure around town, a superb 76.3mpg figure on the combined cycle and an astonishing 88.3mpg on the open road. The ECOnetic variant is also the cheapest way into 1.6 TDCi Fiesta motoring: what’s not to like? This Fiesta may not be the largest car in the supermini sector but on just about every other main criteria, it’s either up there or class-leading, which makes a change from the relative mediocrity of the previous generation model. It at last has cutting edge looks and a decent cabin, plus the ECOnetic version shows other makers how green a compact yet practical runabout like this can be. Overall, a pragmatic mix between tried and tested elements that are cost effective and shiny new details that gel extremely well. Small car buyers simply can’t ignore this car.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta range PRICES: £8,695-£12,095 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 1-6 CO2 EMISSIONS: 99-154g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.6 Ti-VCT petrol] 0-60mph 9.9s / Max Speed 120mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.6 TDCI ECOnetic] (urban) 61.4mpg / (extra urban) 88.3mpg / (combined) 76.3mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front & side airbags, driver’s knee airbag, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 3950/1973/1481

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

BUSINESS AND PLEASURE
The Ford Fiesta Sportvan has all the capabilities of a light commercial vehicle with hothatch good looks. Matt Low reports

Based on the Fiesta hatchback, the Fiesta van is one of the most compact commercial vehicles available on the market and this Sportvan version is even better. Thanks to its distinctive styling, sporty handling and an increased payload, it could well be the perfect mixture of business and pleasure.

The premise of the Ford Fiesta Sportvan is a simple one. Ford have taken their Fiesta Van and given it a sporty makeover. The result is a light commercial vehicle that’s ideal for drivers who want to get about town in a compact van that’s fun to drive and looks good. It’s sure to turn some heads with its stylish bodykit but at the same time it’s a practical vehicle that offers a generous amount of load space for the driver who doesn’t need quite as much space as is offered by a bigger van like the Ford Transit Connect. The concepts of sport and vans don’t usually go hand in hand but the marketeers at Ford have successfully married the two in putting together this vehicle. Underneath the bonnet the Fiesta Sportvan is powered by a 1.6-litre Duratorq DCTi diesel engine. Delivering 88bhp, the unit doesn’t quite live up to its sporty name but with a maximum torque of 240Nm there’s plenty of oomph. The 0 to 60 dash is covered in 11 seconds on the way to a top speed of 110mph. On bendy roads it feel almost the same to drive as the Fiesta hatchback and none of the original car’s firm but controlled ride is lost. The Duratorq unit returns an impressive 64mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions are kept down to 116g/km. The steering is direct and the vehicle feels well planted on the road with plenty of grip which comes in handy if you’re driving across building-site terrain. One shortcoming is the large amount of noise you get from the back when sat in the cabin but it’s nothing your average driver shouldn’t be able to put up with.

"Ford have taken their Fiesta Van and given it a sporty makeover…."

The rear load area has a 1.013 cubic-metre load capacity and an impressive payload of 543kg. It can swallow objects up to 1,320mm in length and there’s plenty of grippy rubber matting to ensure that objects don’t slip around while you’re in transit. This can be removed for hosing out. Two hooks are attached behind the rear bootlid sill and there are two more plastic hooks on the roof. In the front, there’s loads of space for the driver and a passenger and there are convenient storage spaces dotted around the cabin for various bits and pieces. As you’d expect from a Ford the build quality feels good and it appears well-made. The acid test will come with time as the Sportvan will have to put up with much more usage and abusage than a regular Fiesta hatchback. The load area is separated from the cabin by a metal guard but an upper mesh guard is available for a premium of £100. Although small, the Sportvan’s payload of 543kg and load length of 1,320mm mean that your average tradesmen or small business should find a lot of use for it. It’s a lot easier to manoeuvre about urban settings and in the cabin you’ll experience a lot more comfort than you would in a more conventional van. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are kept low, so running costs are also going to be favourable in terms of tax and diesel. Over a traditional Fiesta van, the Sportvan adds 16-inch twelve-spoke sports alloy wheels, sporty front seats, electrically operated front windows, a Model 6000 RDS radio and CD player, sport-style front fog lights, a leather-covered steering wheel with silver-finished spokes, a leather-covered gearknob, satin silver gaiter ring, remote central double locking and a trip computer. Pretty stylish for a commercial vehicle. Continuing the sports theme, it also includes a body-coloured sports ‘aero’ kit with a high-intake front grille, rear bumper and rear spoiler. It’s available in a range of vibrant colours, including Colorado Red, Panther Black, Moondust Silver and Diamond White. When you’re sat in the cabin it can be easy to forget you’re in a commercial vehicle. As well as all this extra kit you get the usual features that are standard across the Fiesta van range. These include driver and passenger airbags, seatbelts with grabbers, pre-tensioners and height-adjustable mounts, home safe headlights which stay on for a short while after locking the vehicle up so you can find your way in the dark, anti-lock braking system with electronic brake-force distribution, remote central/double locking and Ford’s Passive Anti-Theft System with engine immobiliser. Side airbags are an optional extra. The Fiesta Sportvan is a great performer, fun to look at and even more fun to drive. With its sporty, stylish look, it’s probably going to do well among tradesmen and small businesses that want to stand out but it’s also a serious light commercial vehicle with a good amount of load space and practicality for a vehicle of its size. For the money, it probably should come better equipped, but apart from that it’s an ideal small-load lugger and when you’re inside it’s easy to forget you’re even driving a commercial vehicle, such is the comfort and style in the cabin Couple all this with the fact it’s not gong to cost much to drive and it’s a perfect combination of great driving performance, style, functionality and practicality.

Facts At A Glance VAN: Ford Fiesta Sportvan ENGINES: 110bhp 1.6-Litre DCTi Duratorq diesel PAYLOADS: 543kg LOAD VOLUME: (cu. m) 1.013 WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3917/1683/1467mm

WATCHING THE ZETECTIVES
Ford’s Zetec-S Fiesta looks to capitalise on the sharp dynamics of the standard car. Steve Walker reports.

The market is constantly edging forward but at the moment and for the foreseeable future, it’s probably safe to assume that around 200bhp is the requisite amount of power for a proper thoroughbred hot hatch. With 150bhp, a supermini is in warm hatch territory but where does that leave the 119bhp Ford Fiesta Zetec S? Ford is relying on this model to come up trumps against the zillions of other sporty flavoured superminis on the market but in terms of outright grunt, it looks a little underdone. Surely there’s more to the Blue Oval’s offering than that.

This is Ford we’re talking about and the marque didn’t conjure its reputation for great fast small cars out of thin air. The Zetec-S brand may only trail-in a creditable third behind Ford’s ST and the fabled RS model designations in the potency stakes but bronze medals in that glittering company are definitely keepers. There’s no doubt that the power the Zetec-S is generating places it alongside some pretty mediocre supermini fare but this is a car that prioritises guile over brute force. The petrol engine responsible for the power supply in the Fiesta Zetec-S is a clever 1.6-litre variable valve timing unit called the 1.6 Ti-VCT. It manages without the assistance of a turbocharger despite its suggestive T-studded title. Peak power hits at 4,000rpm but there’s quite a bit going on from around 2,500rpm helping make flexibility a strong suit. The engine responds sharply to tweaks of the throttle and should you give it everything, the 0-60mph sprint is over and done with in 9.9s. The Zetec-S never feels massively fast in a straight line but even a brief stint in it should be enough to dispel the idea that power is the major determiner of fun in a small hatch. Flowing down a twisty road on its sports suspension, the Zetec-S Fiesta works a treat. The variable power-assisted steering weights up with speed, instilling confidence, the car a model of pert agility. It takes some quite boneheaded driving to unsettle it at which point, a sensible amount of wheel slippage is allowed before the stability control safety net is unfurled.

"There are plenty of more powerful superminis than the Fiesta Zetec-S but those that are more enjoyable to drive are a rare breed indeed."

The Zetec-S never feels less than safe and predictable, the power is deployed without a hint of fuss and grip is plentiful. When you’re not in fun mode, the ride isn’t too firm and the suspension copes very well with surface blips as well as undulations and peculiar cambers. The 1.6-litre engine is loud at motorway cruising speeds but general refinement is not a problem. At low speeds, the steering becomes super light allowing you to twirl through tight turns, the engine profile is even changed making it more difficult to stall the car. Rear visibility in this three door-only model is hampered by the thick C pillars and rising belt line but most will happily crane their necks a little in the knowledge that passers by will be doing likewise in a bid to take in the car’s dynamic styling. The Fiesta is quite a dramatic thing to clap eyes on. Ford’s ‘Kinetic’ design themes as seen on the Mondeo, S-MAX, Focus and others are put to work again but the signature features seem to gain cohesion in closer proximity on a smaller car. The eye is led along the creases, across the cutaway surfaces and the multi-angular effect is highly dynamic in total. That’s just the basic design. The Zetec-S model tags on a substantial rear spoiler, a body kit and 16" alloy wheels but the result is well integrated and doesn’t prove too intrusive on the essential look of the car. The interior reprises the edgy and angular themes of the outside, the fascia contrasting soft-touch materials with hard silvery plastics. The car feels modern and is very nicely executed in terms of quality with a pronounced modern feel. Living with a Fiesta Zetec-S is likely to call for fewer compromises than you’d imagine with a small sporty hatch. In profile a striking wedge shape is revealed with the lower edge of the side windows lifting towards the rear as the roofline falls away. This doesn’t bode well for the rear seat passengers in the three-door car but the Fiesta surprises with decent legroom and headroom that’s manageable even for a six-footer. The windows are small and set high up so light isn’t abundant in the back but the shopping bags, coats and road atlases that owners will store there most of the time won’t be overly worried. The front seats are the place to be and particularly the driver’s one which has an unusually wide range of adjustment through which a great driving position can be obtained by almost anyone. The controls look futuristic but are remarkably easy to grasp with a sensible distance kept between the ventilation buttons and those that govern the entertainment system. The Zetec-S trim level resides in the upper echalons of the Fiesta range and comes with a nice package of equipment thrown in. You get the usual air-conditioning, entertainment system trip computer plus some unexpected ones like the remote ignition and entry system, the quickclear heated windscreen and a perimeter alarm. The trim level is offered in three-door form only with a choice of the 1.6-litre petrol engine or an 89bhp diesel of the same size. The entertainment system is particularly noteworthy featuring a USB input and a feature that will access the music on your player or USB device and display it in a menu on the car’s central screen ready to play. Being as easy to operate as a pay phone used to be held up as the gold standard for a vehicle control interface but Ford prides itself on the Fiesta being as simple as a mobile phone. The various audio and telephony controls are designed to mimic the operation of a mobile phone’s menu systems which are second nature to the twentysomthing target market for the car. They work well enough with practice but if you still can’t send a text, this may not be the vehicle for you. The up side of any perceived lack of power in the 1.6-litre petrol Fiesta Zetec-S is economy that will out-muscle the majority of sporty superminis. 47mpg is very good going for a model that serves up fun of this magnitude as are 139g/km emissions. This Mk 6 version of the Fiesta is actually 40kg lighter than the Mk 5 and that weight saving along with the advanced engine technology has a big impact on fuel consumption. There are plenty of more powerful superminis than the Fiesta Zetec-S but those that are more enjoyable to drive are a rare breed indeed. There’s no doubt that the Fiesta’s chassis rigidity and poise on the road will see it thrive in more power-packed forms but let’s not get greedy. Ford is content to let other manufacturers cling to their superior bhp ratings. When the battle moves from the technical spec sheet to the tarmac, the Fiesta will be quick to claim the upper hand. As a package of looks, handling and practicality, there’s little to touch the 1.6-litre Zetec-S Fiesta at this price. There will always be those who want more power but Ford has struck a nice balance between pace and affordability in this mainstream sporty supermini.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta Zetec-S PRICES: £8,695-£12,095 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 8 [est] CO2 EMISSIONS: [1.6 Ti-VCT] 139g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.6 Ti-VCT] 0-60mph 9.9s / Max Speed 120mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.6 Ti-VCT ] (combined) 47mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front & side airbags, driver’s knee airbag, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 3950/1973/1481

OIL’S WELL
The 1.6 TDCi engine is asked to fulfil divergent roles in the latest Ford Fiesta but is it up the challenge? Steve Walker reports

The key strength of the 1.6-litre TDCi diesel engine in Ford’s Fiesta is its fuel economy with 67mpg possible in the standard car and 76mpg in the ECOnetic version. The rest of the Fiesta package is outstanding with an involving driving experience and striking looks being the standout qualities.

Modern superminis need to speak to a broad section of the motoring populace. No other model classification pitches itself more directly into the car market’s mainstream and in order to succeed, a wide range of engines and trim levels is an absolute must. Ford’s Fiesta fits the bill with a diverse line-up of trim levels giving rise to derivatives that prioritise luxury, sportiness and economy. What’s unusual is that the 1.6-litre TDCi diesel engine is offered with all of them. This diesel engine looks to have its work cut out. Successfully providing the power for the Fiesta’s most economical model while also doing the business in its sportiest and most luxurious guises seems an impossible mission but Ford’s engineers obviously think it’s up to the task. The acid test will be whether or not the car buying public concurs. We’re concentrating on Ford’s 1.6-litre TDCi Duratorq common-rail diesel engine here. It develops 89bhp at 4,000rpm and 204Nm maximum torque at 1,750rpm. Performance isn’t blistering with 11.9 seconds needed to cover the 0-62mph sprint and the car topping out at 109mph. What you do get is relatively strong mid-range pulling power where the engine’s torque is on song. Is this a unit you’d go out of your way to install in your sporty supermini? Probably not, but the latest Fiesta is such a slick piece of engineering that it largely masks the deficiency in outright pace with its poise and fluency on the road. This is a fine handling car with its variable power assisted steering providing weighty reassurance at speed and a light touch when manoeuvring. The suspension absorbs bumps expertly and the firmer set-up in the Zetec-S model makes for a really lively drive without damaging ride comfort. On start-up, the 1.6-litre TDCi grumbles a little vociferously but get some heat in to the engine and it quietens down. It’s still not the most refined diesel of its size and it doesn’t respond as readily as it could do to the throttle but given the power that’s available, it does a good job. The Fiesta provides a huge degree of adjustment in its driving position and even lankier individuals will be able to get comfortable behind the wheel. The gearchange is a fraction rubbery but very positive in its action and pleasant to use. Forward visibility is fine but the small rear window and thick C-pillars can present a problem when reversing.

"The driving experience sets the standard in this competitive sector…."

All Fiestas share Ford’s ‘Kinetic’ design. Themes as seen on the Mondeo, S-MAX, Focus and others are put to work again but the signature features seem to gain cohesion in closer proximity on a smaller car. The eye is led along the creases, across the cutaway surfaces and the multi-angular effect is highly dynamic in total. The sporty Zetec-S model tags on a substantial rear spoiler, a body kit and 16" alloy wheels while the Titanium adds chrome detailing for the exterior and some classier trim materials inside. The economical ECOnetic has its own look with lowered suspension and aerodynamic tweaks but the same wedgy appeal is common across the range. The interior reprises the edgy and angular themes of the outside, the fascia contrasting soft-touch materials with hard silvery plastics. The car feels modern and is very nicely executed in terms of quality with a pronounced modern feel. The wedge-effect of the Fiesta in profile doesn’t bode well for the rear seat passengers in the three-door car but the Fiesta surprises with decent legroom and headroom that’s manageable even for a six-footer. The windows are small and set high up, so light isn’t abundant in the back but the shopping bags, coats and road atlases that owners will store there most of the time won’t be overly worried. The five door models fair better with a bigger glass area creating a roomier feel and all derivatives share the same easily navigable control system for their various electronic functions. The 89bhp 1.6 TDCi Fiestas present a wide array of choice, the engine being offered in economical ECOnetic guise as well as with Zetec, Zetec-S or plush Titanium trim. Zetec is the affordable sporty option with this engine and is predicted to account for fully 35% of total Fiesta sales. It comes with 15" alloy wheels, front fog lights, a chrome grille and a mild body kit as well as the CD stereo, central locking and electric windows you get on all models. It also gets the excellent Quickclear heated windscreen. The Zetec-S models miss out on the heated windscreen but add bigger alloys, sports suspension and a more aggressive body kit. Pick a Titanium and there’s a generally more luxurious feel with climate control, cruise control, automatic headlamps and automatic wipers while the ECOnetic simply concentrates on maximising fuel economy and wider costs through a number of clever modifications. 89bhp might not fire the imagination of performance nuts but the flipside is some pretty spectacular economy from the 1.6 TDCi. Even in standard guise, the engine can return 67.3mpg with 110g/km which, you might think, doesn’t really give the ECOnetic version anywhere to go. You’d be wrong because with its enhanced aerodynamics, low rolling resistance tyres and unique engine calibration, the Fiesta ECOnetic can return an outstanding 76.3mpg on the combined cycle with 99g/km emissions of CO2. The environmental performance of the Fiesta is aided across the board by the fact that despite being larger and feeling more substantial than the previous generation car, this model is actually 40kg lighter. This was achieved through a painstaking process where tiny amounts of weight were shaved from each individual part in turn to produce this significant overall saving. Can the 1.6 TDCi diesel engine stretch its 89bhp power output to do a worthwhile job in the diverse range of Ford Fiesta models it must serve? Available in the efficient ECOnetic model, sporty Zetec forms and as a luxurious Titanium, the engine looks to have been spread fairly thinly by the Blue Oval’s product planners. In reality, it does sterling work in the super efficient ECOnetic and makes a fine choice in the Titanium. The Zetec-S models do expose the TDCi engine’s lack of power but overall, the Fiesta package is so enjoyable from a driver’s perspective that you feel it could still raise a smile with a lawnmower engine plumbed in. The 1.6 TDCi Fiestas don’t set new standards in terms of refinement and performance is quite modest but in most other respects, they are outstanding cars. Spacious, well-built and innovatively designed, they give rival superminis something to think about, while the driving experience sets the standard in this competitive sector.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta 1.6 TDCi 90 PRICES: £8,695-£12,095 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 6 [est] CO2 EMISSIONS: 110g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 9.9s / Max Speed 120mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 67.3mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front & side airbags, driver’s knee airbag, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 3950/1973/1481

CLEAN GREEN & MEAN
Ford’s Fiesta ECOnetic sets new standards for emissions and fuel economy amongst small cars. Jonathan Crouch reports

No other small car can match Ford’s Fiesta ECOnetic when it comes to green credentials and low running costs. The headline figures are a CO2 showing of just 98g/km and a combined fuel economy figure of 76.3mpg. It’s all enough to make a mockery of some other makers’ ‘eco’ model efforts.

Ford may not have been first on the eco motoring bandwagon but they’re certainly pushing it forward now. This Fiesta ECOnetic represents the summit of their achievements in this respect, the company already having delivered on its promise to bring us a sub-140 g/km Ford Mondeo and a sub-120 g/km Ford Focus. Now, we’ve a sub-100 g/km Ford Fiesta. These models are designed to provide a compelling choice for consumers who are increasingly concerned about CO2 emissions.  One of the key reasons behind this Fiesta’s outstanding fuel economy actually lies in the fitment of a feature you’ll find on all current Fiestas, Ford’s clever electric power steering system, EPAS. Going this route was one the engineers were loath to take: many previous electric systems after all, had a reputation for giving back all the driver feel of a PlayStation and it was important that this car retained its reputation as the enthusiast’s choice in the supermini class. Ford though, were confident that they could do better – and in any case they needed to. Achieving the sub-100g/km target set for variants like the ECOnetic would require the kind of fuel-saving assistance offered by the electric steering concept. Moreover, it was clear from customer feedback that the heavy steering feel of the old Fiesta’s traditional hydraulic power-assist system when parking and around town could not be repeated. The EPAS system delivers its fuel savings by operating only when steering assistance is required and deactivating when not, thereby reducing the power it consumes from the engine and the fuel it requires. This compares favourably to a traditional hydraulic pump, which operates continuously once the car’s ignition is engaged. As for steering feel, well 50,000kms of development road work went into making sure that the set-up offered a new standard for steering systems of this type. The result on the move isn’t perfect but it will satisfy most potential buyers, who’ll like the direct feel, the way the system copes with road camber changes and the tighter 10.2 metre turning circle. 

"The Fiesta ECOnetic sets a new standard for small car running costs…"

So how exactly has Ford been able to steal such a march on rivals, nearly all of whom claim to be able to sell us ‘green’ versions of their small cars? Probably, the short answer is that the Blue Oval has made a bit more of an effort. Other makers do little more than fit a set of skinny tyres and throw in some low viscosity oil to create their ‘eco’ models. Ford go a little further. There’s a lower ride height for example, the Fiesta ECOnetic borrowing the sporty Zetec S model’s lower suspension, which improves aerodynamic efficiency. There are aerodynamic improvements too with wheel deflectors and aerodynamic wheel covers. The EPAS fuel saving power steering system plays its part. And of course there are the inevitable fuel-saving low-rolling-resistance tyres in economical 175/65R14 profile Otherwise, it’s the usual seventh generation Fiesta package. The trendy ‘kinetic’ styling creates a dynamic look, even when the car’s stationary. That’s not a recipe for class-leading interior space – and so it proves – but what’s on offer should be quite adequate for most. There’s reasonable, if not outstanding, stowage space, the boot capable of swallowing 295 litres (or 979 litres with the seats folded) and ingenious storage areas abound throughout the cabin, including charging points for mobile ‘phones and MP3 players. Ford is still dipping its toe in the water with the whole ECOnetic thing, so doesn’t offer a wide range of trim choices. Basically, there’s one engine, one spec and the choice of either three or five doors – that’s it. In case you’re wondering about the premium for an ECOnetic model over a standard 1.6 TDCi Fiesta, the ECOnetic model is actually the cheapest way into this engine (with a normal Zetec 1.6 TDCi costing around £800 more). As you’d expect for around £12,000, equipment-wise, all the basics are there. That means ABS, power steering, electric windows, an immobiliser, front, side and knee airbags, a CD player, central locking and electric mirrors. There are nice touches too: we particularly liked the EasyFuel cap-less refuelling. The ECOnetic Fiesta comes only with one engine choice. You won’t be shocked to learn that it’s a diesel but you might be surprised to find that it’s the more powerful of the two units that Ford offers with this car. Under the bonnet lies a specially calibrated version of the 1.6-litre, 89bhp Duratorq TDCi engine featuring a complicated longer final-drive-ratio that I won’t trouble you with. What’s more important is that’s achievable at the pumps. Not only that headline-grabbing 76.mpg combined fuel economy figure but also a highly impressive 61.4mpg fuel figure around town and an astonishing 88.3mpg on the open road. As for that 98g/km CO2 emissions figure, well it’s worth repeating, 10% better than the already impressive emissions level of the mainstream Duratorq TDCi Fiesta engine range. For reference, an ordinary Fiesta 1.6 TDCi manages 110g/km and a combined fuel figure of 67.3mpg. A no-maintenance, coated Diesel Particulate Filter (c-DPF) is fitted, designed to regenerate automatically during normal driving conditions. We’ve heard stories in other cars of DPFs clogging up during prolonged urban use, so bear that in mind if you’re not able to blow the cobwebs out on a dual carriageway every so often. The Fiesta ECOnetic sets a new standard for small car running costs, it’s as simple as that. It’s astonishing that such a relatively simple package of improvements can have such a profound overall effect. With the new standard set, it’ll be interesting to see how long it takes the opposition to catch up.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Fiesta ECOnetic PRICES: £11,845-£12,445 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 4 CO2 EMISSIONS: 98g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 11.9s / Max Speed 109mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 61.4mpg / (extra urban) 88.3mpg / (combined) 76.3mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front & side airbags, driver’s knee airbag, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm [5dr] 3958/1722/1481

COMMERCIAL SENSE
Ford’s Fiesta van looks to have the right stuff. Steve Walker reports.

The Fiesta van got off to a great start in life in being based on the Ford Fiesta supermini. The carrying capacity isn’t huge but its driving experience, design and build quality will set new standards for the sector.

You’d think it was a simple matter of commonsense, so why don’t more manufacturers do it? By far and away the simplest route to creating a class leading small car-derived van is to start with a class leading small car. The answer, of course, is that models which reign supreme in their particular sectors of the market are not all that easy to come by. There’s the little matter of the multi-million pound development budgets and the years of painstaking work by egghead engineers. No, a genuinely first rate little commercial vehicle is actually a tough thing to conjure up - unless you happen to have a surfeit of world-beating automotive product lying around like Ford. Having done the hard work in creating the latest Fiesta, the boys at the Blue Oval weren’t above tearing out the back seats to bring us the Fiesta van. The Fiesta van enters the supermini-derived van market and goes head to head with van versions of many of the same models its passenger car sibling must battle. The Fiesta van follows the same basic recipe as the Clio van from Renault, the Corsavan from Vauxhall and the 207 van from Peugeot in that it sacrifices its rear seats and windows in favour of a flat load bay in which businesses with minimal load carrying requirements can stow their wares. There’s a choice of engines available and while diesel has become an automatic selection for commercial vehicle customers in the UK, the entry-level petrol model should not be discounted out of hand. It’s a 1.25-litre 80bhp engine that’s served in various versions of the Fiesta for many years. Those covering smaller mileages might find it a more cost effective option even if the diesels are likely to be more satisfying to drive. Speaking of diesels, the Fiesta van can be ordered with either a 1.4-litre 67bhp TDCi unit or a 1.6-litre TDCi with 89bhp and a particulate filter. Both are common-rail injection powerplants that have been tried and tested in numerous other Ford models and with a combined economy figure of 67mpg from the smaller unit, they’re likely to go down a storm.

"Ford knows exactly how to build a class-leading supermini-derived van…"

A key component of the Fiesta passenger car’s makeup is its enjoyable driving dynamics and the van version inherits these. Expect lively handling and first rate manoeuvrability married to a more comfortable ride than owners of the previous generation Fiesta van will have experienced. The steering system itself is Ford’s EPAS electric power assisted set-up and it gives good levels of feel with just the right level of assistance. Running costs are always of great interest to business users and they’re essential reading for fleet managers who see slight differences in these figures compounded over a whole fleet. The Fiesta van has lengthy service intervals and the option of either a 12-month/unlimited mileage warranty or a 3-year/60,000-mile dose of Ford Protection Plan – though a long trawl through the small print might be needed before you can identify the one that best suits you. A 12-year anti-perforation guarantee goes a long way to reassure buyers of Ford’s faith in their product’s capacity not to fall foul of Mr rust and if all goes to plan, the 1-year breakdown cover will be surplus to requirements. When it comes to insurance, the Fiesta van performs admirably: its 1E grouping is about as low as you can go. To create the van version of the Fiesta, the rear side windows have been panelled over and the back seats are removed to create a flat load box. Operators can expect around a cubic meter of load volume and a 1.3m load length which isn’t much but the space will be easily accessible through the Fiesta’s wide tailgate. The styling of the Fiesta will win it many admirers and operators looking for a compact van that will cut a dash on the city streets will like the wedge-shaped front end as well as the curvy rear. The cabin is similarly avant-garde in its design with a control interface based around that of a mobile phone and a clever choice of quality materials. Safety is another Fiesta van strongpoint and all the models have ABS brakes with brakeforce distribution. The optional ESP system gives you EBA brake assist as well and many operators will deem this worth specifying. Another innovation that will appeal in the commercial world is Ford’s Easy Fuel capless refuelling system. This prevents ‘mis-fueling’, or the costly practice of putting diesel in a petrol powered vehicle and visa versa, by preventing the wrong type of fuel pump nozzle from fitting down the filler neck. Ford knows exactly how to build a class-leading supermini-derived van and as luck would have it, the vital ingredient of a class-leading supermini has been readily available to the marque down the years. The latest Fiesta van has all the key ingredients to succeed and it should put the wind up its rivals in fine style.

Facts At A Glance VAN: Ford Fiesta Van ENGINES: 1.25-litre petrol, 1.4-litre TDCi diesel, 1.6-litre TDCI diesel. PAYLOAD: 200kg [est] LOAD VOLUME: (cu. m) 1.0 [est] WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 3950/1973/1481 [est]

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