- Select the model range below to read a review.
- Ford KA style
- Ford Ka Range
- Ford Ka 1.3 TDCi
- Ford Luxury KA
- Ford Ka Range
- Ford Sport KA
- Ford Ka Two-Tone
SELF-STYLED SOPHISTICATE
Ford’s Ka Style Is An Affordable Way To Buy Into The Car That’s Still One Of The Most Chic Urban Scoots. Andy Enright Reports
If a car manufacturer described their product as being as popular as the Conservative Party, you may well think it’s somewhat less than sought after. Indeed, cornering 32% of the vote is something the Tories and the Ford Ka have in common. Where the citycar and political arenas diverge is that this sort of market share represents something of a landslide for Ford’s baby, the swingometer sending it rocketing not into Number 10 but the Number 1 spot. With variants like the Ka Style model, it looks set to continue its success for a while yet.
If history has taught us anything about modern Fords, it is that we take a while to be fully convinced of their merits. Some models, like the Cougar and the Scorpio never get past the initial stage of customer scepticism whilst others like the Puma and Focus we warmed to reasonably quickly, if only because there was either no predecessor or the forerunner had long since seen its best days. Remember how slow we were to adopt the Sierra? The Ka was the same, the ‘New Edge’ styling coming as something of a shock to the system back in 1996.
Indeed, Ford have been clever with the Ka’s product development. Just as the Sierra’s styling was made less extreme to meet more tolerant public perceptions halfway, the Ka has had some of its more exuberant styling touches throttled back a little. The Ka Style, which retails at £7,395, is prima facie evidence of this mellowing with age. One of the first things you notice about Ford’s first Ka models, apart from that inflated origami shape, were the hugely emphasised grey body mouldings above the wheels. Great expanses of rhino-toned tupperware may have appealed to those with a yen for smart industrial design, but the majority of citycar buyers yearned for something a little more, well, conservative.
"It’s only been since the introduction of the Toyota Yaris into the citycar sector that the Ka has had any meaningful rivalry in terms of sheer fun."
So it was that Ford introduced the Collection model with its body coloured mouldings. The Ka Style follows this theme, and matures the Ka’s styling significantly. The lines have worn well and this has resulted in an impressively durable A-list shelf life for the Blue Oval’s baby. Can you think of any other new car that retails for around £7,000 that can cut the mustard in the urban style stakes? Bringing that level of sophistication to such a small car has been Ford’s greatest achievement with the Ka, and the Style moniker is therefore no empty boast. Would we accept a Hyundai Amica Style? Case dismissed.
With the Ka Range now starting at just £7,095, the Ka Style’s £300 premium buys exactly what? Well, apart from those body coloured bumpers and a CD player, you also get electric windows, central locking and a remote tailgate release. Plus the option (in the ‘Climate’ version) of air conditioning. That will be enough for many, although there are some subtle differences in upholstery choices. In truth, air conditioning is nigh on compulsory for civilised progress in the urban hurly-burly, especially when the humidity level creeps upwards. Sweat-stained shirts aren’t anybody’s idea of this year’s look and you’ll need to delve into the options list for this.
This is all on top of the standard Ka specification which runs to power steering, ABS, a driver’s airbag, rear wash/wipe, tinted glass and a height adjustable driver’s seat. Meanwhile, to ensure nobody makes off with your pride and joy, there are high security door locks and a Safeguard immobiliser. If all this kit isn’t enough, you can also specify any of a selection of extras at an additional cost. These include alloy wheels, an electric sunroof and a passenger airbag.
Under the bonnet, the Endura-E 1.3-litre engine is the same as that you'd find in an entry-level Fiesta. Even though it was freshened up for use in the Ka, this old-fashioned 1.3-litre powerplant is hardly the last word in engine design. It runs out of puff very soon after you begin to rev it and takes 13.8 seconds to reach 60mph on the way to 96mph. One consolation is that you’d need to find a decent hill and a fair tailwind to rack up enough motorway velocity to lose your licence! Although this engine performs its job adequately, it is a far cry from Ford's potent and sweet-sounding little 1.25-litre Zetec powertrain. The only point in its favour is economy – this frugal unit can average up to 48mpg.
Despite its somewhat outmoded engine, the Ka Style redeems itself in terms of its driving characteristics. You’ll forgive its lack of outright go when you can corner the car with such relish, the compromise between ride and handling being spot on. One can only sigh and wonder what a 150bhp RS Ka would have been like, especially when the 95bhp 1.6-litre SportKa hints at the possibilities.
Packaging is another Ka Style strongpoint. You wouldn't believe the amount of oddment space and front legroom that the designers have crammed into the tiny cabin. The sheer size restrictions of a car 210mm shorter than the already compact Fiesta had to catch up with them somewhere however, and as you might imagine, the sacrifices have mainly been made around the two sculpted seats in the rear.
All in, the Style probably represents the pick of the Ka Range. Inexpensive enough to appeal to a broad swathe of the populace yet sufficiently sophisticated to attract the sort of person who used to be called ‘Mondeo Man’. The Ka Style makes downsizing seem a logical option and doesn’t need to kiss any babies in doing so. Can it count on your vote?
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Ford Ka Style
PRICES: £7,395 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 2
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 96mph/ 0-60mph 13.8s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 35.8mpg / (extra urban) 58.8mpg /(combined) 47.9mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's Airbag/ seatbelt 'grabbers'
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 3620/1631/1368mm
SMALL BUT PERFECTLY FORMED
The second generation Ford Ka takes a less controversial route than the original version. For all that, it may prove to be just as successful. Jonathan Crouch reports.
Bigger but not too big, faster but not too fast, plusher but not too plush, Ford’s Ka citycar treads a fine line in second generation guise. Fortunately, it has a huge bank of customers loyal from the first generation version to fall back on if all else fails. There’s a more efficient petrol engine on offer, plus a diesel for the first time.
The Ka was a car that Ford was very hesitant to replace – and you can see why. This citycar has the highest loyalty levels of any product thanks to a 12 year production run for the first generation model and an iconic shape that if you loved, you really loved. Nearly one and a half million examples have been sold, half a million of those in the UK, where the car has been the citycar segment leader since 2000. The MK2 model doesn’t really have its predecessor’s love-it-or-hate-it Marmite appeal, but it’s unquestionable a better car. Ford have developed it as a joint venture with Fiat, so this model rolls off the same production lines in Tychy, Poland as the more daringly-styled Fiat 500, sharing its engines and the same platform design.
The original Ka was renowned for its go-kart like handling and its replacement has been designed to be just as fun and rewarding to drive, with what Ford claim are the most exciting driving dynamics of any small car. The company’s chassis engineering experts have tuned the suspension, steering, and chassis with their usual meticulous attention to detail and final testing was conducted using a combination of public roads, proving grounds and race tracks – including the legendary Nürburgring in Germany.
During the engineering process, information was exchanged with the team developing the larger Fiesta, and certain components, such as the tyres, were jointly developed for both models. The 1.2-litre 69PS Duratec petrol engine is a huge improvement on the wheezy old petrol 1.3 used in the old Ka, while the 75PS 1.3-litre Duratorq TDCi turbodiesel is a good option for those likely to cover larger mileages.
"This Ka may not quite have the cheeky spirit of the original version but it does have all the tools necessary to retain Ford’s leadership in the UK citycar segment…."
You might mistake this Ka as a shrunken version of the Fiesta supermini from the outside but inside, it’s very much its own car – and much more avant garde, with what Ford like to call a ‘kinetic’ design philosophy. Bold contrasts and expressive colours have been deliberately chosen to reflect the more adventurous tastes of the typical Ka customer. These are combined with some imaginative design details to give the interior a fashionable and fun personality which, Fiat 500 apart, is pretty unique in the citycar segment.
One thing that the old Ka wasn’t was roomy and practical. The second generation car isn’t huge of course (there’s only so much you can do with a bodyshell this small) but it is a huge improvement. There’s surprisingly generous interior space and comfortable accommodation for four adults and their belongings, though acceptable rear seat legroom will depend on the front seat passengers not resembling basketball players. The high seating position, carefully placed controls and excellent visibility should make this Ka easy to drive for owners of all ages.
And safety? Well, at the heart of the vehicle is a tough bodyshell, which has been developed to provide a strong, stable crash structure to protect passengers in case of an accident. This has been combined with an Intelligent Protection System (IPS), which integrates airbags, restraint systems and seating technologies to provide what Ford claims is a highly effective occupant safety system.
Buyers choose between four different trim levels - Studio, Style, Style + and Zetec, plus there are various option packs to consider. Specify the Bluetooth-enabled Connectivity Kit, and the Ka comes equipped with Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity, a USB port to play music files through the sound system and steering wheel controls. Combine this with the six-speaker CD sound systems on offer and owners should have all the necessary equipment to keep passengers connected and entertained. Unique among vehicles in the small-car segment, this Ka also offers heated windscreen and heated seats, invaluable for safe and comfortable driving in cold winter conditions.
A citycar like this has to be both cheap to run and kind to the environment and of course, Ford loudly proclaims this Ka to be both. Of the two economical, low emission engines on offer, the vast majority of sales will be of the 1.2-litre 69PS Duratec petrol unit, which has cut fuel consumption by 21 per cent compared to the previous 1.3-litre Ka. With this in mind, it’s hard to see too many Ka customers being able to cover mileages great enough to make the savings that would justify the premium being asked for the 1.3-litre 75 PS Duratorq TDCi turbodiesel. Still, the TDCi’s combined fuel consumption figure of 67.2mpg is tempting and would be more so if Ford could better it with an ECOnetic version. Both petrol and diesel models are available with sub-120g/km CO2 emissions.
This Ka may not quite have the cheeky spirit of the original version but it does have all the tools necessary to retain Ford’s leadership in the UK citycar segment. Some previous owners would doubtless have preferred it if this model, like its predecessor, had been more of its own car and less of a shrunken Fiesta. Yet, for many others, a shrunken, more affordable Fiesta with a dash of extra flair inside is exactly what they’re looking for. Both however, may be satisfied as Ford gradually develops the Ka model range. It will be interesting to see what’s in store.
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Ford Ka range
PRICES: £7,995-£10,195 – on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 2-6 [est]
CO2 EMISSIONS: 112-119g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.3 TDCi Duratorq] 0-60mph 12.8s / Max Speed 99mph [est]
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.3 TDCi Duratorq] (combined) 67.3mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front & side airbags
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 3550/1650/1490mm [est]
CITY SLICKER
Ford’s Ka city car has a lot to live up to after its predecessor’s twelve-year reign. Steve Walker checks out the TDCi diesel model
We’ve come to expect certain things from Ford products and the Ka TDCi lives up to expectations without exceeding them in the way that the original car managed to. Polished driving dynamics, great interior quality and reasonable practicality for a citycar all place the Ka at the top of its class. The diesel engine is also impressive with decent pulling power and excellent economy but the cost means most buyers will choose petrol. The big question is whether the Ka delivers the style and desirability that citycar buyers crave.
Ford’s Ka has a diesel engine these days but with the burning of heavy oil a notoriously hard practice to justify in small cars, should the buying public care? Diesel engines cost more than the petrol equivalents but buyers can recoup their extra outlay through a diesel’s better fuel economy and lower emissions. The problem that diesel city cars face is that such small vehicles usually only cover small annual mileages meaning that making your money back in cost savings can be the work of a good few years. Ford hopes that the Ka TDCi makes a strong case for itself in spite of all this.
There are tough tasks and then there’s the one that faced the MK2 Ford Ka. Ford’s city car offering was always going to be judged in comparison to its rival urban runabouts but the Ka also had a phenomenally successful predecessor to live up to. The real challenge was not even to eclipse the original Ka as it stood in its dotage. To be deemed a success, today’s model needed to emulate the impact the first Ka had when it exploded on to the scene back in 1996 and embarked on its 12-year dynasty. That was always going to be a big ask but in the past, Ford has demonstrated a certain knack for rising to a challenge.
The Ka’s diesel engine is a 1.3-litre common-rail unit that’s been purloined from Fiat along with the Ka’s chassis. The same underpinnings can be found in the Fiat 500 and Panda models, while the engine pops up repeatedly in Fiat products as well as in a number of cars from Ford’s arch rival, Vauxhall. It’s an impressive unit with a power output of 74bhp and a very linear power delivery that irons out any trace of turbo lag. It’s perfectly possible to see how the diesel option could be preferred over the Ka’s 1.2-litre petrol alternative. It’s got extra muscle in the shape of 145Nm of torque that’s produced from 1,500rpm which makes for a relaxed drive with decent in-gear acceleration. The diesel is noisier than the petrol but not too noisy if you forgo the upper reaches of the rev range. The petrol offers sharper responses to throttle inputs, however, and is more in tune with the nippy, vital feel that many buyers expect from a citycar.
"It’s perfectly possible to see how the diesel option could be preferred over the Ka’s 1.2-litre petrol alternative…."
Out on the road the Ka forces you to remind yourself that it’s a city car. It feels altogether more grown-up than most of the alternatives in this sector and the diesel engine only adds to that impression. The chassis and suspension may be borrowed from Fiat but Ford undertook a programme of revisions designed to instil the sharp handling that the Blue Oval has come to stand for. Most significant amongst the changes is the introduction of a rear anti-roll bar that braces the chassis and improves stability when cornering. The Ka certainly tackles twisty roads with genuine composure and there’s enough grip to confirm that it could handle a far more powerful engine than either of the units currently on offer. By citycar standards, ride quality is first rate and so is refinement, although wind noise is noticeable at higher speeds.
The original Ka was a certified design classic that broke the mould and dropped jaws on a regular basis at the time of its launch. More impressive still, its shape endured the passing of time and still looks fresh today. Perhaps intelligently, Ford elected not to attempt a similar trick with the second generation model. Along with the rest of the modern Ford range, it employs the Kinetic design themes including the trademark swept back headlamps and the trapezoidal front air-intake. There are elements carried over from the MK1 Ka around the rear end but from most angles, the effect is of a stunted Fiesta – pretty but nothing new or groundbreaking. Inside, The Ka sets the standard for build quality in citycars. The materials and switchgear are those of a far more expensive product. Ford has worked hard to create a funky cabin environment and while some elements such as the centre console layout are questionable, most of it has the desired effect.
There’s an airy feel inside with an abundance of headroom for front seat occupants and space for a couple of six footers to occupy the rear without doing themselves a mischief. The array of storage options has been very well thought out with useful door pockets, numerous small cubbies and an unpromising glovebox flap that opens to reveal a prodigious area behind. The boot too is of a useful size for a citycar but 224 litres won’t go that far after a major supermarket splurge. Fold the rear seats and 747 litres is opened up.
The Ka is available in four trim levels but the diesel engine can only be specified in conjunction with range-topping Zetec trim. Ford surmises that customers choosing the TDCi unit are not particularly cost-conscious and so will gravitate towards the top spec cars anyway. All Ka models have an MP3 compatible CD stereo with an AUX input, electric power steering with a wheel that’s adjustable for height, ABS brakes and twin front airbags. The Zetec adds a raft of other items including 15" alloy wheels, front fog lights, remote central locking, a trip computer, air-conditioning and a heated windscreen.
The original Ka did indeed battle on for a full twelve years before this replacement arrived. That’s an inordinately long time for any modern car and is all the more remarkable for the fact that Ford made very few revisions to the car’s styling or mechanical make-up over the course of that lifespan. It was a product that delivered on the citycar essentials of affordability, fun and a certain youthful vibrancy. Its reward was strong sales levels right up to the end. Today the market for compact urban cars is being fuelled by our desire to reduce costs and lower emissions with the congestion in our towns and cities also playing its part in the trend to downsize. The Ka has the qualities to meet this need but it’s up against a growing band of capable rivals.
The diesel engine’s emissions and fuel economy are certainly impressive, the engine obviously tuned to be thrifty rather than thrilling. The Ka TDCi can return 67.3mpg on the combined cycle and it emits just 112g/km of CO2. It costs £700 more than the 55mpg petrol but buyers who cover big mileages might be persuaded that the sums add up. The residual values should be buoyant too.
The original Ka has rightly been hailed as a design classic and scooped up all manner of awards to that effect. This model was never going to do likewise. Times have changed and recreating the first Ka’s avant-garde cuteness and verve for the modern market was a difficult and risky proposition. Instead, Ford has created another supremely competent product that betters its citycar rivals for quality, driving dynamics and all-round sophistication. Does it have the uniqueness, the attitude or the desirability of a classic citycar? Possibly not but that shouldn’t stop it from being objectively the best. As for this diesel-engined model, it’s good but only worthy of consideration by high mileage drivers.
It sounds strange but the Ka might be too adept from a driver’s perspective. The fun factor in citycars often comes from flaws such as a lack of grip or a less well-judged suspension package and the Ka, while superbly engineered, isn’t that much of a hoot to punt about the place. It’s pricing, particularly in the diesel form we examine here, also places it in close proximity to the Fiesta which offers much the same looks with greater practicality and competence on the road. Style is a tough thing to define but this Ka might well have less of it than some of its contemporaries and that raises questions about whether being the best will be good enough.
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Ford Ka range
PRICES: £7,995-£10,195 – on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 2-6 [est]
CO2 EMISSIONS: 112-119g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.3 TDCi Duratorq] 0-60mph 12.8s / Max Speed 99mph [est]
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.3 TDCi Duratorq] (combined) 67.3mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front & side airbags
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 3550/1650/1490mm [est]
A LITTLE LUXURY GOES A LONG WAY
The luxuryKa Puts A Somewhat Sumptuous Spin On Ford’s Feisty Citycar. Andy Enright Checks It Out…
The idea of a Citycar with all the luxury of something much larger isn’t new but it isn’t that common either. Ford have executed the concept best, in the form of the refettled LuxuryKa featured here.
One of the first things you notice about the LuxuryKa, apart from that unique shape, is the slick, one-colour body. The Tupperware-effect body mouldings above the wheels that were the hallmark of the first Ka derivatives to hit these shores have been blended away under body coloured paint.
Priced at £9,195, the LuxuryKa costs around £2,000 more than the entry-level Ka variant on which it is based. In return, you get those body-coloured bumpers, 14-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, the handy ‘Quickclear’ heated front windscreen and body coloured electric door mirrors. Remote central locking, a CD player and full ‘Light Cyprus’ coloured leather seats and trim are also part of the deal, giving a genuinely, well, luxury feel to the flagship Ka. The interior ambience is completed by pale steel dashboard trim that complements the light colours used about the cabin pretty effectively. The latest cars come with variable intermittent front windscreen wipe, a delayed final action wipe (which clears the screen of any drips once the front wipers have been used and switched off) and a reverse-gear rear wipe (which activates automatically if reverse gear is selected when the front wipers are in use).
That’s on top of the standard Ka specification which runs to power steering, electric front windows, rear wash/wipe, tinted glass and a height adjustable driver’s seat. Meanwhile, to ensure nobody makes off with your pride and joy, there are high security door locks and a Safeguard immobiliser. If all this kit isn’t enough, you can also specify any of a selection of extras at an additional cost. These include a sliding sunroof, a CD autochanger and an incredibly useful satellite navigation system which allows you to bin that dog-eared A to Z for good. Recent changes include the addition of an automatic wash-wipe for the windscreen wipers and a wider Range of optional extras, such as the dealer-fit passenger airbag deactivation and parking distance sensors. There are also fresh colours and a smarter alloy wheel design.
"Small doesn’t have to mean basic and cheerful needn’t always equate to cheap…"
Four out of every ten sub-Supermini citycars sold at present are Ford Ka’s, a trend likely to continue since all the latest 1.3-litre Ka models swop the ancient Endura-E engine used since the 1996 launch for a far more modern 70bhp 1.3-litre 8-valve unit borrowed from the latest Fiesta. The performance figures for this unit aren’t much different but, given that most of the engine’s pulling power is available from just 1,900rpm, the driving experience certainly is. You’ll notice that around town – this car’s natural habitat of course – the need for constant gearchanging is much reduced. Usefully, fuel consumption is improved too. Expect to achieve 43.5mpg on the combined cycle.
Outside, the Ka looks much the same as ever, but Ford couldn’t resist the temptation to tinker around with the interior. The redesigned instrument panel now houses an electric odometer and a low fuel warning light, while there’s a rev counter included on LuxuryKa models. As before, Luxury spec sits above Ka, Ka Style and Ka Collection status but now just below newer 1.6-litre SportKa and StreetKa models. Otherwise, the recipe is pure Ka, the car which bestowed some much needed credibility on the Citycar sector. Customers come from so many walks of life – and so many other types of car: 4x4s, coupes, roadsters – you name it.
The Ka has taken small citycars into a new era – pure and simple. Before it arrived, models of this kind were boring to drive, terrifyingly unsafe and certainly not suitable for venturing outside the city limits. This model has changed all of that and blazed a path that others have subsequently had to follow. Take safety: in spite of its size, the Ka is as safe as any family car on the road today, meeting all current and future safety legislation for front and side impacts. It comes with a driver's airbag, seatbelt 'grabbers' and optional passenger airbags.
Though the excitement value of the 1.3-litre engine still isn’t anything to write home about, a redeeming virtue is the Ka’s superbly controlled ride and handling, which are strongly reminiscent of a much larger car. You’ll forgive any shortcomings in the engine the first time you pitch the luxuryKa into a corner. Taking care not to slide off the leather seats, you’ll be impressed with the sheer stickability of the little Ford. Many of the car’s handling attributes are only found in sports models costing a great deal more, and the LuxuryKa is something you’ll find yourself making excuses to drive. As with all modern Fords, the credit for this handling prowess can be attributed to one man, ex-rally driver Richard Parry-Jones, for he was responsible for engineering the driving fun back into class-leading cars like the Ka, Puma, Focus and Mondeo.
Packaging is another Ka strongpoint. You wouldn't believe the amount of oddment space and front legroom that the designers have crammed into the tiny cabin. The sheer size restrictions of a car 210mm shorter than the already compact Fiesta had to catch up with them somewhere however, and as you might imagine, the sacrifices have mainly been made around the two sculpted seats in the rear.
Still, you can't have everything. LuxuryKa buyers will, in any case, almost certainly have another, larger car in the family. Buyers who are prepared to fork out for the additional features that this particular variant possesses appreciate that small doesn’t have to mean basic and cheerful needn’t always equate to cheap. Ford’s best-dressed baby certainly won’t disappoint in that department. One word of warning, though. Get accustomed to this level of luxury and it might make shopping for your next big car an expensive experience!
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Ford LuxuryKa
PRICE: £9,195 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 3
CO2 EMISSIONS: 154g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 104mph/ 0-60mph 13.7s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 35.8mpg / (extra urban) 58.8mpg /(combined) 47.9mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front Airbags / seatbelt 'grabbers'
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 3620/1631/1368mm
KA-TORIAL ELEGANCE
Ford’s little Ka line-up boasts a fresh feel. Jonathan Crouch explains why...
Not many cars have an ageless look and feel but Ford’s Ka is one of them. Time moves on however, and a series of useful tweaks have freshened up the appeal of a range recently enhanced with more up to date mechanicals and sportier models. All this should keep the little Ford’s appeal fresh at the forefront of the Citycar sector.
So let’s start with those tweaks. The latest cars come with variable intermittent front windscreen wipe (for different intensities of rainfall), a delayed final action wipe (which clears the screen of any drips once the front wipers have been used and switched off) and a reverse-gear rear wipe (which activates automatically if reverse gear is selected when the front wipers are in use).
On to lights and locks. There’s a ‘theatre-style’ dimming interior courtesy light (the light gradually dims rather than switches off once the door is closed). And there are (at last) flashing lock indicators (the indicator lights on the car flash when remote locking is engaged). As for locks, the ‘Auto-relock’ system is a useful touch: the locks re-engage if the vehicle has been unlocked but not opened for a period of time.
Inside, there are slight changes to the dashboard, the most significant of which is the addition of a new three-litre glovebox on the passenger side. This is a direct response to feedback from Ka drivers who wanted a traditional glovebox instead of the cylindrical box that came with the original styling. On to cosmetics. The potent Sportka has tinted rear side windows. The familiar moulded bumpers are available in a choice of new colours, Torque Grey or Steel.
"The Ka has taken small citycars into a new era – pure and simple…"
Despite all these improvements, prices stay pretty much the same as they were, which means a starting point of £7,095. The standard models have in recent times received a significant refettling under the bonnet. The old Endura-E 1.3-litre engine that was used from the car’s launch in 1996 was really beginning to show its age, so in 2004, the far more modern 70bhp 1.3-litre 8-valve unit borrowed from the latest Fiesta was a welcome addition to mainstream models in the line-up.
The performance figures for this unit aren’t much different from what went before but, given that most of the engine’s pulling power is available from just 1,900rpm, the driving experience certainly is. You’ll notice that around town – this car’s natural habitat of course – the need for constant gearchanging is much reduced. Usefully, fuel consumption is improved too. Expect to achieve 43.5mpg on the combined cycle.
These days, mainstream models go Ka Studio, then there’s the Ka Style, and Ka Zetec models (both with ‘Climate’ air conditioned options) before you get to the LuxuryKa. On top of these, there’s the potent SportKa. The SportKa uses a 95bhp 1.6-litre engine and aims to take buyers who would otherwise opt for a more conventional ‘warm hatch’ sporty supermini. Otherwise the recipe is much the same. The Ka has taken small citycars into a new era – pure and simple. Before it arrived, models of this kind were boring to drive, terrifyingly unsafe and certainly not suitable for venturing outside the city limits. This model has changed all of that and blazed a path that others have subsequently had to follow.
Equipment levels are reasonable, with even the entry-level version including power steering, high security door locks, a Safeguard immobiliser, a large format stereo, a rear wash/wipe and tinted glass, while the Style adds a CD player, central locking and electric windows. The LuxuryKa is distinguished by alloy wheels, a leather-covered steering wheel and gear-knob, air conditioning, and a CD sound system. If you haven’t driven a Ka for a few years, you might notice relatively recent changes like the addition of an automatic wash-wipe for the windscreen wipers and a wider range of optional extras, such as the dealer-fit passenger airbag deactivation and parking distance sensors. There are also fresh colours and smarter alloy wheel and wheel trim designs.
Whichever Ka you choose, you’ll be buying into one of the safest small cars on the road today, meeting all current and future safety legislation for front and side impacts. Packaging is another Ka strongpoint. You wouldn't believe the amount of oddment space and front legroom that the designers have crammed into the tiny cabin. The sheer size restrictions of a car 210mm shorter than the already compact Fiesta had to catch up with them somewhere however, and as you might imagine, the sacrifices have mainly been made around the two sculpted seats in the rear.
Still, you can't have everything. Ka buyers will almost certainly have another, larger car anyway. What matters is that the finished product bears the signature of its creators. Just as, come to think of it, arriving in one will leave your unmistakable signature wherever you go.
FACTS AS A GLANCE
CAR: Ford Ka range
PRICES: £7,095-£9,995 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 2-6
CO2 EMISSIONS: 147-189g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.3] Max Speed 104mph/ 0-60mph 13.7s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.3] (urban) 35.8mpg / (extra urban) 58.8mpg /(combined) 47.9mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's Airbag/ seatbelt 'grabbers'
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 3620/1631/1368mm
WHO TO SEE:
MANIC STREET SCREECHER
Jonathan Crouch Gets To Grips With Ford’s Sportka
Why it took Ford so long to make a sporty Ka is anyone’s guess. Fitting this city runabout with a more powerful motor was such an obvious step that for seven years, it passed the Blue Oval’s product planners by.
That we have the Sportka at all is down to the success of the convertible Streetka, a little roadster so heavy that a new 95bhp 1.6-litre was needed to power it. At the same time, Ford marketers were becoming increasingly concerned that 80% of conventional Ka sales were to women. Taking the more powerful engine and installing it in a Ka with more macho appeal was at last an opportunity too blatant to ignore.
The £9,995 Sportka sits on a modified Ka chassis that has been tuned for sharper steering and handling dynamics. The suspension has been lowered and stiffened with improved toe and camber control, backed up by more powerful brakes and revised steering for ‘pin-sharp’ response. Power comes from a relatively low-tech eight-valve 1.6-litre engine which makes up for a slight deficit in outright power with a healthy 135 Nm slug of torque for strong pulling power through the gears.
"A fun addition to Ford’s motoring family…"
This is a welcome feature in a segment where many of the cars have to be revved off the clock every time you want to extract some decent performance. A close-ratio five-speed gearbox enables you to get the best from it. Sixty from rest occupies 9.7s on the way to a maximum of 107mph. Yet at the same time, you should be able to achieve close to 40mpg in normal use.
Visually, it’s a Ka and Streetka mix. Sportka shares the roadster’s bespoke headlamp units and body-coloured front bumpers with integrated headlamps. At the rear, it’s much the same story, the spoiler on the tailgate blending in to a wrap-around rear bumper with a centrally positioned rear reversing light and two rear reflectors. There are flared wheelarches, lowered ride height and six-spoke 16-inch alloy wheels shod with low profile tyres.
Inside, there are sports seats trimmed in a ‘keyed’ fabric with leather as an option. Doors and dashboard are finished in ‘ebony black’, while the instrument cluster features black dials with white, backlit numerals. ‘Jewel-like’ touches of aluminium are dotted around the cabin. The gear lever is topped with the aluminium ball that Puma owners will remember (great in summer but freezing to the touch in winter). The oval centre dash clock is framed with aluminium and the arms of the leather-bound steering wheel are braceletted with aluminium bands. The SE trim package includes leather seats, air conditioning and powered heated mirrors.
Enough of this: what’s it like to drive? Well, if you’re familiar with the basic Ka, you won’t be surprised to learn that Sportka is very enjoyable through the twisty stuff. Perhaps more of a shock is just how much more feisty this car feels than a Streetka equipped with exactly the same engine. Better aerodynamics and a 120kg weight advantage clearly make all the difference, a fact reflected in a rest to sixty time that’s 1.5s better. Compared with similarly priced hot-hatch offerings, the Sportka might struggle initially to impress the hotshoe merchants: it doesn’t instantly feel so impressively fast as some and there isn’t the temptation to be constantly hurling it at the scenery. For this reason, you won’t see many Sportka enthusiasts at Max Power-style tuning shows up and down the land. Quite simply, it’s a more mature kind of car.
Don’t mistake ‘more mature’ as being another way of saying ‘slow’ however. The Sportka’s ride is supple, mid-Range power is impressive, it’s well built and very refined. Against that, larger supermini-based cars are more spacious: if you intend to travel more than two-up very often and need more than a very basic level of luggage space, this could be a key consideration.
Despite the lack of overall space, packaging remains a Ka strongpoint. You wouldn't believe the amount of oddment space and front legroom that the designers have crammed into the tiny cabin. The sheer size restrictions of a car 267mm shorter than the already compact Fiesta had to catch up with them somewhere however, and we’ve just suggested, the sacrifices have mainly been made around the two sculpted seats in the rear. Still, you can't have everything. Ka buyers will almost certainly have another, larger car anyway.
If that’s the case, then a Sportka could well be a fun addition to your motoring family. As fun for the fashion-conscious, there’s a long overdue place for it in Ford’s product line-up.
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Ford Sportka
PRICE: £9,995 – on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 6
CO2 EMISSIONS: 182g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 108mph / 0-60mph 9.7s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 27.2mpg / (extra urban) 47.1mpg / (combined) 37.2mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver’s airbag
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 3650/1640/1436mm
SETTING THE TONE
Ford’s Ka Two-Tone offers an exuberant swansong for the Blue oval’s little citycar. Jonathan Crouch reports
How fashion trends come and go. When Ford first launched their little Ka citycar, it wasn’t many years before customers asked them to tone down the ‘two-tone’ look brought about by the grey plastic applied to those bulbous wheelarches. Single colour Ka models became all the rage. Now however, it seems that in the Ka’s twilight months of production, the two-tone look is back.
Ford have made 1,000 Ka Two-Tone special edition models in a choice of four body colours including the new blazer blue. Fortunately, this time round, the wheelarches have been painted in ‘moondust silver’ rather than grey plastic with the door mirrors colour-coded too. It remains a colour combination that’s difficult to miss.
There’s a choice of Style Climate (£7,995) or Zetec Climate (£8,595) trim levels, the ‘Climate’ part of the moniker denoting that both come complete with air conditioning. The Two-Tone models are priced exactly equally to their standard range counterparts. And equipment? Well, the ‘Style’ version comes with a CD player, plus electric windows, central locking and a remote tailgate release. Go for the Zetec version and you also get 14" alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, power/heated mirrors and a Quickclear heated windscreen. In both variants, this is all on top of the standard Ka specification which runs to power steering, ABS, a driver’s airbag, rear wash/wipe, tinted glass and a height adjustable driver’s seat. Meanwhile, to ensure nobody makes off with your pride and joy, there are high security door locks and a Safeguard immobiliser.
Under the bonnet, the Endura-E 1.3-litre engine is the same as ever. Even though it was freshened up for use in the Ka, this old-fashioned 1.3-litre powerplant is hardly the last word in engine design. It runs out of puff very soon after you begin to rev it and takes 13.8 seconds to reach 60mph on the way to 96mph. One consolation is that you’d need to find a decent hill and a fair tailwind to rack up enough motorway velocity to lose your licence! Although this engine performs its job adequately, it is a far cry from Ford's potent and sweet-sounding little 1.25-litre Zetec powertrain. The only point in its favour is economy – this frugal unit can average up to 48mpg.
Despite its somewhat outmoded engine, the Ka Style redeems itself in terms of its driving characteristics. You’ll forgive its lack of outright go when you can corner the car with such relish, the compromise between ride and handling being spot on. One can only sigh and wonder what a 150bhp RS Ka would have been like, especially when the 95bhp 1.6-litre SportKa hints at the possibilities.
"Bringing this level of sophistication to such a small car has been Ford’s greatest achievement with the Ka…."
Packaging is another Ka Style strongpoint. You wouldn't believe the amount of oddment space and front legroom that the designers have crammed into the tiny cabin. The sheer size restrictions of a car 210mm shorter than the already compact Fiesta had to catch up with them somewhere however, and as you might imagine, the sacrifices have mainly been made around the two sculpted seats in the rear.
Ford have made some recent tweaks to keep the range current. The latest cars come with variable intermittent front windscreen wipe (for different intensities of rainfall), a delayed final action wipe (which clears the screen of any drips once the front wipers have been used and switched off) and a reverse-gear rear wipe (which activates automatically if reverse gear is selected when the front wipers are in use).
On to lights and locks. There’s a ‘theatre-style’ dimming interior courtesy light (the light gradually dims rather than switches off once the door is closed). And there are (at last) flashing lock indicators (the indicator lights on the car flash when remote locking is engaged). As for locks, the ‘Auto-relock’ system is a useful touch: the locks re-engage if the vehicle has been unlocked but not opened for a period of time.
Inside, there are slight changes to the dashboard, the most significant of which is the addition of a new three-litre glovebox on the passenger side. This is a direct response to feedback from Ka drivers who wanted a traditional glovebox instead of the cylindrical box that came with the original styling.
If history has taught us anything about modern Fords, it is that we take a while to be fully convinced of their merits. Some models, like the Cougar and the Scorpio never get past the initial stage of customer scepticism whilst others like the Puma and Focus we warmed to reasonably quickly, if only because there was either no predecessor or the forerunner had long since seen its best days. Remember how slow we were to adopt the Sierra? The Ka was the same, the ‘New Edge’ styling coming as something of a shock to the system back in 1996.
Today, it hardly raises an eyebrow but that doesn’t stop it remaining a brilliant piece of design. The lines have worn well and this has resulted in an impressively durable A-list shelf life for the Blue Oval’s baby. Can you think of any other new car that retails for around £7,000 that can cut the mustard in the urban style stakes?
Bringing that level of sophistication to such a small car has been Ford’s greatest achievement with the Ka, and the Style moniker is therefore no empty boast. Would we accept a Hyundai Amica Style? Would we, in fact, accept a Hyundai Amica Two-Tone? You get my point. Case dismissed.
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Ford Ka Two-Tone range
PRICES: £7,995-£8,595 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 2
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 96mph/ 0-60mph 13.8s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 35.8mpg / (extra urban) 58.8mpg /(combined) 47.9mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's Airbag/ seatbelt 'grabbers'
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 3620/1631/1368mm