Ford Fiesta review

A

Auto Express

Guest
The Ford Fiesta is a British motoring icon, and the latest model picks up where the old model left off at the top of the UK sales charts. It's one of the best 'real-world' cars around, because it ticks all of the rational boxes, but also manages to be great fun to drive.

The Fiesta offers great value for money, and not just because it’s cheap to buy. It’s comfortable, refined, practical and comes with plenty of standard kit, while the agile handling means it can easily put a smile on your face on the most mundane of journeys. With improvements made to cabin quality, infotainment and space, the Ford Fiesta is the best it’s ever been.

The Ford Fiesta is the best selling car in Britain. The latest generation was launched in 2017 and in many ways it was the arrival of this Fiesta which probably spurred the supermini market into action; the last one was so good, how could Ford go wrong with the follow-up? As a result, brand-new versions of the SEAT Ibiza, Volkswagen Polo, Citroen C3, Kia Rio and Suzuki Swift arrived, updates were made to the Hyundai i20, Mazda 2 and Renault Clio, while big incentives were placed on models like the Vauxhall Corsa, Skoda Fabia and Peugeot 208 to help them stay attractive to buyers. It all means that buyers looking for a supermini have never had so much choice.

Ford Fiesta vs Volkswagen Polo vs SEAT Ibiza

That's especially true of the Fiesta range itself. Ford has realigned the Fiesta model line-up to ensure there’s something to suit everyone’s taste. There’s now eleven models on offer, from the entry-level Trend through to the sportier ST-Line versions, and the hardcore ST Ford Performance Edition to consider for those possibly thinking of the odd track day experience.

There is, though, the inevitable downside, with prices now starting at just over £16,600 it’s not as affordable as it once was. And, if you want to specify additional luxury kit you’ll certainly pay for it - the ST-Line X is over £21,000, while Ford wants almost £27,000 for the racy Performance Edition.

Unlike some rivals that now only come with a five-door body, the Fiesta is still offered with three or five doors on certain models, for a premium of around £400. In terms of engines, there are three petrols and a single diesel unit available. The 1.1 Ti-VCT is the base engine, and delivers 74bhp. The 1.0 EcoBoost three-cylinder turbo petrol is the staple of the range, and it comes in 94bhp, 123bhp and 153bhp variants. The 123bhp version is also offered with hybrid tech, while the 153bhp engine is available solely in hybrid form.

The sporty ST-2, ST-3 and Performance Edition use a punchy 1.5T EcoBoost engine with 197bhp.

Ford Fiesta - interior detail

Ford Fiesta - interior detail
Ford Fiesta - Apple CarPlay

Spend another £300 for and you get a ten speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo.
Ford Fiesta - panoramic roof

Ford Fiesta - panoramic roof
Ford Fiesta - front red

Ford Fiesta - front red
Ford Fiesta - rear red

Ford Fiesta - rear red
Ford Fiesta - wing mirror red

Ford Fiesta - wing mirror red
Ford Fiesta - front static

Ford Fiesta - front static
Ford Fiesta - profile

Ford Fiesta - profile
Ford Fiesta - rear

Ford Fiesta - rear
Ford Fiesta - boot

Ford Fiesta - boot

If you must have a diesel, the 1.5 TDCi is Ford's newest diesel engine, and here it comes with a modest 84bhp. The core engines can be combined with most equipment levels, but you won't find the 153bhp unit in base Trend trim, and this entry-spec is the only model line to feature the 74bhp motor.

All cars use a six-speed manual transmission (with the exception of the 1.1L Ti-VCT five-speed manual), while the 123bhp hybrid version is offered with a seven-speed DCT auto 'box.

The Fiesta range also includes the Fiesta Active with its raised ride height and off-road styling for people who want an SUV, but like the compact dimensions of a supermini.

For an alternative review of the latest Ford Fiesta Hatchback visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk

Continue reading...
 
Back
Top