PARTY TIME
Introduction
Ford's Fiesta has always been a key model in the supermini sector but the latest car is aiming to put rivals well and truly in the shade. June Neary takes a look.
Will It Suit Me?
You must have heard of Ford's Fiesta. There's a decent chance you might even have owned one. It's been right up amongst the most popular small cars in the UK ever since the launch of the original version way back in 1976 (yes, it was that long ago).
Needless to say, Ford's finest has changed massively down the years but rarely, if ever, has the model line made as significant a step forward as the one between the previous generation car and the current model. Today's Fiesta is a massively important car for Ford and nothing has been left to chance in ensuring it hits the spot with its target market.
As target markets go, the Fiesta's is a massive one. This is a small car that needs to appeal across the board to people from all sections of society. First impressions are that it stands a good chance of pulling this off. The car uses the Kinetic design features that have cropped up to critical acclaim across the Ford model range but to you and me, it just looks angular, sporty and well planted on the road. Looking good is half the battle in the supermini sector and the Fiesta certainly manages to do that.
Practicalities
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 car 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 fare 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.
General build quality is a real eye-opener. The Fiesta feels like a far more sophisticated and grown-up car than the models which preceded it and a lot of this is down to the all-round quality of the materials, as well as the solidity with which they knit together.
Behind the Wheel
On plusher models, Ford has switched to one of those trendy (but rather pointless) 'Power' buttons which you press to start the car, so my driving experience starts with a push of that. 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 of the wheel. 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. Safety is yet another Fiesta strongpoint.
Despite the fact that it's 40kgs lighter than the old car, today's Fiesta manages to feel larger and more solid on the road - an impressive achievement by Ford's engineers. 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 game. 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.
Engine choices start with the familiar 1.25 and 1.4-litre Duratec petrol units. Also available is the old and frugal, if rather leisurely, 69bhp 1.4-litre TDCi. Above this level, things start to get a bit more interesting. The 94bhp 1.6-litre TDCi Duratorq engine can be ordered in ECOnetic form emitting just 98g/km of CO2. At the other end of the scale, Ford is keen to reassure driving enthusiasts that it hasn't forgotten them either, with the 119bhp 1.6-litre T-VCT petrol powerplant that makes 60mph in 9.9s, used in plusher models that include the sporty Zetec-S.
Value For Money
Trim levels start with Studio, rising through Edge to the low running cost-ECOnetic model. Zetec is a popular choice, while the 3-door-only Zetec-S adds yet more sporty flavour, 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 ESP, ABS, front, side and knee airbags, a CD player with controls on the steering wheel, central locking and electric heated mirrors. There are nice touches too: we particularly liked the EasyFuel cap-less refuelling system.
Could I Live With One?
The Ford Fiesta is a thoroughly impressive car with very few discernable flaws. Ford as elevated its supermini stalwart to a level where it's a prime target for rival manufacturers developing their own new products but one suspects it will be quite some time before anyone manages to eclipse the supermini with the Blue Oval.
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SEVENTH TIME AROUND
By Line
Ford's Fiesta is, once more, a real state of the art supermini. Jonathan Crouch reports
Ten Second Review
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.
Background
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 previous 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 covered those bases and has moved to consolidate its position at the top.
Driving Experience
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 was 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 made its debut on this Fiesta and while it 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 game. 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.
Engine choices start with the familiar 1.25 and 1.4-litre Duratec petrol units. Also available is the old and frugal, if rather leisurely, 69bhp 1.4-litre TDCi. Above this level, things start to get a bit more interesting. The 94bhp 1.6-litre TDCi Duratorq engine can be ordered in ECOnetic form emitting just 87g/km of CO2. At the other end of the scale, Ford is keen to reassure driving enthusiasts that it hasn't forgotten them either, with the 119bhp 1.6-litre T-VCT petrol powerplant that makes 60mph in 9.9s, used in plusher models that include the sporty Zetec-S.
Design and Build
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.
Market and Model
All Ford's Fiesta models now have ESP stability control as standard which is a very welcome addition to the range. Prices are a little on the expensive side these days but buyers can console themselves with generous specifications and the knowledge they're getting one of the best superminis around.
Trim levels start with Studio, rising through Edge to the low running cost-ECOnetic model. Zetec is a popular choice, while the 3-door-only Zetec-S adds yet more sporty flavour, 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 ESP, ABS, front, side and knee airbags, a CD player with controls on the steering wheel, central locking and electric heated mirrors. There are nice touches too: we particularly liked the EasyFuel cap-less refuelling system.
Cost of Ownership
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). The ECOnetic will grab the headlines with its 87g/km emissions and 85.6mpg combined cycle economy, much better than the 107g/km and 68.9mpg you get from the more feebly-powered standard 1.4 TDCi variant. For comparison, the 81bhp 1.25-litre petrol returns 50mpg with 129g/km emissions.
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.
Summary
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. 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.
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FIES CREATURE OR STA TURN?
Introduction
There's a whole lot of love out there for the Ford Fiesta. Down the years, its various generations have completed more school runs, shopping trips and traffic-plagued commutes than any other UK supermini. There have been high and low points along the way but in the final reckoning, the 2008 car must surely go down as one of the best. Should buyers have as big a soft spot for the car once it's been round the block a few times and cropped up on the used market?
Models
Models Covered: 3 & 5dr hatch: (1.25, 1.4, 1.6 petrol 1.4 TDCI, 1.6 TDCI diesel [Style, Studio, Edge, Zetec, Zetec S, Titanium, ECOnetic])
History
The supermini market where the Fiesta competes moves at a searing pace so it would be a bit much to ask for the car to maintain class leadership throughout its lifecycle. The previous generation model had followed the familiar Fiesta trajectory, emerging at the top of the market in 2002 only to be gradually reeled in by newer rivals. By the time this car turned up in 2008, the outgoing model was lacking size and sophistication in comparison to the class best. Ford needed to come back strong in these areas and it duly did.
This Fiesta was launched in the summer of 2008 with a familiar-looking line-up of engines and trim levels. Buyers could choose the affordable Style and Studio models, the sporty Zetec and Zetec S or the luxurious Titanium. Engines included the 1.25, 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrols plus 1.4 and 1.6-litre TDCi diesels. The super-economical ECOnetic versions arrived a little later and the Edge variants turned up towards the end of 2009. All Fiestas got ESP stability control from mid 2010.
What You Get
All mk7 Fiestas share Ford's 'Kinetic' design themes as seen on the Mondeo, S-MAX, Focus and others before it 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 fare 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.
What You Pay
This Fiesta garnered rave reviews from the outset and sales took off. There should be no shortage of used cars around as a result but the attractive value proposition at the beginning of the car's life didn't hang around for long. Prices for the new cars crept upwards to the point where the Fiesta was just about the most expensive mainstream supermini on the market by 2010. It wasn't the positioning you expected from value-focused Ford but the Fiesta's popularity was undiminished.
The 1.25-litre three-door cars start at £8,000 these days in Style trim. The racier Zetec model commands a £500 premium and you'll pay £300 more for five doors. A 1.4-litre petrol starts at £8,700 on the earliest 08 plates and the 1.4-litre TDCi diesel opens at £9,300. As an example of the Fiesta price hike, a new 1.4 TDCi Titanium model would have cost £12,500 in 2008 and over £15,000 at the end of 2009. Today, an 09-plate model with that engine and trim is around £11,400.
What to Look For
There shouldn't be too many problems with pre-owned Fiestas and if a particular model gives cause for concern, just walk away, there are plenty of others about. 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 particularly on high mileage models.
Replacement Parts
(approx based on a Fiesta 1.4 Zetec) As you might expect, parts are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. Front brake pads are around £30 a set and the rears £20, a replacement headlamp is close to £100 and a manual door mirror should be in the region of £50. A full exhaust is about £170.
On the Road
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 easy to get comfortable at the wheel thanks to supportive seating and rake/reach wheel adjustment.
Fiesta is such a slick piece of engineering that it largely masks any 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. The 'Stall Prevention' feature is a boon in town. It's 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.
Engine choices start with the 60PS 1.25 and 90PS 1.4-litre Duratec petrol units. Than there's the frugal if rather leisurely 68PS 1.4-litre TDCi. Above this level, things start to get a bit more interesting. The 90PS 1.6-litre TDCi Duratorq engine emits just 99g/km of CO2 in the ECOnetic models, and isn't far behind elsewhere with a decent turn of pace to boot. At the other end of the scale, the 120PS 1.6-litre T-VCT petrol powerplant makes 60mph in 9.9s. That's not hugely rapid but the Fiesta driving experience still make this model preferable over many faster hatchbacks for the enthusiast.
Overall
Some impressive cars have carried the Fiesta badge but this version must surely go down as one of the best. The interior design might not be to everyone's taste and there are concerns over how well the jutting fascia will age but the positives outweigh the negatives. The car looks good to most eyes yet beneath the sleek lines is a roomy cabin (rear headroom will only be a problem for tall passengers) and a generous boot. The engines are solid rather than spectacular but the highlight is the ride and the handling. The Fiesta tackles the lumpy British road network with composure, steers with real precision and grips like it's hanging from a branch over a crocodile pit.
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