Review of the new Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi Range

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.

TOP 5 FIESTA DEALS

The results below show the top FIESTA deals on buyacar

Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec 5dr [82] Hatchback
Price £10,348 Read Fiesta Reviews	Save £2,597
Ford Fiesta 1.25 Studio 3dr Hatchback
Price £8,338 Read Fiesta Reviews	Save £1,157
Ford Fiesta 1.6 TDCi [95] Titanium ECOnetic 5dr Diesel Hatchback
Price £13,113 Read Fiesta Reviews	Save £3,332
Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi [70] Titanium 5dr Diesel Hatchback
Price £12,402 Read Fiesta Reviews	Save £3,143
Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi [70] Zetec 5dr Diesel Hatchback
Price £11,454 Read Fiesta Reviews	Save £2,891
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