Alternative review of Ford Fiesta

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 1.4 Titanium 5dr Hatchback
Price £11,790 Read Fiesta Reviews	Save £2,950
Ford Fiesta 1.6 Zetec S 3dr Hatchback
Price £11,631 Read Fiesta Reviews	Save £2,909
Ford Fiesta 1.6 Titanium 5dr Hatchback
Price £12,264 Read Fiesta Reviews	Save £3,076
Ford Fiesta 1.6 TDCi [95] Titanium ECOnetic 5dr Diesel Hatchback
Price £13,113 Read Fiesta Reviews	Save £3,332
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