Review of the new Ford Fiesta Sportvan

Based on the Fiesta hatchback, the Fiesta van is one of the most compact commercial vehicles available on the market and this Sportvan version is even better. Thanks to its distinctive styling, sporty handling and an increased payload, it could well be the perfect mixture of business and pleasure.

The premise of the Ford Fiesta Sportvan is a simple one. Ford have taken their Fiesta Van and given it a sporty makeover. The result is a light commercial vehicle that's ideal for drivers who want to get about town in a compact van that's fun to drive and looks good. It's sure to turn some heads with its stylish bodykit but at the same time it's a practical vehicle that offers a generous amount of load space for the driver who doesn't need quite as much space as is offered by a bigger van like the Ford Transit Connect. The concepts of sport and vans don't usually go hand in hand but the marketeers at Ford have successfully married the two in putting together this vehicle.

Underneath the bonnet the Fiesta Sportvan is powered by a 1.6-litre Duratorq DCTi diesel engine. Delivering 88bhp, the unit doesn't quite live up to its sporty name but with a maximum torque of 240Nm there's plenty of oomph. The 0 to 60 dash is covered in 11 seconds on the way to a top speed of 110mph. On bendy roads it feel almost the same to drive as the Fiesta hatchback and none of the original car's firm but controlled ride is lost. The Duratorq unit returns an impressive 64mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions are kept down to 116g/km.

The steering is direct and the vehicle feels well planted on the road with plenty of grip which comes in handy if you're driving across building-site terrain. One shortcoming is the large amount of noise you get from the back when sat in the cabin but it's nothing your average driver shouldn't be able to put up with.

"Ford have taken their Fiesta Van and given it a sporty makeover.."

The rear load area has a 1.013 cubic-metre load capacity and an impressive payload of 543kg. It can swallow objects up to 1,320mm in length and there's plenty of grippy rubber matting to ensure that objects don't slip around while you're in transit. This can be removed for hosing out. Two hooks are attached behind the rear bootlid sill and there are two more plastic hooks on the roof. In the front, there's loads of space for the driver and a passenger and there are convenient storage spaces dotted around the cabin for various bits and pieces.

As you'd expect from a Ford the build quality feels good and it appears well-made. The acid test will come with time as the Sportvan will have to put up with much more usage and abusage than a regular Fiesta hatchback. The load area is separated from the cabin by a metal guard but an upper mesh guard is available for a premium of £100.

Although small, the Sportvan's payload of 543kg and load length of 1,320mm mean that your average tradesmen or small business should find a lot of use for it. It's a lot easier to manoeuvre about urban settings and in the cabin you'll experience a lot more comfort than you would in a more conventional van. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are kept low, so running costs are also going to be favourable in terms of tax and diesel.

Over a traditional Fiesta van, the Sportvan adds 16-inch twelve-spoke sports alloy wheels, sporty front seats, electrically operated front windows, a Model 6000 RDS radio and CD player, sport-style front fog lights, a leather-covered steering wheel with silver-finished spokes, a leather-covered gearknob, satin silver gaiter ring, remote central double locking and a trip computer. Pretty stylish for a commercial vehicle. Continuing the sports theme, it also includes a body-coloured sports 'aero' kit with a high-intake front grille, rear bumper and rear spoiler. It's available in a range of vibrant colours, including Colorado Red, Panther Black, Moondust Silver and Diamond White. When you're sat in the cabin it can be easy to forget you're in a commercial vehicle.

As well as all this extra kit you get the usual features that are standard across the Fiesta van range. These include driver and passenger airbags, seatbelts with grabbers, pre-tensioners and height-adjustable mounts, home safe headlights which stay on for a short while after locking the vehicle up so you can find your way in the dark, anti-lock braking system with electronic brake-force distribution, remote central/double locking and Ford's Passive Anti-Theft System with engine immobiliser. Side airbags are an optional extra.

The Fiesta Sportvan is a great performer, fun to look at and even more fun to drive. With its sporty, stylish look, it's probably going to do well among tradesmen and small businesses that want to stand out but it's also a serious light commercial vehicle with a good amount of load space and practicality for a vehicle of its size. For the money, it probably should come better equipped, but apart from that it's an ideal small-load lugger and when you're inside it's easy to forget you're even driving a commercial vehicle, such is the comfort and style in the cabin Couple all this with the fact it's not gong to cost much to drive and it's a perfect combination of great driving performance, style, functionality and practicality.

TOP 5 FIESTA DEALS

The results below show the top FIESTA deals on buyacar

Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec 5dr [82] Hatchback
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Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi [70] Titanium 5dr Diesel Hatchback
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