It's unlikely you'll have missed the column inches devoted to the Fiesta ST sports hatch but there's a lesser known sporting Fiesta that could well be the pick of the range. What's more, it's powered by a diesel engine. Although a Fiesta diesel doesn't promise a thrilling steer, the Zetec-S 1.6 TDCi makes a great all rounder and has a chassis that can show many more illustrious GTi hatches what handling is all about.

It has to be said that the headline figures don't make exciting reading. Packing 90bhp isn't going to impress too many people and a sprint to 60mph of 11.2 seconds isn't exactly concussive. Look beyond the raw figures and you'll get a better handle on the performance of this common rail diesel engine. For a start, it's fairly refined and certainly a good deal quieter than the same unit fitted to its Fusion sibling. It's unlikely you'll pull up at the pumps and reach for the green nozzle, but it features an inoffensive soundtrack with what is, for a smallish diesel, a broad spread of torque.

On Ford's press launch we drove the Fiesta ST first and then Zetec-S TDCi models. This is normally a recipe for finding the diesel car sluggish beyond belief, but this was far from the case. Much to Ford's chagrin, their star car had, in the eyes of many journalists present, been upstaged by the diesel hatch. The ST's big engine endows it with far more torque than a sporty supermini usually packs but the TDCi is another step ahead. On the twisty, hilly road route around Siena, the additional pulling power of the Zetec-S made light work of the punishing inclines. With 204Nm of torque on tap, the Zetec-S TDCi offers effortless muscle out of hairpin bends. The car's torque to weight ratio is the reason for this, and this means that you won't need to constantly grab for gears to maintain decent progress. This is just as well, as the short throw manual shift isn't the sweetest, with a particularly obstreperous change from second to third.

"Beneath the somewhat ordinary styling is a car with a great chassis and enough pulling power to entertain"

Being a diesel, you can take for granted excellent fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions. In this instance, you can count on a combined fuel figure of 62.8mpg and an emissions showing of just 118g/km. Even when hammering the car hard up and down hillsides all day, the fuel economy didn't drop below 40mpg. Developed in conjunction with PSA Peugeot Citroen, this lightweight all aluminium alloy engine features twin overhead cams and a drive by wire throttle system, which means that features such as ESP stability control can also be offered. The engine weighs less than 120kg, helping to avoid that lumbering nose heaviness that has often afflicted small sporting diesel cars.

The Zetec-S features recalibrated spring and damper settings and a ride height that's been lowered by ten millimetres. The rear twist beam has also been beefed up by around fifteen per cent. Unique 16-inch alloy wheels are shod with either Continental or Pirelli P Zero rubber. Its road manners have been elevated to a position above and beyond any existing supermini whilst its ride and refinement is comparable with the class best - cars like the Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia. The steering was obviously engineered by somebody who understands the needs of keen drivers, being nicely weighted and rich in feedback without becoming a wearing distraction. The seats are a different matter altogether, lacking lateral support at the sort of cornering speeds the excellent chassis routinely coaxes you into. The Fiesta shrugs off mid-corner bumps well and has a genuine big car feel. If there's one complaint about the Fiesta's handling, it's that it may almost be too clever for its own good. The verve and pizzazz of the old car's handling has been smoothed out. In making the car more competent, a little of the fun factor has been excised.

With the current facelifted Fiesta, Ford haven't gone too overboard. 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.

Get comfortable in the narrow 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. On the current model there are more of the in vogue soft-touch surfaces but, happily, the uncomplicated layout and the durable feel remain. Nice touches include a digital display in the instrument cluster which gives the radio station name and other handy titbits that you'd otherwise have to divert your eyes from the road obtain. The volume on the stereo is speed sensitive so as wind, road and engine noise increase with your velocity so does the volume of your favourite song.

The driving position is fairly good, with light pedals and a height adjustable driver's seat. The way that Ford have raised the gearlever onto a pedestal places it quickly to hand. On a practical note, the seats are easy to fold down, those integrated rear headrests making the operation simplicity itself. Where the Fiesta falls down is in the lack of clever cubbyholes and the singular lack of any cup holders. Grab a takeout from KFC and you'd better get used to the Colonel's Hot Wings tasting of Fanta.

Priced at £12,795, the Fiesta Zetec-S TDCi probably isn't the most obvious sports hatch out there for those looking for something both responsible and reasonably rapid. Other manufacturers offer far more eyecatching wares, but the Fiesta is a fantastic all rounder. Beneath the sportier facelifted styling is a car with a great chassis and enough pulling power to entertain. New owners will, within the space of a few miles, be content that they've made a very smart choice indeed.

TOP 1 FIESTA DEALS

The results below show the top FIESTA deals on buyacar

	Ford Fiesta 1.6 TDCi Zetec S 3dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £161	Saving £3,153	Price £9,892

typical 11.13% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000