Car Detail

Ford’s Fiesta could be credited for creating the so-called supermini sector of the UK car market and has been the nation’s favourite for many years.

Every one of the 35 Ford Fiesta models comes with remote central locking and driver’s seat height adjustment, split-folding rear seats and a CD sound system with MP3 player compatibility. All but the entry models have electric windows and at least half have air conditioning as standard. 

The Fiesta 1.6 petrol models have automatic transmission either as standard or as an option, whilst many have alloy wheels included in the price and Ghia models come with the luxury of leather upholstery. Metallic paint is a £375 option throughout the range, with an electric sunroof adding £400, satellite navigation £1,000 and Bluetooth connectivity between £250 and £300.

The latest Ford Fiesta gets a four-star safety rating for adult occupant protection from EuroNCAP. All models have anti-lock brakes and all but the entry model have optional ESP Electronic Stability Programme plus side and curtain air bags. Parking sensors are fitted to two models and are optional on the rest. 

The wide choice of engines means that those in search of the least polluting cars can achieve a CO2 rating as low as 116g/km in the case of the ultra-efficient 1.6 TDCi and just 119g/km for the 1.4 TDCi, which is still below the threshold 120g/km mark. The rest of the range varies from 142g/km for the 1.25 petrol model to 176g/km for the 1.6 and 177g/km in the case of the high-performance 2.0 ST.

The Ford Fiesta engine range is so wide and varied that it is easy to achieve the ultimate in either performance prowess or economy or an appropriate blend of the two. The 1.25 petrol unit has a power output of 75bhp to give the car a 0-60mph acceleration time of 13.6 seconds, a top speed of 101mph and economy of 47.1mpg. Power rises to 79bhp for the 1.6 with slight improvements in performance and little loss of economy. The 1.6 petrol models raise the power output to 98bhp and reduce the 0-60mph time to 11.4 seconds with a top speed of 111mph and economy of 38.2mpg. 

The two diesel models are the 1.4 TDCi and 1.6 TDCi, with the former generating 67bhp of power and 118lb/ft of torque or pulling power. This translates into a 0-60mph acceleration time of 14.4 seconds, a top speed of 102mph and economy of 62.8mpg. The 1.6 TDCi has a power output of 89bhp and a figure for its torque, or pulling power, of 150lb/ft, which results in a 0-60mph acceleration time of 11.2 seconds, a top speed of 112mph and impressive economy of 64.2mpg. 

The 2.0 ST is the most powerful with 148bhp, which earns it sprightly acceleration to 60mph in just 8.6 seconds, a top speed of 125mph and economy of 38.2mpg.

The Ford Fiesta range is huge, with a choice of 35 different versions costing from £8,850 for the entry-level 1.25 three door Studio. The five door version costs £895 more. The range progresses with Style, Style Climate and Zetec Climate versions of the 1.25 and progressive price increments of £600 to cover the additional equipment on each. This makes the 1.25 Zetec Climate three door model £10,650 and the five-door version £11,245. Then there are more powerful 1.4 versions in a choice of Style, Style Climate, Zetec Climate and Ghia. The thee-door Style model costs £9,750, again with £895 increments for five doors and model upgrades, topping out at £12,745 for the five-door Ghia. 

Those who want automatic transmission are catered for by the 1.6 Style and Climate models with prices of £12,445 and £12,845 plus £895 for five-door versions. The 1.6 manual models are the Ghia five-door and Zetec-S three door with prices of £13,345 and £12,000. The sporty 2.0 ST model costs £14,000 and is followed by the 1.4 and 1.6 diesels. The 1.4 TDCi Studio costs £9,850 in three-door guise and progresses through Style, Style Climate, Zetec Climate and Ghia versions with increases of £895 for five-door versions and model upgrades. There are also 1.6-litre TDCI models starting with the Zetec Climate at £12,300 plus five-door Ghia and three-door Zetec-S models with prices of £14,095 and £13,050.