Ford Fiesta 1.4i 16v > Reviews (46)

The Fiesta has always been a successful car, arguably more so than almost any other supermini in Europe. But does this new, bigger, and better fiesta have what it takes?

Oh, yes it does.

My model is around £14,500 of Fiesta Titanium 1.4l petrol, with leather pack and bluetooth audio system. We went for the Magenta colour and first of all, this car is beautiful. One of the best looking superminis that have found its way onto the market in recent times, and it's no wonder. But is it any good to drive?

Ford are well known for making good drivers cars, ever since the sophisticated Ford Focus mk.1 Came on the scene, and the Fiesta is no different. The 96bhp engine provides plenty of gut, shifting the car at a sprightly and brisk in town pace. It's ideal for dodging through tight suburbian streets, and while it is nowhere near as city friendly as something such as a Fiat Panda or a Toyota Aygo, it's as near as you're going to get while retaining good interior space for all passengers. On paper, the care manages a zero to 60 dash in 11.6 seconds but it feels so much faster when you're really motoring on a slipway. Put you're foot down, and you are gifted in kind with eager and relentless acceleration backed by a sporty and gutsy sound track. It's a far cry from my Company car 1.6TDCi Focus. Around town, the car is relatively composed with very little in the way of road or wind noise. The ride is a little bit stiff, and it can be a touch harsh on your rear but it's certainly not acceptable. You trade one for another when you reach the motorway, where the car is composed and silky smooth but noisy from wind noise (Probably a consequence of the low profile tires). One thing that Ford got absolutely perfect was the handling. The car has truly magnificent steering, with bags of grip, marginal body roll and really flexible dynamics. At low speeds the car is a doddle to steer, and can manoeuvre effortlessly. At high speed, the steering weighs up to a perfectly heavy cruising level, while keeping away from the twitchyness that a lot of smaller cars seem to suffer while going 60+mpg. The engine does let you know when it's edging toward 80-85mpg for overtaking, as it starts to hit that high revolution whine, but otherwise it's got plenty of power. Rarely requires downchanging for overtaking either, which is an added bonus.

Inside, the interior is well made and attractive. The modern and funky console is probably one of the best on a supermini today, and it doesn't feel like corners cuts were made in its put together and construction. Having come from a 10 year old Focus, the soft touch neoprene style dash material was rather unnerving but it was attractive and actually rather pleasant after a while. The console is easy to read, informative and all the switches and buttons are put together solidly. No concerns whatsoever about quality here! Space is great in the front, maybe a little tight in the back but hardly any worse than any other supermini today. Tall drivers may find the interior rear space a little bit...

questionable as the rough line is a little low. Boot space is good, although the boot lid is a little high. Overall its attractive and well put together, however its a little cramped.

Fuel economy is...well it's poor. I am not exactly a spirited driver, and i rarely got over 38mpg and this is after having done a good 10,000miles to bed in. It barely got any better on a longer motorway journey as well, and is quite poor.

To rap up, this car is a great supermini with good space and an excellent drive. However, if saving money is you're bag...look elsewhere