FORD FIESTA
THIRD REPORT Best-seller continues to be anything but ordinary
Britain’s best-seller continues to impress with its driver appeal.
OUR Ford Fiesta is about as ‘ordinary’ as new cars get: Britain’s best-seller, in mid-range specification propelled by the entry-level 99bhp 1.0-litre Ecoboost petrol engine.
Years ago a supermini like this served as simple transport and little else. It had no real reason to entertain; if you bought one, you were committed to saving money and not much else.
But the mint-green Ford puts a smile on the face of everyone who drives it. Other members of the team, many of whom spend time with vastly more expensive and more powerful machinery, have commented constantly over the past few weeks on just how sweet the Fiesta is to drive. I’ve been behind the wheel of the supermini a lot of late, and am in complete agreement.
The beauty of our Fiesta is that it doesn’t compromise on comfort in the pursuit of engaging handling. A relatively soft suspension set-up combines with modest 16-inch wheels and decent sidewalls to ensure that the ride is composed and mature for a car with such a short wheelbase. Yet it feels more poised and engaging when the road turns twisty than almost any other model at this price point.
But there are a few minor foibles. The Ecoboost petrol engine, even in this lower output, is a willing and punchy unit, but our example has a bit more vibration and harshness below 2,000rpm than the 1.0-litre engine found in rival superminis such as the SEAT Ibiza, for example.
On top of that, long gearing means you spend more time in first around town than is ideal. But those are minor gripes: the light clutch and slick shift make running up and down the gears fun. Elsewhere, I’ve been impressed with a consistent average economy figure of 45.1mpg over the past few thousand miles; this looks even better considering the traffic on my commute and the fact that includes some fun I had driving on some Welsh B-roads recently.
I’ve heard about complaints from readers that the Fordpass app either malfunctions or fails to load up altogether. We found that, too: the app would function initially, but the next time the car was started the icon would disappear from the display.
The three-door layout is another occasional frustration. It’s not rear passengers who suffer that much because access isn’t too bad, but the sheer length and weight of the doors makes getting in and out in tight car parks a bit of a chore. Still, we’re appreciating how far the interior has come in terms of both tech and fit and finish compared with the old Fiesta.