Ford Fiesta Active
MODEL TESTED: Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost 125 Active X Edition PRICE: £21,605 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 123bhp Jacked-up Fiesta is the established rival for the Citycarver. Is it a better choice than the Audi?
FORD saw the opportunity to add a jacked-up version of its Fiesta to the range when the new model was launched in 2017, so it’s the established rival for the A1 Citycarver. To match its premium competitor we’re testing the top-spec Active X Edition, which costs £21,605, although lesser models offer a cheaper way into ownership.
Design & engineering
THE Active is available with a range of engines, including 99bhp and 138bhp versions of the 1.0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost petrol engine, and this 123bhp motor. Whichever option you go for, there’s a six-speed manual gearbox driving the front wheels, so the set-up is similar to the A1’s. The Ford has less torque than its rival, at 170Nm against the Audi’s 200Nm, but it arrives lower down in the rev range to help flexibility, and it matches the A1’s torque figure on overboost.
While the Fiesta trails its rival for upmarket appeal, it’s not by as much as you might think. The materials inside are actually similar in quality to the Audi’s, with some cheaper plastics but also some soft-touch, pleasant-feeling surfaces. It falls down slightly when it comes to design, because the chunky buttons and slightly incoherent dash design mean the Active doesn’t look as classy and modern as the A1 inside.
However, there’s plenty of equipment here that’s not fitted to the Audi. For example, a reversing camera is standard, along with sat-nav and climate control – these are optional on the Citycarver. Extras such as metallic paint and wireless charging are cheaper on the Ford, too, although it’s a shame AEB is optional, because this is important safety tech.
You also get off-road driving modes, unlike in the Audi, although these just change the ESC system’s settings rather than adopting any form of four-wheel drive. There’s no digital dashboard available, but the Ford’s infotainment system has been updated and now looks more modern than it did before (see Page 82). The Audi’s set-up still beats it, however.
Driving
THE Fiesta has long been the supermini of choice for keen drivers, and much of this handling brilliance is present even in the Active.
Its steering is quick and weightier than the Audi’s, and while it could do with more feel, there aren’t any other superminis that have steering as well-judged as this. It’s matched to a great chassis that, even with the extra body roll introduced by a higher ride height, provides plenty of agility and fun.
That six-speed gearbox is great, too, with a heavier and more satisfying shift than the Audi’s. The A1’s is good, because it has a precise action, but the Ford’s transmission is better and fits well with its engine.
Its 1.0-litre motor is another highlight here. It makes a thrummy noise when revved, which is fun, yet it’s not intrusive at a steady speed even though it’s slightly noisier overall than the Audi’s engine. But it provides decent pulling power from lower in the rev range than its competitor, and it was faster in most of our acceleration tests.
The Fiesta Active needed 8.5 seconds to sprint from 0-60mph, while the A1 Citycarver clocked 9.7
seconds. Plus, from 30-70mph through the gears the Ford took 8.6 seconds, which was a full second quicker than its rival achieved. It was only in our 30-50mph test in third gear that the Audi was quicker, and that was just by 0.1 seconds.
The Ford rides more smoothly than its German rival, too. Both are about the same on the motorway – generally comfortable, but with harsher bumps sometimes disturbing the calm – but the Fiesta Active is more compliant at lower speeds, because undulating roads don’t unsettle it through corners, and potholes are absorbed more smoothly, too.
Comfort is also helped by the driving position, which is better than the Audi’s. However, it’s higher up than a normal Fiesta, so tall drivers aren’t able to sit low enough to see the top of the instruments.
Practicality
WITH a 311-litre boot, the Fiesta trails behind the Audi’s 335-litre load bay.
There’s no adjustable floor, either, which means there’s more of a loading lip , and when you fold the rear seats down, the floor isn’t flat. However, the Ford isn’t too much less practical than its rival when it comes to luggage space.
It is less roomy for passengers, though, because there’s less head and legroom in the back seats. It’s also slightly darker in the rear seats, which makes it feel cramped. Children will fit fine, but adults won’t want to spend too much time in the back.
Ownership
AUTONOMOUS emergency braking isn’t standard on the Fiesta, and instead it’s part of a £550 pack that also adds blind-spot assist, adaptive cruise control and door-edge protectors to prevent car park dings.
The lack of standard AEB is a shame, but the Ford is cheaper than the Audi, and the German model isn’t available with blind-spot assist, so the add-on (called High Series – Driver Assistance Pack) is worth it.
Running costs
RELATIVELY low CO2 emissions and a cheaper list price mean that the Fiesta Active is a better company car choice. It’s in the 23 per cent Benefit-in-Kind bracket, emitting 98g/km of CO2 and will cost a standard-rate earner £985 this year. The Audi sits in the 27 per cent category due to emissions of 119g/km, so it will cost the same person £1,178. Both cars cost £145 per year in road tax. More power and no AEB in the Fiesta means it costs a bit more to insure: our example driver will pay £431 for a year’s cover on the Ford and £402 on the Audi.
Testers’ notes
“An automatic transmission is available on certain engines in the Fiesta Active range, but you can’t add one on this 123bhp model. That’s okay, because the six-speed manual is great to use.”