Wanna boost sales? Add 19mm

WE’D UNDERSTAND IF you didn’t want an EcoSport. It was never the compact SUV du jour, despite underpinnings from the salessensation Fiesta. But now Ford’s got another small crossover up its sleeve, and this time there’s no doubt where its roots lie: it’s very definitely a Fiesta. The Active sits 19mm taller on revised suspension and as a result drives differently to any other Fiesta, despite claims the standard hatch was benchmarked for handling.

The extra bodyroll and pitch under braking mean the Active is less engaging in corners, which is a shame given that’s one of the Fiesta’s strongest talents. It’s heavier, too: there’s at least another 46kg for the engine to move than the rest of the Fiesta family thanks to roof rails, taller springs and all that must-have matt plastic cladding adorning the car, and ‘transforming’ it into something more lifestyle.

We’ve previously been impressed with this 138bhp motor in ST-Line Fiesta guise, but the extra demands placed upon it here have us thinking you’re better off saving the cash and going for one of the lesser-powered triples on offer.

It’s not all negative, though. The front seats are particularly comfortable: with their excellent side bolstering they’re a worthy foil for the added tilt from the suspension. The cabin’s quiet enough too, thanks in part to the inclusion of an internal front rebound stop in the front dampers, which offers compliance right at the limits of travel.

You’ve got a couple of extra drive modes. Choose between Normal, throttle-blunted Eco, and Slippery – which dials up stability and traction control systems for extra confidence when your chosen route’s coefficient of friction drops.

It’s no huge departure from the rest of the Fiesta range in the way that the feisty ST is, but we’re sure that won’t harm the Active’s chances – it’s the UK’s most popular car finished in the in-demand SUV style, after all…