Fiesta’s still No.1
TEST DRIVE FORD FIESTA TITANIUM
IHAVE just been driving a Ford Fiesta that got more looks than the average supercar. The reason for the admiring stares was not the car’s nice lines or even its exclusive colour costing an extra £745. This Fiesta really stood out because of its number plate, CAR 1, which is owned by Ford and worth an astonishing amount of money – probably about £250,000.
The Fiesta has dominated UK sales charts for decades and the current model, which arrived last year, is better than ever and is sure to remain the country’s favourite for the foreseeable future.
Fun to drive and reasonably priced this latest model comes with more technology and fresh infotainment equipment.
A wide range of three and five-door models in five trim levels is available with a choice of five petrol and two diesel engines. Buyers can also choose from manual or automatic transmissions.
Entry level Style models start from just under £13,000 but most buyers will select the popular Zetec or Titanium models, while there is also a sporty ST Line car and for the first time a luxury Vignale model. A hot ST model is also on the way to please the boy racers.
The petrol engines will be the big sellers but I have been trying out the 1.5-litre diesel in Titanium spec which will set you back £18,975. It provides bags of grunt, good performance and superb economy and is also very quiet.
It reaches 62mph in 9.0 seconds and can go on to a top speed of 120mph, with low emissions of just 89g/km.
With its slick six-speed manual gearbox and stop/start technology it has a claimed combined 80.7mpg figure. I could not match that over a week of average motoring but I certainly got very close to it and the fuel gauge barely moved at times.
The Fiesta is extremely agile and provides a comfortable and composed ride. Its lighter steering means it is great to use in town and the new suspension deals well with our bumpy roads. Slightly larger than the last version, the new Fiesta offers more room inside and four adults can travel in comfort. The exterior styling may not be as sporty but the interior is a vast improvement and the Titanium model had all the features you could want in a supermini.
It has 10-spoke alloy wheels, Halogen projector headlamps with LED daytime running lamps, front fogs with cornering lights, LED night signature rear lights, power foldable door mirrors with puddle lights, rear privacy glass, and a Quickclear heated windscreen.
You also get an eight-inch touchscreen with DAB radio and Ford SYNC 3 navigation, 2 USB sockets and six speakers. In addition you get keyless start, cruise control, Ford Easy Fuel and a Thatcham alarm. In addition, the Fiesta offers all the latest safety equipment and there is scope to personalise it with a range of options.
For £600 you can add an openable panorama roof, while an additional £500 will buy you an Auto Park assistance pack which includes front and rear parking sensors, autopark assistance and a rear view camera. An upgraded B&O sound system with 10 speakers will cost you a further £300.
The number plate made this Fiesta special but even without it it’s a very good car, still at the top of the supermini ranks. MODEL: Ford Fiesta Titanium 1.5 TDCI PRICE: £18,975 MECHANICAL: 120ps, 1,499cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving front wheels via 6-speed manual gearbox MAX SPEED: 121mph 0-62MPH: 9.0 seconds COMBINED MPG: 80.7 INSURANCE GROUP: 12 CO2 EMISSIONS: 89g/km BIK RATING: 23% WARRANTY: 3yrs/60,000 miles