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Our Score:
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Styling & Design
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Score:
9/10
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The Fiesta is by far the best looking car in the supermini class, stylish, muscular and appealing from just about any angle. Avoid odd colours like 'Hot Magenta' or beige and you won't go wrong. Wheel designs could be better, though.
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Engine Spec
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Score:
7/10
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The venerable 1.25-litre soldiers on in the new Fiesta and is still a much better engine than its performance figures suggest. The 1.4's hardly worth the extra while the diesel is glacial and best avoided. The 1.6 is fastest but it still underwhelms.
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Performance
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Score:
6/10
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The diesel takes almost 15 seconds to hit 100km/h while the 1.25 isn't much better at 13.3. The 1.4 knocks about a second off that while the 1.6 just scrapes in under ten seconds. Apart from the deisel, those numbers are just about acceptable.
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Ride & Handling
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Score:
7/10
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Anyone expecting the Fiesta to handle like the old car will be disappointed. The basic suspension is comfort-oriented but the steering is disappointingly vague and lacks bite. It's only when you drive the Zetec-S model that it becomes fun. It needs the sport suspension.
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Interior & Ergonomics
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Score:
9/10
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The Fiesta's cabin isn't just futuristic and high quality, it's also an ergonomic peach. The new centre console and steering wheel remote controls work just like a mobile phone and everything falls easily to hand. Only the thin graphics on the digital dial display irks.
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Space & Practicality
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Score:
6/10
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The Fiesta is a disappointment in terms of cabin space. Because it's based on the same platform as the outgoing model, rear space remains tight and even front occupants will find it snug. The boot's only average as well, while the rear door aperture is also rather small.
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Safety
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Score:
7/10
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The Fiesta might not qualify for 5 NCAP stars on account of making ESP an option (€565 in Ireland). Curtain airbags (€430) are also optional, as is a rear centre headrest (€35), bizarrely. A knee airbag is standard, though.
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Value & Running Costs
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Score:
8/10
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The Fiesta represents decent value and should hold its value well and cost very little to run over the course of its lifetime. Standard equipment on all models includes front foglights and alloy wheels but adding ESC, airbags and A/C becomes costly.
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Quality & Refinement
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Score:
8/10 |
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Thanks to its softer suspension the Fiesta rides surprisingly well and it feels remarkably well made. Only the hard, unyielding nature of some of the plastics and the slightly wallowy ride count against it.
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Equipment
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Score:
8/10
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Will basic models getting remote locking, electric front windows, electric mirrors, alloy wheels and fog lights, it's better equipped than most of its rivals. Adding A/C isn't outrageously expensive but include ESC and you've added a grand to the price.
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Bad
Not as sharp to drive
cramped rear
slow
Good
Handsome
fabulous dash
refined
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