Aligning the autos
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The Ford Fiesta’s time has come; the model ceased production in 2023, after nearly 50 years as one of Britain’s best-selling cars, and a strong seller elsewhere too. That means the only way to buy a Fiesta now is to buy a used example - and thanks to their popularity, that’s still very easy to do, with huge choice available on the used market.
It’s not just ubiquitous but also a great car. It’s been one of the most entertaining small cars to drive for many years, has a wide range of engines and trim levels to suit the needs of buyers, and while it’s not the largest or more practical car in its class, the Fiesta is still easy to live with and packs useful features and technology.
If you’re shopping for a supermini, then the Ford Fiesta should be on your list almost by default. Aside from a few recent years where the Vauxhall Corsa overtook it on sales, it’s been a best-seller in Britain on and off since the original Fiesta debuted in 1976, usually only trading places with the larger Ford Escort and Focus models.
Some of that popularity comes from the car’s affordability and the sheer number of Ford dealers in the UK, which has made it easy for buyers to find their nearest showroom and drive out in a Fiesta. But over its last few generations, the Fiesta’s simply been a better car than most of its rivals, topping the class for ride and handling, and being strong enough in other areas that few rivals offered a better all-round package.
Some of those alternatives fit four adults and their luggage a little more easily, but the Fiesta is still practical, and its relatively compact size makes it easy to park and easy to thread through narrow streets. The popular Ecoboost turbocharged petrol engines have a slightly shaky reliability record but they’re frugal and perform well, while for features and entertainment the Fiesta also scores well.
Cars such as the Vauxhall Corsa, Peugeot 208, Renault Clio, Toyota Yaris and Honda Jazz are all potential Fiesta alternatives, many offering more room and a bit more style, but not being quite as fun to drive. The MINI Hatchback is similarly amusing and has a more premium feel, but isn’t as practical, while the Ford Puma is also worth a look - it’s effectively replaced the Fiesta as Ford’s main small car offering.
The 1.5-litre TDCi turbodiesel is tempting if you cover big distances and the high fuel economy starts to make a difference, but most drivers will be best served by one of the 1-litre Ecoboost petrols. Available in a few power outputs over the years, it’s punchy, fairly refined, and not too heavy on fuel. It’s best paired with the six-speed manual gearbox too.
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The Fiesta came in three and five-door forms, which is really down to personal preference - the three-door looks sportier, the five-door will be more useful if you regularly use the rear seats. Trend models can feel a little basic, so we’d use Titanium as a starting point for equipment, or ST-Line if you want something sporty but can’t stretch to the Fiesta ST hot hatch.
As the Fiesta was on sale for several years, Ford offered a number of different trim levels. We’ve focused on some of the later ones below, but shop around and you’ll find other badges like Zetec and Style, plus the luxurious Vignale with its leather seats and unique exterior colours. Of course, there’s the sporty Fiesta ST, too, which also came in Performance trim with several mechanical upgrades aimed at enthusiastic drivers.
The Ford Fiesta’s dimensions are:
The Ford Fiesta’s boot size is:
The Fiesta we’re looking at here launched in 2017, which means all models get a flat rate of VED or ‘road tax’, which for the 2024/2025 tax year comes to £190 - or £10 less for the mild hybrid models. That puts the Fiesta on an even keel with all its rivals, though with no electric version, it’s not as cheap to tax as cars like the Peugeot e-208.
Fiesta insurance shouldn’t be too expensive - at the lowest point in the range, the 1.1-litre naturally-aspirated engine and Trend trim starts at only group 4. Ecoboost 100PS models start in group 10, and the 125PS mild hybrid from group 15.
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