FORD FIESTA
An immediately recognisable car on our roads, the Ford Fiesta is the best-selling car in UK motoring history.
On every street in the UK you’ll find a Ford Fiesta. Millions have been sold since the car first arrived on UK shores in 1977, leaving almost all of the British population as somebody who’s driven, owned, or known somebody who has a Ford Fiesta. Late in 2017, Ford launched the 8th generation of Fiesta and it has never been better.
The 8th generation of Fiesta answered many criticisms levelled at the outgoing model. The interior is now brighter and plusher, with overall quality taking a big step forward in general. New trim levels like ‘Vignale’ and the upcoming ‘Active’ have been introduced, and the ever-popular enthusiasts’ car the Fiesta ST hot hatch has evolved yet further and remains the benchmark performance hatch.
When it comes to engine there’s one that really stands out – the 1.0-litre 3-cylinder ‘Ecoboost’ petrol. This engine is a bit of a classic, available in 3 states of tune from 98 to 138bhp and a multiple award-winner too. Petrol power really suits the nimble, sporty feeling Fiesta and though the 1.5-diesel is an excellent engine in its own right, the Ecoboost is something rather special and pairs particularly nicely with the 6-speed manual Ford has put into this car. In the performance ‘ST’ model, the Ecoboost is a 1.5-litre unit that produces 197bhp and comes only with the manual gearbox, which is something Synergy’s driving enthusiasts will find particularly refreshing.
Driving dynamics and driver enjoyment are two things the Fiesta is particularly famous for, and it’s absolutely true. Driving a Fiesta in anger is a hugely enjoyable and engaging experience, few small cars do it better, but when you’re taking it easy it’s also a very comfortable hatchback too. The engineers have done a tremendous job in balancing these two key properties of the driving experience, meaning it can excel on all roads with all kinds of drivers.
Further improvements have been made with technology and equipment – the headline being Ford’s new partnership with Bang & Olufsen. The resulting ‘B&O PLAY’ audio system is seriously impressive for a vehicle of this class, perhaps only rivalled by the Nissan Micra’s Bose system. With regards to other equipment, from ‘Titanium’ trim and upwards, you get keyless ignition, automatic windscreen wipers, cruise and climate control, as well as the new 8-inch infotainment display with Navigation as standard.
In the supermini world, the Ford Fiesta is the standard that all other rivals are compared against, and rightfully so.