Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Fire up the...Ford Fiesta

A version of this review appeared in the Daily Post in June 2009



FORD’S big seller has gone from chunky to funky in its latest iteration, which sees the sixth model in the Fiesta family opt for swoopy curves.

The car it replaces did a job in a sensible but stodgy way, being fun to drive but boring to behold, giving the prettier Punto and Corsa the edge in the style stakes. This new model comes not a moment too soon.

What it does take on from the last few Fiestas is the same reassuringly brilliant driving feel, which encourages you to push on without getting things wrong. It’s a great base for creating a hot hatch along the lines of the outgoing ST150 or the old XR2s of Fiestas gone by. It’s a shame that Ford currently has no plans for a go-faster version.

Yet it'll also impress go-slower drivers with its ample improvements to the space and quality in the cabin. The cowled dashboard is a big improvement, although it could prove a pain for driving instructors hoping to check their pupils' pace. The zany control system for most of the car's features are also bound to annoy more than impress.

The Fiesta’s a car that not only improves dramatically on its dull predecessor, but also has the measure of its rivals in the supermini market.

Can we have a faster version now, please?

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