Light Car mega-test: Ford Fiesta

This generation Ford Fiesta is still a relatively fresh face. It originally arrived from Belgium in January 2009 but production of Australia-bound Fiestas switched to Thailand in September 2010 (as distinguished by the chrome vents on the lower bumper of the high-grade models).

The Fiesta has been a popular and important vehicle for Ford Australia, transforming itself from a remedial student to one of the top-four performers in the class.

Much of its appeal lies in the elegant design inside and out, and technology such as voice-controlled phone and audio functions.

Most mod cons are covered in this top-of-the-range Zetec model: cruise control, Bluetooth, and both a 3.5mm socket and a USB port for iPod connectivity. A thoughtful addition: a ticket holder at the base of the windscreen in front of the driver.

While the layout and the features are impressive (and there is ample oddment storage in the doors and cubbies), the cabin plastics feel cheap and hard to the touch. Some testers thought the buttons for the audio controls were too cluttered.

The Fiesta comes with seven airbags (including one for the driver’s knee), a five-star safety rating and secure driving dynamics to hopefully avoid a crash in the first place.

Although it’s made in Thailand, the suspension tuning was done in Europe. It’s one of the more engaging cars in the class to drive, aided in part by the sports-style steering wheel (which, unfortunately, lacks reach adjustment).

Power from the 1.6-litre engine is above average and it is relatively refined. The engine is matched to Ford’s ‘Power Shift’ gearbox, an automated twin-clutch manual that feels as smooth as a conventional torque converter auto. We had to ring Ford to double-check.

We also rang to check if someone had stolen the spare tyre from our test car. The Fiesta doesn’t get one: an inflator kit is standard. Uniquely among this group of cars, a spare wheel and tyre is an extra-cost option.

This seemed an odd omission given that, with a sticker price of $22,990, the Fiesta Zetec is the dearest car in this test. As ever, price would weigh heavily when it came to the verdict.

At least the Fiesta is one of the few cars in the class available with fixed price servicing, which is listed at $275 at 15,000km intervals. While this is cheaper than the random prices offered by most brands, it’s not as cheap as the Toyota Yaris deal of $120 every 10,000km.

Overall impressions of the Fiesta were good, but we soon discovered just how quickly the rest of the class had caught up – or overtaken it.

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