This all new Fiesta can best be described with one word, premium.
Starting with that grille, it looks fantastic. Bold, slightly aggressive and surrounded with chrome you could lose yourself in. Building upon the front end of the previous edition Fiesta, the new car has matured beautifully, it’s distinctive LED daytime running lights giving it personality whilst the strong creases running along the side accentuate the sporting undercurrents. Other highlights include the LED rear lights, Power-foldable door mirrors with puddle lights and Rear privacy glass. This is a classy looking car.
Step inside and the Fiesta displays it’s grown up attitude with soft touch materials, partial leather seats, leather-trimmed steering wheel, handbrake handle and gearshift knob, beautiful ambient lighting and a centre console with armrest and cup holders. Technology dominates with a centrally mounted 8″ Touchscreen, Ford SYNC 3 Navigation, DAB Radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a simple interface which allows access to all settings and applications. There’s also a new 675 watt, 10-speaker audio system from B&O PLAY which allows your music choices to sound fantastic.
The Fiesta also integrates the following driver assist systems into the experience with: Adaptive Cruise Control which Combines cruise control and distance control, Traffic Sign Recognition, Auto High Beam, Blind Spot Information System, Driver Alert and superb Retractable door edge protectors.
The Fiesta is excellent in town where it easily handles the pot holes, road workings, traffic and parking issues of the average commute. But out of town the Fiesta shines as bright as its Frozen White, Premium Body Colour as you get to know the 1.0 Ford EcoBoost 98.6bhp petrol engine under the bonnet.
The engine, as fitted to the Titanium EcoBoost on test, offers technology such as a diamond-like coating on the piston rings that reduces friction, a turbocharger, direct injection and variable valve timing that boosts efficiency and adds up to an engine that has been the winner at the International Engine of the Year Awards for five years running and in its latest guise, is capable of an impressive 65.7 mpg, with only 97 g/km of CO2 emissions.
Ford’s all new Fiesta has an engine that offers surprising amounts of go throughout the rev range exactly when you need it. A 0-62mph time of 10.5s is not particularly relevant these days but shows that the Fiesta is comparable to it’s rivals and a top speed of 113mph means that cruising at 70 is a relaxed affair for the engine whilst also leaving a little in reserve. A-roads, dual carriageways and motorways are where this Fiesta really impresses, set the adaptive cruise control to 70mph and relax. Enjoy the ride quality offered by the well engineered suspension and comfortable, premium feeling cabin with it’s ambient lighting, incredible bespoke B&O PLAY stereo, climate control and multifunctional touch screen and let the miles slip away.
Twisting tarmac offers a chance to push the Fiesta in a manner that quite belies it’s Titanium badging. With it’s 16″ 10-spoke alloy wheels and responsive engine the Ford still displays the dna of fast Fords past and present in the manner of it’s direction changing and acceleration between the corners.
There’s a luggage capacity of 292 litres with the seats up, 1093 litres with the rear seats down, room for five adults in comfort and Active Park Assist, (Ford’s system that can steer you into parallel or perpendicular parking spaces just 20% longer or wider than the car itself!)
Ultimately, you have a car that offers the modern driver everything they need for between £13,165-£19,795. It may have taken forty ‘ish years to create but my word, it’s definitely been worth the wait.
Where will you go?