As boys, my brother and I would see a glamorous advert for a new car, resplendent in gadgets and coo to our dad, “Why can’t our car do that Dad?”
Dad would reply, “It’s just another thing to go wrong, son.”
Consequently my brother and I still hear this phrase in our heads whenever we watch a car advert. I can’t help but think about it whenever I see wing mirrors that automatically wind themselves in when you lock the car. Especially on tiny cars like the pink – sorry, tango red - Fiesta I am driving this week.
In years of parking in really busy streets and almost every underground car park in London I have only had to repair one wing mirror because someone hit it. And it wasn’t a car, it was a drunk teenager – who is just as likely to wrench a folded-in mirror off as a sticking out one. He probably has a road cone at home that it will look great on.
So every time I hear the little motor winding the mirror in, I wonder, what will that costs when it fails? Is it more likely to fail than a static mirror is to get hit by a car? I think it is. And I think the odds of a drunk student having a swipe at it are exactly the same – but the bill is bigger to repair a motorised one.
The automated boot opener mystified me too. What is wrong with a button on the boot? Why do I have to press the key fob, wait for the delay, then have the car light up before the boot opens? When some part of this mechanism goes wrong and I can’t get my milk, butter and other comestibles out of the boot until the RAC turn up, I will have a smelly car and no dinner.
Why am I making a fuss about such a small components? Because they are at odds with the rest of the car. This is a really good little car. It is, in so many good ways, like cars used to be. It is not dated or behind the times, it has progressed massively from former Fiestas. The progress is clear in terms of trim quality, fuel consumption and emissions. But unlike so many cars the progress is not for progress’ sake.
I had to change the clock time – so I pressed the button labelled ‘clock.’ I wanted to program the radio; it was easy. No plasma screens or pages of menus. It doesn’t whistle and ping at you if, as an adult, you have decided you don’t need a seatbelt to move the car 20 yards to let your partner move their car off the driveway.
It looks good and appeals to a broad audience. You jump in it and start it up with a simple key. Then, from the moment you pull away, you feel jolly. It is perky off the line; you feel connected to the steering and ride in a positive way.
City jams are less of an issue in my Pink Fiesta, more because of the way the car feels than any discernable time-saving through traffic. Parallel parking on Fleet Street is usually pretty challenging – but not in this car. All spaces are ‘do-able.’ The headroom is excellent, as is boot space. The seats could do with being longer on the base, although you do get used to them. There is not the best legroom for this class of car, but that’s because this is the three door. The five door is better.
At 30 mph this car feels quick – not like a go-kart. But a bit like a go-kart in that you think you are moving quickly and you are not. So you don’t end up going too quickly in town. Which is really important because there are pedestrians and cyclists about.
But, and this is where Ford show what good engineers they have, at ‘motorway speeds’ it does not feel scary or wobbly or noisy. It doesn’t vibrate. It cruises beautifully at proper speeds.
I have championed the idea of having slightly bigger engines in smaller cars for a while and this car meets that criteria. But all the Zetec engines, even the smaller ones, are good units.
Summary
The current-shape Ford Fiesta is an all-rounder. Well made, with everything you want, but not unnecessarily complicated or cluttered. It is a driver’s car for when drivers have to venture into cities.
There are plenty of great deals around on new and used cars, especially twoyear old vehicles. Running costs are typically Ford-low. If you are buying used and want the peace of mind of buying new, you can consider Ford Direct. All the cars are prepared to Ford standards, as well as inspected and approved by the RAC. They come with a two year unlimited mileage warranty, and two years’ Ford Assistance roadside recovery.
Road test details
Ford Fiesta Zetec Climate 1.6 TDCi 3dr
£11,996.00 on the road
£14,445.00 on the road including sports pack and other extras
0-60: 11.2 sec
MPG: 64.2
Words: Matthew Tumbridge