HOT hatches are making a dramatic come-back but most of them attract crippling insurance premiums.
Ford's Fiesta Zetec S is in lowly group seven and attracts an average annual outlay of just £350, which is pretty remarkable for a performance model.
Of course the concept of performance is relative, with a 1.6-litre engine unable to replicate the prowess of a Porsche or Ferrari.
However, with a price tag of just £11,595 the question is simply how much poke you get for the pound.
In the case of the Fiesta it amounts to 100bhp with almost 110lb/ft of pulling power. That translates into a 0-62mph acceleration time of 9.9 seconds and a top speed fractionally in excess of 110mph.
Hardly seat of the pants stuff but not bad for cool young dudes who want to enjoy their driving without breaking the bank.
The icing on the financial cake is the economy, which averages more than 40mpg.
It adds up to an attractive package, which in the case of the sporty Zetec S model goes just as well as it looks.
The fancy alloys, blistered arches and rear roof spoiler indicate the car's intentions and thankfully it is engineered to a standard to fulfil the promise.
A snappy gear change, taut handling, precise steering, supportive seats and a well-dampened ride combine to generate an enjoyable driving experience.
This is no temperamental hot-hatch that has to be thrashed to be appreciated either because it is just as happy trundling down to the shops or taking the kids on the school run.
The interior looks the part, although it is so dominated by black that it can seem a mite dark, especially with rear tinted windows.
On balance this is a nice little car that is sensibly priced and relatively cheap to run.
Depreciation is decent so it should fetch about £4,250 after three years- a loss of about £7,250, which is what you would expect.
For those who can not quite stretch to the Zetec S price there is an attractive alternative in the form of Nissan's new £9,995 Micra SR 160, which does roughly the same job.
FAST FACTS
Ford Fiesta Zetec S 1.6 3dr
Price: £11,595
Mechanical: 100bhp, 1,596cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 5spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 114mph
0-62mph: 9.9 secs
Combined mpg: 41.5
Insurance group: 7
CO2 emissions: 159g/km
BiK rating: 18%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 3yrs paint; 12yrs anti-rust