'Ford finally got the Fiesta right,' said Parker's Car Price Guide, 'with superb handling, much-improved ride and better overall refinement.' We noted in our
4car Road Test that 'the new nose and tail don't fully disguise the bit in the middle', but 'revitalised driving qualities make it a smart choice for those in the know'. A new family of Zetec SE multi-valve light-alloy engines were introduced, the suspension completely re-engineered and the cabin redesigned from scratch; ABS anti-lock brakes were combined with EBD (electronic brake-force distribution) and traction control. The Fiesta Mk 4 also boasted a comprehensive restyle that brought its looks more up to date. Journalists applauded the suspension developments - a new subframe to stiffen the body structure, refinements to the suspension and steering gear, and a new twist-beam axle design at the rear - as well as the lively new Zetec engines which not only reduced fuel consumption and emissions, but made the Fiesta fun to drive again.
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Cheapskates had the option to continue buying Mk 3 models, badged Fiesta Classic, which used up the last of the old 1.1, 1.3 and 1.8 diesel engine stock, and cost £8225-£9510. However, when the new Fiesta 1.25 Encore, with the excellent new Zetec engine, cost £9360, it's difficult to see why anyone would.
Equipment levels were substantially upped, in line with Renault's Clio, Volkswagen's Polo, Fiat's Punto and the Seat Ibiza, which were all taking the supermini sector further upmarket. Increasingly, this market segment was dividing into two: those that were near to being small family cars and smaller, sportier models such as the Peugeot 106 and Citroen Saxo which were more in the spirit of the original superminis.
Some manufacturers aimed to cover both options, either by clearly differentiating their three- and five-door versions - as with the Fiesta's new great rival, the Vauxhall Corsa - or by marketing their supermini as a proper, large little car and launching a smaller, cheaper, economy-biased 'city car' to slot in beneath it. Fiat revived the 500 concept with the Cinquecento, the VW Group had the Seat Arosa, plus there was a whole new wave of weird, boxy mini-MPVs and small-but-tall cars from the Far East.
Flying in the face of those who said it was too conservative, Ford went for the latter option, launching the extraordinary Fiesta-based Ka in 1996. Costing from just £7960, this VW Beetle-alike prepared buyers for the shock of the radical 'New Edge' styled Focus (1998). But that's another story, as is the Puma coupe...
The Fiesta Mk 4 continued - as Azura, Flight, Chicane, Twenty-First (to mark the 21st anniversary of the original launch), Fusion, Finesse and other special editions, as well as the standard Encore, LX, Si, Ghia and Ghia X models. Encore models were the successors of the old Popular and Popular Plus - thankfully, they were slightly less punishing to spend time in, although equipment levels were still pretty sparse. The only real criticism of the Mk 4, however, was that rear seat room was very limited - but this problem had to wait to be resolved.
Links: 4car Road Test:
Ford Fiesta (1995-99)
