| DRIVING RATING: |
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If you can get comfortable on the flat seats, then the Zetec S is extremely user-friendly. The steering is direct and precise, without being over-light, and the gearchange is easy and exact. All the controls are simple to find and use, and the sporty instrument dials are clear to read. The Zetec S is always obedient, and has to be seriously abused before it bites back. The Fiesta is the basis of the Puma coupe, and it shows even in the entry-level models; the Zetec S also shares the Puma's precise, quick gear linkage, and it has a lower-ratio gearbox and stiffer suspension than the standard cars. The Zetec S is very chuckable, in a safe, predictable yet satisfying fashion, though the sorted chassis could handle a lot more power. It would be even more fun with the Puma's 1.7-litre, 125 bhp engine...
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