Ford Fiesta (2008-) Review

Comfort and Equipment

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Ford has done a good job in improving the Fiesta's refinement: not only is the sound-proofing far better than before and the engines less raucous, the ride is smoother. The suspension is stiffly-set, especially in the lower-riding Zetec S, but it has enough 'give' to cope sympathetically with rough road surfaces. Body roll is minimal and there's an absence of jolting, vibration and general all-round harshness.

Though the low roofline - the trade-off for that stylish side profile - means headroom isn't as generous as that in some rivals, all but the tallest of drivers will still be comfortable. The front seats are well-shaped and supportive, even under hard cornering, thanks to generous side bolsters. Rear seats are a little less generous, with short and flat bases, and legroom in the back is rather tight for adults, but access is easy even in the three-door.

Where the Fiesta falls short is in its load-carrying versatility. Though the boot is larger than before (up to 295 litres in models with no spare wheel) it's still not a huge cargo capacity, and the rear seats do not slide, tumble or even fold fully flat. That's quite an oversight in a supermini these days.

Entry-level Studio does without air conditioning or even electric front windows, but have a CD player and central locking. Style spec adds electric front windows, remote central locking, an uprated four-speaker sound system and body-coloured bumpers, mirrors and door handles, and Style+ (from £10,395) brings air con and a heated windscreen.

Zetec models (from £10,995) are expected to be the most popular, with 15" alloy wheels, front fog lamps, leather steering wheel, chrome grille and exterior trim and interior LED lighting; Zetec S versions (from £12,595) have 16" wheels, deeper front bumper, side mouldings, rear spoiler and sports suspension.

You pays yer money and you makes yer choice, but should you really wish to go to town, top-spec Titanium models come with 16" alloys, tinted glass, Bluetooth phone kit cruise control, automatic headlamps and wipers, power-folding mirrors, keyless ignition/start button and the all-important carpet mats. Five-door models have rear electric windows, and options include leather upholstery. All models except the base version have an MP3 socket.

There's a number of different interior finishes to choose from, depending on exterior paint colour. The oxblood red won't be to everyone's tastes, and the blue dash-top looks a bit dated and cheap, but the basic plain black and monochrome interiors are uncontroversial if a bit dull.