Category: City Cars 
Price Range: £7,395 to £11,195
Sharp drive, supple ride, cute looks.
Stingy on kit, limited space for adults in rear, lacks charm of Fiat 500.
The Ka out-drives the 500, but loses out on value and desirability.
Ford has worked hard with the Ka's four-year-old underpinnings, overhauling the suspension arrangement to improve the ride over the 500's unforgiving stiffness.
The result? The Ford Ka feels sharper, better damped and less prone to big roll angles when pushing on through a bend.
You don't have to drive far to appreciate the softer, more comfortable springs. Even when teamed up with the larger 16" wheels, the Ka felt more grown-up than in 500 in the way it dealt with large bumps.
The Ka maintains grip brilliantly, even on damp, greasy roads. Only severe provocation causes the nose to push wide. Coming off the throttle in such circumstance tightens the nose nicely, but there is less adjustability compared to the old model.
Of the two models available, we prefer the steering on the petrol 1.2-litre, offering a smooth and linear response with none of the uneven weighting suffered by the 500.
The 68bhp petrol engine is also the pick of the two engines. Both the petrol and the diesel hit 62mph in 13.1 seconds, but the diesel's superior torque has the edge in mid-range acceleration. However, it's the petrol engine's refinement and sheer enthusiasm that wins the day.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Ford Ka
wrote on 14 08 2006