Category: Superminis 
Price Range: No data available
Excellent interior space, practical, good safety features, good handling.
Most engines could do with more pep; hard seats, noisy diesel, excessive road noise on big wheels, one or two inconvenient features.
Sensible and fun to drive on the right road, but a bit dull; it also feels a little cheap and flimsy.
The Fiesta rides slightly more firmly than some competitors - the trade-off is better handling - but few will find it uncomfortable, because the suspension is very well damped and works very quietly.
Low levels of road and modest wind roar tend to throw the engine's efforts into sharper relief (not unpleasant) but overall the Fiesta is a refined small car. The diesel is an exception, however - it cruises quietly enough, but never stops clattering when you accelerate through the gears.
And beware ordering the biggest wheels and tyres - they create unacceptable road roar on the motorway.
The front seats are disappointing - the cushion is too unyielding, and provides insufficient leg support. Some may find that the upper seatbelt mounting is too low, even at its highest point as well. And although the heating and ventilation systems are effective, it's disappointing that there are no individual controls for the air vents.
The new Fiesta is bigger and it certainly provides plenty of space, not just up front but in the rear, too. Back-benchers will find exceptional head, knee and footroom (you can stick your feet well under the front seats). The boot is big for the class, too, and has been shaped to ensure that baby buggies and so on can be swallowed. However, it's disappointing that, while the backrest can be split 60:40, the cushion can't - so if you want to carry a long load and a passenger, make sure that load isn't deep.
