Used Ford Ka Streetka 2003-2005 review

What's the used Ford Streetka like?

If a little, cute, excitable puppy was a car, it'd be the Ford Streetka. This mini used sports car takes the already good standard Ford Ka and then throws in open-top motoring. It's great recipe for affordable fun.

In creating the model, Ford worked hard to make the Streetka's body as stiff as possible. Of course, with convertibles prone to flex – that's their lack of a solid roof acting against them – mechanical changes over its city car sibling were needed. The brand's efforts paid off, because this little soft-top deals with bumpy roads in a way many more expensive cabriolets cannot. The standard Ka's excellent handling, precise steering and tenacious grip have also been preserved.

Overview

Fresh-air driving and fine handling are available for bargain prices with the Streetka. A sweeter and cheaper-to-run engine would be ideal, though.

Pros

• Cheap to buy
• Fun to drive
• Easy to maintain

Cons

• Lacklustre engine
• Expensive road tax for a 1.6-litre
• Examples aren't particularly plentiful

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However, the Streetka only uses the same 94bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine as the little Sportka hot hatch, and we're not sure that was the right call. You see, the regular Ka has a great, zippy 1.3-litre engine and its not present here. Instead, the 1.6 sounds wheezy and, despite its extra power, it doesn't feel much faster than its smaller sibling. Still, the gearshift is precise and you should see decent fuel economy.

If you're interested in finding a used Ford Streetka, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

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Ownership cost

What used Ford Streetka will I get for my budget?

A cool £1500 will get you into Streetka ownership. And the best part is you'll only need £3000 (at most) to access the best examples. Mileages tend to waver around 50,000 and conditions are generally respectable.

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Our recommendations

Which used Ford Streetka should I buy?

There are a few different Streetkas to choose from, and all come with remote central locking, alloy wheels, electric windows and a CD player, so you're not short-changed on equipment. However, we'd recommend the Luxury version, because it includes leather seats which add that touch of, well, luxury.

The ICE model has an upgraded stereo, while the Winter version comes with a hard-top to keep the elements at bay. However, we'd stick with the normal hood, because it's quick and easy to use manually and seals out all that Mother Nature can throw at it.

There's also the Streetka Pink. This is vivid, to say the least, and came out around the time Ford was helping to promote the Thunderbirds film, copying the paint scheme of Lady Penelope's FAB 1.

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Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Ford Streetka?

As we've mentioned, the standard Ford Ka city car and its Sportka counterpart are obvious alternatives. The Renault Wind is a similar proposition to the Streetka. It's slightly more expensive but still very cheap.

If you're interested in finding a used Ford Streetka, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

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