Ford Fiesta long-term test review

• The car: Ford Fiesta 1.0 Ecoboost 100 Zetec
• Run by: Hemal Mistry, digital reviews editor
• Why it’s here: To find out if this new model has enough substance to keep the Fiesta – long considered to be the best small hatchback on the market – ahead of the chasing pack
• Needs to: Be more mature and grown up than ever before, including matching the best in class for touches of luxury inside without losing its predecessor's dynamic charms

Price £15,445 Price as tested £16,920 Miles covered 4317 Official economy 65.7mpg Test economy 46.0mpg Options fitted Frozen White premium colour (£250), 16in alloy wheel pack, including rear privacy glass and front scuff plates (£450), City Pack, including rear parking sensors and electrically folding door mirrors (£300), electric rear windows (£175), Bang & Olufsen 10-speaker audio system (£300)

21 December 2017 – Fast and fun

We have barely touched upon the Fiesta’s driving characteristics so far, mainly because it hasn't so far been overly challenged by my dreary commute in stop-start London traffic. But over the last month several trips to Buckinghamshire and the Midlands has allowed me to stretch the Ford’s legs on various roads to see where its strengths and shortcomings lie.

We already know that it is fairly accomplished around town, but it's equally at home travelling long distances on the motorway. It is so comfortable and refined that you could easily mistake yourself for being sat in a saloon rather than a small hatchback – high praise indeed.

The work that has gone into the Fiesta is evident, as the improvements in its sound deadening keeps wind, road and the thrummy engine noises to a minimum, meaning even the longest of journeys don’t become tiresome.

Consider also the 1.0-litre three-cylinder Ecoboost engine, which is responsive and flexible enough to make overtaking effortless without the need to shift down a gear. But even when the traffic gets heavy and you find yourself switching between gears to maintain momentum, the Fiesta’s smooth engine and slick six-speed manual makes traffic jams more bearable.

Change the pace a little and opt for single carriageway A- and B-roads and the Fiesta’s character changes once again, with its accurate steering and sharp handling making it a star when the roads becomes twisty. The steering is nicely weighted and offers enough feedback to give plenty of confidence when you attack corners with gusto.

This Fiesta, then, is reallly very impressive, but the only black mark from these various sojourns was a screw in the passenger front tyre, which hadn’t penetrated enough for it to lose pressure or trigger the tyre pressure monitoring system. However, 45 minutes at a local repair centre, and for a princely sum of £25, the little Fiesta was good to go. It was interesting to see the puncture repair carried out from the preparation, to removing the offending object, fixing the casing and then rebalancing the wheel. All while avoiding the costly wireless active tyre pressure monitoring sensor on the alloy rim.

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