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You probably think the Fiesta is a nice looking little car. And you're absolutely right, because it is, indeed, a nice looking car! And it is, indeed, a little car! It's just over 3.9 metres long! It, also, is a well packaged car which provides just enough interior space. As you would expect, there isn't a great amount of space though. If you're tall, my advise is to watch your knees as you get into the car, as the centre console extension takes up a bit too much space. But all the interior fitments are in the right place. What you do get with a Fiesta, though, is a vast amount of fun. The style speaks for itself. The optional body kit shows you want additional style. The engine/gearbox combination demonstrates a flair for enjoyment. So all told, this all wraps up into quite a delightful package of fun, fun, fun. It's enough to make you believe the car can take 20 years off your life (if you're my age!). That's how much character this car possesses. Power comes from a zippy 1.6 litre double overhead camshaft 4-cylinder engine which produces quite a reasonable 74 kW of power at 6,000 rpm and a healthy 146 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. This indicates why the zip is so satisfying, because the car weighs in at just over 1 tonne. The disc/drum brake set-up provides very good braking. So the get up and go and the get up and stop department each support the stylish exterior, to ensure an enjoyable time behind the wheel. Economy is very good, as the combined cycle is rated at 6.6 L/100 km. No need to worry about petrol being over $1 per litre with a Fiesta!  |
 Handling, steering and ride are all good and fit the character of the car perfectly well. There is just one shortfall. There is no drivers footrest. There isn't room for one either, but on a long drive you'll be looking for it! We enjoyed driving the Fiesta so much, we drove it 1202 kms in just 7 days around Sydney, Newcastle and the NSW Central Coast. Small cars come with a small price tag. That's a perfectly reasonable proposition. But although Fiesta LX prices start at a pretty fair $14,490, you can readily expect a Fiesta Zetec to be somewhat more. And that's the case with the test car which came in at $21,525 (plus on-road costs). This price includes the optional "Flare" colouring (which is exclusive to Zetec), 16" 7-spoke alloy wheels and the body kit. A spoiler is also available, if desired, although one was not fitted to the test car. Standard equipment for the Fiesta Zetec includes air conditioning, driver and front passenger air bags, single CD audio, power windows, remote central locking, leather steering wheel and, as they say, ..... more! Fiesta is a great little car, providing you're not too tall. It's so enjoyable behind the wheel, it looks so good and it has excellent fuel economy. The car feels secure, too. It's a sporty little number, much like a make you feel good type of car! All this and at a fair price, too! Stephen Walker | |
