Ford Fiesta Titanium review

What is it: The latest generation of Britain’s best-selling car, the Ford Fiesta. Key features: Improved quality and connectivity, excellent driving characteristics Our view: The Ford Fiesta is the best-selling car in the UK for good reason, and the new model is a welcome improvement in most areas. Review type: First drive The Ford Fiesta has been the top-selling car in the United Kingdom for the last eight years, and for good reason. But the new car market is a constantly-changing environment, and even the best in the business need to keep improving. The new Fiesta is considered an “all-new” model, which means that although there are many carry-over mechanical bits underneath, the car has been redesigned from scratch. Not that you’d really notice at first glance. Unlike the first six generations of Ford Fiesta models, the exterior styling is a subtle evolution of the previous model. Inside, however, it’s a big jump forward. And that’s most welcome, because the dash layout and interior trim were two of the last Fiesta’s weaknesses. We drove the new model on its launch in Spain, in both petrol and diesel forms. A more comprehensive review of the UK-spec car on UK roads is coming soon. So how does the Fiesta shape up against perennial rivals like the Vauxhall Corsa, Volkswagen Polo, SEAT Ibiza, Toyota Yaris, Honda Jazz and others? Next page: Design Exterior design. It takes a minute to spot the visual changes from most angles, and the overall effect is a slightly smoother, slightly more sophisticated version of the previous Fiesta’s styling. The grille and headlights have a very similar look to the last one, although Ford has worked to create more visual difference between trim specifications (Titanium vs. ST-Line vs. Vignale, etc.). Many of the hard creases on the last model have been smoothed out, and the car looks bigger. That’s a bit deceiving, as it is marginally larger but cabin size hasn’t really grown significantly. The biggest visual change is at the back, where larger tail lights are the most obvious clue that you’re looking at the new Fiesta. It’s a surprisingly low-key update to the model, and the risk is that current owners won’t believe that the car is sufficiently new and different, and may look elsewhere for more of a change when their PCP finance deals come to an end. To be fair, Volkswagen has made a career out of Golfs and Polos that prefer evolution to revolution, so maybe Ford won’t be too worried. Better than: Skoda Fabia, Toyota Yaris, Vauxhall Corsa Not as good as: Citroën C3, SEAT Ibiza Interior design. It might be evolution on the outside, but it’s revolution on the inside. The previous dashboard, which looked like a designer had vomited buttons everywhere, has been replaced by a far more elegant arrangement. Controls are intelligently positioned and easy to use. All the cars we drove at the launch event had an eight-inch touchscreen – it’s standard on higher-level cars and optional on base models – that worked much better than similar units in cars three times the price. As mentioned, cabin space hasn’t improved significantly. It’s still squeezy in the back seats and you’ll need to be moderate with your luggage expectations, but it’s competitive for the class. Better than: Peugeot 208, Renault Clio, Vauxhall Corsa Not as good as: Audi A1, SEAT Ibiza, Volkswagen Polo Next page: Powertrains and driving experience Powertrains. Ford expects that 90% of new Fiestas will come with a petrol engine. At launch there is a 1.1-litre unit for lower-spec models, in either 70hp or 85hp outputs. As you move up the price list, the company’s acclaimed 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine is offered in outputs of 100hp, 125hpo and 140hp. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, with a six-speed automatic available with the 1.0-litre engines as well (base models are manual only). If you are one of the 10% of Fiesta drivers who will choose diesel power, the 1.5-litre engine is available in 85hp and 120hp versions, only with a manual gearbox. Ford is saying nothing about plans for a hybrid or electric Fiesta at this stage, but given that this model will be expected to last for the next eight years or so, it seems inevitable that an electrified Fiesta of some description will make an appearance at some stage. Better than: Pretty much everything Not as good as: Toyota Yaris, if you want a hybrid On the road. The Ford Fiesta has long been considered one of the best superminis to drive, and the latest model enhances that reputation. Over the course of a couple of days, we drove the mid-range Titanium and top-spec Vignale models, and the Titanium felt better. This is largely down to a smoother ride from its smaller 16-inch alloy wheels (17-inch on the Vignale). The 1.0-litre petrol engine is still a stunner, and deserves all the praise that has come its way over the last few years. More than once on the deserted roads of northern Spain, I found myself looking down at the speedo to discover I was doing about 20mph more than I would have guessed. The 1.5-litre diesel engine is also a smooth operator, and much quieter than the diesel units found in far more expensive cars. If you are one of the 10% of Fiesta buyers who will choose the diesel engine, you won’t be disappointed. Better than: Pretty much everything* Next page: Equipment, summary and specifications *Where we have not driven competitor vehicles to rate against the tested vehicle, we have aggregated reports from across the UK motoring media. Equipment. The mid-rage Titanium specification is probably the sweet spot of the new Ford Fiesta range. As standard it gets a quality infotainment system, which includes a large eight-inch touchscreen display with satnav, DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, two USB sockets and emergency assistance. The 16-inch alloys provide a better ride than the bigger wheels on more expensive models, and you also get cruise control, climate control, auto headlights, auto wipers, auto-dimming rear view mirror, electrically-folding door mirrors and privacy glass. For an extra £1,350 you can option up to the Titanium X specification, which adds a superb Bang & Olufsen ten-speaker stereo system, partial leather seats, heated steering wheel, reversing camera, electric rear windows for five-door models and keyless entry. A better option is probably to just get the B&O stereo for £300. The new Ford Fiesta range is yet to be put through its crash-testing paces by Euro NCAP, but cars like the new SEAT Ibiza have set the safety standard very high. The Fiesta gets lane-keeping assist as standard, but – unfortunately – autonomous emergency braking is only available as part of an extra-cost pack for an additional £200. Better than: Audi A1, MINI hatch, Volkswagen Polo Not as good as: Nissan Micra, SEAT Ibiza, Skoda Fabia Summary. The small car class is one of the toughest in the marketplace. Despite the huge growth in SUVs, the majority of news cars sold in the UK are from this category. The new Ford Fiesta range is a big step forward, but other rivals have also made great leaps. Will it be enough to keep the Fiesta atop the sales tables for another eight years? The new Fiesta has leapt ahead of its major showroom rival, the Vauxhall Corsa, but on the horizon is a minty-fresh new Volkswagen Polo, as well as the new SEAT Ibiza. For those who find the Fiesta’s styling a bit too familiar, the new Citroën C3 is also a worthwhile alternative and the new Nissan Micra is another competitive option. Car buyers in this segment have probably never had it so good. The new Fiesta is definitely an improvement and still one of the class leaders, but it’s no longer head and shoulders above the pack. Ford Fiesta Titanium – key specifications. Models tested: Ford Fiesta 1.0-litre petrol, 1.5-litre diesel Test Date: June 2017 Price: from £16,145 on-road (petrol), £17,875 on-road (diesel) Insurance group: 38 Engine: Petrol, 1.0-litre three cylinder; Diesel, 1.5-litre four-cylinder Power: 100hp (petrol), 120hp (diesel) Torque: 170Nm (petrol), 270Nm (diesel) 0-62mph: 10.5 seconds (petrol), 9.0 seconds (diesel) Top speed: 114 mph (petrol), 121mph (diesel) Fuel economy (combined cycle): 65.7 mpg (petrol), 88.3 mpg (diesel) CO2 emissions: 97 g/km (petrol), 89 g/km (diesel) Key rivals: Vauxhall Corsa, Volkswagen Polo, Toyota Yaris Read more Ford news, reviews and features at The Car Expert

Design 8.0
Performance 9.0
Handling 10
Economy 9.0
Value 7.0

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