Pocket rocket Fiesta is fab; MIKE TORPEY gives his view on the new Ford Fiesta

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Oct 24, 2008

Byline: MIKE TORPEY

ASK any driver to name a Ford model and the majority would probably say Fiesta. The eason is simple. Most have either owned or driven one, and everyone knows someone who has one on the pathway or outside the gate.

But then more than 12 million have been sold - 103,000 in the UK alone last year - since the first models rolled off the production line in 1976.

The latest Fiesta is sure to eclipse its predecessors for a variety of reasons - it's stylish, dazzling, safe, eco-friendly and packed with 'big car' features.

Best of all, though, it's jam-packed with a fun factor that leaves its rivals reeling.

The new range is a real eyecatcher, bursting with new colours and a design that Ford of Europe chief John Fleming describes as producing "the most dramatic Fiesta since the very first model".

And when it arrives in showrooms later this month, prices are to start from pounds 8,695 - pounds 155 cheaper than the current entry level car.

There will be a pair of new powerpacks, comprising the low emission 99g/km ECOnetic - buyers of which won't have to pay road tax - and a range topping 120PS 1.6-litre Duratec petrol unit.

But it's when you hop into the cabin that it becomes clear just how much Ford has upped the ante. The interior grabs you instantly with its sporty feel, central controls and soft-touch plastics.

Rear space could be improved a bit, and the boot is also small, but these are minor quibbles.

Ford expects the 1.25 and 1.4-litre petrol models to be the biggest sellers and the test routes revealed both to be spirited little hatchbacks that are a joy to drive .

The 1.25 model was kitted out in the techno influenced Zetec, which is in the middle of the sixstrong trim line-up, and costs pounds 11,595 for a five-door car as opposed to pounds 12,095 for the 1.4 Zetec.

It's a car I expect to win lots of fans through its superb handling and nippy nature, while the standard spec includes a funky two-tone seat design, ambient lighting, air-con, electric front windows and leather steering wheel.

Fuel economy is also a priority, with improved efficiency across the range and owners of the lively 1.4-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel saving around a tankful of fuel a year.

Regarding safety, the Fiesta features a standard knee airbag - a first in a Ford small car - plus head and thorax side airbags and the option of curtain bags.

The company believes the new Fiesta to be its most important model since the model T as it is the first to be developed for a global market, and will be a template for future generations of cars sporting the Blue Oval badge.

Seems like Ford has got off to a winning start.

CAPTION(S):

DAZZLING - the new Ford Fiesta is nippy, safe and is expected to eclipse its predecessors