Ford Ka hatchback (2009 – ) expert review

The clean, sharp lines of the original Ford Ka are gone, replaced with Ford’s new ‘kinetic’ design. The Fiesta and Mondeo wear it well, but the Ka looks over-detailed in kinetic form. It is not in any respect a bad-looking car, and the single-shade versions look rather better than our two-tone test model. The Grand Prix White Exterior Pack on our car adds stripes along the length of the bonnet, roof and doors, and the gaping grille is picked out in white too, turning an otherwise inoffensive car into a head-turner for all the wrong reasons.

The interior has a bit more of the character the exterior is lacking, and is put together with Ford’s typical quality. The gear stick is conveniently positioned much closer to the steering wheel than before but this has forced a compromise on the layout of the entertainment system. We quickly tired of reaching to grasp the controls for the radio/CD player. Again, the Grand Prix pack applied to our model was a turn-off. Particularly the part-white seats, which picked up dirty marks during our week of running the car, and you expect would get grubby very quickly under long-term use.

The compact car is a doddle to park and can be shoehorned into tiny spaces with ease. The boot may only manage 224 litres but fold the rear seats forward (all models apart from ‘Studio’ have a 50-50 split seat) and the volume available more than triples to 747 litres. This proved easily large enough to transport a refrigerator to the tip. Rear passenger space is better than the previous model, thanks mainly to the taller roof towards the back of the car, but it’s still rather cramped and not ideal for long journeys.

Behind the wheel you find the steering is light – almost excessively so – making driving that bit less tiring, especially in city traffic. The new Ka shares its underpinnings with the Fiat 500, and like the 500 ride comfort is generally good, with only larger pot holes able to unsettle it. But the sensation of grip at the front of the car is markedly duller than it was in the previous car. That celebrated appetite for tight bends isn’t there anymore, which will leave enthusiastic drivers disappointed.

For the first time ever a diesel engine is offered in the Ka – though it’s hard to make a case for it over the 1.2-litre petrol model we tested. The Duratec petrol revs happily and will push the Ka to 99mph, reaching 62mph from a standstill in 13.1 seconds. Alternatively a 1.3-litre diesel engine is available on Zetec models only, for £800 extra. It manages the same 0-62mph time but has 42 per cent more pulling power than the petrol version, though some of that is sapped by the extra weight of the engine, adding another 95kg to the car’s mass.

With smooth driving Ford claims 55.4mpg is possible on a combined cycle in the petrol version, and our test turned up comparable results. The diesel gets 67.3mpg on the combined cycle, but its CO2 emissions of 112g/km put it in the same vehicle tax bracket as the petrol car (119g/km), costing £35 per year. Unless you’re expecting to cover a significant mileage in the Ka, the petrol is likely to be the cheaper car to run, but both offer very low-cost motoring.

Ford’s reputation for reliability is excellent and the previous model ranked far better than average on the Auto Trader Reliability Index.

Front airbags are fitted as standard and a safety pack with curtain and side airbags can be added for an extra cost. The rear seats have ISOFIX mountings for child safety seats. Anti-lock brakes (ABS) are also standard on the Ka. An electronic stability programme (ESP) and hydraulic brake assist (HBA) are offered as options across the range.

Ford has avoided offering a ‘poverty-spec’ Ka and even the entry-level Studio model has a decent level of kit, including a stereo with a line-in connector for MP3 players. Body coloured bumpers and courtesy delay headlights are also part of the standard offering. Ford’s excellent Quickclear heated windscreen is only available as an option on the Style+ and Zetec models.

Accomplished though the new Ka is, there’s no escaping the fact it hasn’t got the same charm as the hugely popular original model. The Ka has dominated the city car segment, getting up to one-third of searches for used city cars on Auto Trader. But its rivals, including its cousin the Fiat 500, are more tempting propositions than ever before.