FORD FIESTA Hatchback 2002‑2008

I got this very much as a 2nd car and for my kids to drive. However, for day to day driving around town it is ideal and my main, gas-guzzling car tends to stay in the garage.

It was inexpensive to buy and maintenance costs are very reasonable. The 1.25 engine is, of course, underpowered but ideal for the 'young ones' to get around with fuel consumption in the upper 30s mpg on the urban circuit.

Out of town, on motorways, it is out of it's environment and overtaking is a scary adventure. Up and down hills requires a fair bit of gear changing, as does traveling with a full load (of 4 adults).

The finish and interior is what you would expect from a cheap Ford - very utilitarian. The driving position is good for short drives but the lack of support in the seats becomes obvious after half an hour or so.

Nonetheless as motorised supermarket shopping trolley or a young drivers runaround, it is ideal. Unfortunately, the insurance companies 'load' the insurance premiums since it is the favoured vehicle of 'boy racers' (which they say makes it a higher risk car) !!!

In all other respects it is a very efficient town or city motor as it's enduring popularity proves.

This is my first car after passing the driving test in 2009.

Overall, the car has been reliable and easy to drive.

The car will be hitting 90,000 miles and all that required replacing was the clutch and tires in 2011.

I do not wish to make this sound like a negative review and therefore put people off from buying this car, however I do have the following niggles, which other drivers of this model, may or may not have noticed:

1. In terms of practicality, there is enough room at the front to accommodate 6'2" male driver. However, the driver's seat has to go so far back, that most passengers (sitting at the back) find it very cramped and tiring on any journey lasting more than one hour. Of course, for shorter drivers and passengers leg room should not be a problem. At the same time, it is important to remember that boot has plenty of storage space

2. The build quality is rather disappointing with side mirror toggles, LH and RH door moulding, as well as gear stick plastic cover falling off. The dashboard plastics are rather flimsy and cheap (compared to VW Polo or Vauxhall Astra). Also, the car is not well screwed together, because there are a number of annoying squeaks and rattles.

3. Running costs - mpg is not that great, 30 - 35mpg (mixed driving).

4. How well it drivers - the car is small and nimble and therefore is easy to park and fun to drive around town. However, I feel that it is underpowered and at times I have to rev it, just to keep up with the traffic. Having said this, acceleration is pretty good in third gear, when you are doing 30 - 40mph. As for motorway driving, at 70mph, the car will be revving between 3,500 - 4,000 rpm, which makes for noisy and tiring long drives. The Finesse does not feel safe and reassuring, once you go above 80mph. Furthermore, the steering wheel begins to judder when you hit 90mph. It is important to note that any overtaking manoeuvres should always be planned in advance. To be fair, you can not except more from a 1.25L engine, producing 59bhp and 71 lb-ft of torque.

At the end of the day, Ford Fiesta Finesse will get you from A to B and will remain an attractive choice for those drivers under the age of 25, based on cheap insurance.

The car looks and drives great, lots of different models to choose from with fiestas, and being a ford it's built well with great fuel economy.

My Ford Fiesta is just amazing it was my first car had it for over 3years now, never done me wrong. Its always started first time so very reliable... Very Economical aswell i get over 100miles on £20 even at these ridiculous fuel prices... Quite nippy in lower gears but struggles to pull in higher ones.... A doddle to drive over the snow as its so light never got stuck.... Cheap on Insurance.... Seats can get uncomfortable on long drives and ride is bumpy but you soon get used to it... Brilliant 1st car id recommend to anyone :)

i love fiesta st 's, thought they are firsty .xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It’s been a pleasure to own a panther black Ford Fiesta 1.6 Zetec S for just under two years.

The car is registered as a 2007 plate which is the facelift MK6.5 (new shape), as opposed to the MK6. The Mk6.5 appealed to me because of the newer 'bubble' style front and rear lights, and the up rated stereo. I used the Fiesta as a daily and I have to say I was pleasantly shocked when I realised how fuel efficient the Fiesta actually was. I was on average doing between seventy and eighty miles a week and when driving sensibly this would only cost me about £25 in fuel!

The car is also surprising spacious for a lightweight 3 door hatchback, with a boot more than capable of holding my weekly food shop. The leg room is also very spacious and the height adjustable driver’s seat is very handy.

The car is fairly reliable, apart from the battery life. The standard battery in all honesty is weak. I left my fog lights on for ten minutes, forgetting I had turned the engine off and the battery completely died. The battery also likes to die if the car is left unused for more than four days, so you must make sure you turn it on and off every two days and give it a little run. Another annoying aspect of the Fiesta is long journeys travelling on the motorway. This is because the 5 speed gearbox just isn't enough and in my opinion it cries out for a 6th gear. The car is constantly around three thousand revs and is uncomfortable and noisy when doing long journeys at 70 mph which means more petrol is used.

However other than this the car has been a joy to own and always gives off the fun factor which is ideal for young drivers!

Handling is sharp and agile and the Fiesta sticks to the road like glue. The speed off the 1.6 Duratec pleasantly surprised me and definitely shocks people in their 2 litre Golf GTI's when I easily pass them at the lights. With a 0-60 of 9.9 seconds and 99BHP it is a quick and very pokey hatchback, but still gives a smoothe ride beating most cars around town.

Overall the MK6.5 Fiesta Zetec S has been an action packed experience, packed with lots of surprising extras. The car receives attention wherever it goes and I have far from regretted buying the car and highly recommend it to any young thrill seeker!

My little Ford Fiesta has served me well for 3 years now (it's an '06 plate). Not once have I experienced a problem and I've grown up with the car (bought for my 21st birthday).

Although not very spacious in the rear, there's plenty of legroom and headroom in the front. The drive itself is fantastically simple, although I still have a little trouble finding reverse gear every so often.

If you're looking for a mid-priced hatchback that has everything you would need to get from A to B and a few comforting accessories (a/c, CD player etc) then a Ford Fiesta is the perfect choice.

Long live the Ford Fiesta.

Best features: It's simplicity. May sound strange but when you're first learning to drive and/or have little driving experience, a Fiesta has to be the best choice to drive. It really is very easy, yet very comfortable too.

When it was purchased, Ford added A/C without extra charge, and although I use infrequently, it's very useful on the odd hot day stuck in a jam or in the depths of winter when some much-needed warmth is required, so the A/C is a feature worth contemplating.

Suggested improvements: I have very few gripes with the Fiesta, however there are a number of things they could do to improve it. Firstly, as aforementioned, finding reverse gear can occasionally be difficult. The windows also steam up easily and quickly so this should be addressed as this could be regarded as a health hazard. Finally,the rails the first seat run off should have better covering, as it's possible to slice the toe off someone sitting in the rear seats, so this must be addressed.

great car to drive around town and nip into them small parking spaces

very economical

looks nice and tidy and drives well

always starts

air con great

My Car:

Owned my Fiesta ST for a year now, the current milage 55k, estimated value £4500, insurance £530 (male aged 24), tax around £220, full tank of fuel £50, range on a full tank up to 320 miles.

Review:

The Fiesta ST is a classic Hot Hatch, small car big engine. Its not the quickest Hot Hatch you could buy but the 2 litre engine is more than powerful enough. On the motorway it has no trouble keeping up with the big boys in the fast lane and its a blast when out for a drive in the twisty forest roads. I mostly do motorway driving and get 38mpg on average. The car has started first time every time. If you have not had a modern Ford before then you will love the heated windscreen, I can defrost and de-mist my car in a quarter the time of another car.

For those interested in modification there are lots of different options, from the simple but effective K&N to fitting a turbo or supercharger. The most popular route for power upgrades are the Ford approved Mountune Performance kits.

There is also a great collection of owners clubs, if your looking for some advise or just want to meet up and check out some other STs. FiestaSTOC being the main one.

With increasing fuel prices the 2 litre ST is dropping in value every day, do not buy one if you want to see most of your money back in 2 years time. The Fiesta ST is part of a dying breed of naturally aspirated Hot Hatch's. Get one now you won't regret it.

All in all an amazing car. Fun, Quick and Relatively economical.

After a catalogue of faults we have got rid of the car, got it 6 months ago as a cheap but not that cheap run around. The engine warning light illuminated the day after we bought it, to which we were told it was the cat converter, (to my knowledge its still on!). It broke down twice en route to work and we got to the stage where we were thinking What Next!

3/5 rating here was mainly offered to the belief that not all Fiestas are this bad, maybe it was bad apple!

Also whoever designed the interior dash and cabin in the 02 models and alike should take notes from the other manufacturers, not great Ford!