Open the door to the new Fiesta and at first it’s difficult not to be struck by how much more stylish and dramatic it appears than the old version. Plain vertical surfaces have all but been banished around the dash, with the entertainment controls swooping away on the dash top.
From there on in, however, the Fiesta’s interior gets more ordinary. All materials look accurately constructed, but while there’s soft texture to the dash, on the door caps you’ll find harder plastics. Likewise on the otherwise neatly styled heating and ventilation controls and the rest of the centre console.
We have, however, come to expect fine ergonomics from Ford, and the Fiesta is no exception. The driving position is very good, the Zetec getting comfortable seats that even adjust for height. The steering wheel moves for reach and rake, too. Pedals are well spaced and the minor switchgear operates with precision.
But while the driver is as well catered for as in any car in this class, that’s less the case for passengers or luggage. The interior is no more than respectably spacious for four averagely sized adults, and those in the rear seats will have to wind their own windows and are given no roof-mounted grab handles.
The boot is better at 295 litres, but while the rear seat backs split and fold the seat base doesn’t fold. It’s not a bad interior, but when it comes to practicality the Fiesta has nothing on a Honda Jazz.
At £12,095 before options, a 1.4 Zetec 5dr like the one we tested is in the ballpark of its rivals, although it by no means sits at the cheaper end of the spectrum. The range of standard equipment is fair and the options are reasonable. Residual values should be good, too.
It’s a shame that the Fiesta isn’t a tad faster at this price, because it is no more economical than its rivals. We averaged 33.9mpg, with 40.8mpg on a touring route – much the same as other 1.4-litre superminis we’ve tested.
