As the torque figures suggest, it needs stoking to deliver its best - now more than ever thanks to the taller gear ratios and extra 142kg this car was carrying over the Fiesta we tested in 1995.
That car hit 60mph in 11.2sec and took 8.8sec to pull from 30-50mph in fourth gear, figures the new car (13.8sec and 11.5sec) doesn’t get close to matching. Worse news for Ford is that the uncommonly brisk 1.2-litre Nissan Micra takes just 10.5sec and 8.7sec to cover the same increments.
But the comparative lack of urge is really only revealed at motorway speeds and not in town where the car will likely spend most of its time. Providing you’re willing to make use of the slick gearchange, it feels usefully quicker than the outgoing 1.3.
And extra punch is the one thing the Fiesta chassis is crying out for. The communicative steering, crisp turn-in and absence of body roll are all now Ford hallmarks and just as welcome on this humblest of superminis as they are on performance cars such as the Focus RS.
The ride is typical Ford too: beautifully damped to give a really planted feel; firm without ever being uncomfortable. Only the Micra gets close for entertainment but its inferior steering means even it must give best to the Fiesta.
