2008 Ford Fiesta is a superb driver’s car

Ford Fiesta Car

The all-new 2008 Ford Fiesta is a big deal for Ford. It’s one of its most popular cars, which over six generations has sold more than 12 million vehicles. Last year saw more than 100,000 sold in the UK alone.

The name Ford Fiesta means a lot to many people. There are few who, since the late 1970s, have not learned to drive in one, owned one or at least been a passenger in one. It is one of the very few affordable cars currently built to reach the status of an icon.

The new Ford Fiesta wears the Blue Oval’s new bold, corporate face, with its signature lower grille, chrome accents and long, sweeping headlamps. It’s largely unchanged from the concept car, save for a pedestrian-protecting bar across the grille onto which the number plate is mounted.

This stylish nature is echoed in the cabin, which is built using the tactile materials and craftsmanship befitting a car twice the price.

Behind the wheel, visibility is good, and thin windscreen pillars which don’t obstruct the view of other vehicles when pulling out of side turnings. In fact, the only complaint we had was a very upright steering wheel, which we found a little uncomfortable.

The 1.6-litre petrol engine, and found it eager to rev and was tractable enough to cope with second gear starts. Only climbing some of the steeper hills around Siena did the 120bhp engine start to lose its edge.

The new Ford Fiesta hasn’t been put through the EuroNCAP crash test programme yet, but the company is confident of a full five star rating. Ford says the new Fiesta is 10 per cent stiffer than the previous car, and is loaded with safety kit.

Other stand-out features available include a start button and a USB socket into which can be connected a cheap memory stick loaded with MP3 tracks. These can then be searched via the car’s standard audio controls from the steering wheel, and avoids the security issues of carrying an expensive iPod in the car.