Who could forget the Ford Fiesta? Like the original Mini, it was a rite of passage for many drivers, which was why everyone was stunned when, four years ago, Ford pulled the plug on it. The last generation was the eighth and that’s the one under the spotlight here. We’ve excluded the ST hot hatch, because that deserves its own guide.
The regular Mk8 Fiesta was launched in 2017, looking much like its predecessor. However, closer examination revealed the new car to be slightly longer and wider - 15% stiffer too, the basis for improvements to the handling. Our testers declared it the outstanding choice for keener drivers.
You could have your Fiesta with a 69bhp or 84bhp Duratec 1.1 Ti-VCT petrol engine, a three-cylinder turbocharged 1.0T Ecoboost petrol in 99bhp, 123bhp and 138bhp flavours or a 1.5-litre diesel with 84bhp or 118bhp.
The VCT engines are slow, have a five-speed gearbox and are suitable only for lightly laden town work. They’re cheap, though.
Our pick of the Ecoboost units, which have a six-speed gearbox, is the 123bhp version. It produces dollops of torque for a punchy but reasonably economical driving experience.
The diesel suits high-mileage drivers but was dropped in 2020. From 2019, the Ecoboost’s wet belt was replaced with an arguably more reliable timing chain; three years later, so did the 99bhp version. In 2020, a manual-only, 48V mild-hybrid Ecoboost, badged 1.0T mHEV and available in 123bhp and 153bhp outputs, joined the range.
There’s no shortage of space in the front of the Mk8 Fiesta, while the rear has a little more leg room than in a Mk7. Two people will be comfortable on the back bench, but three will be cosy. Most versions have a backrest that folds 60/40 to reveal a reasonably large boot, if far from class-leading.
If you’re struggling to tell the Fiesta Mk7 and Mk8 apart, check their dashboards. The Mk8’s was all-new and is dominated by an 8.0in touchscreen. Our testers weren’t blown away by the new Sync 3 infotainment system and it’s unlikely to wow anyone today, but as you progress up the trim levels, it acquires more features, including sat-nav. Most trim levels feature a welcome mix of materials, albeit dominated by hard plastics. Fit and finish is okay but a Volkswagen Polo is better.
