Faults:

I had to have the ignition pack changed at 8000 this was changed under warranty I was told this was a common fault for the model.

I had to replace the CV joint 25000. The dealer refused to change this under warranty as I had my 2nd service at a local garage.

General Comments:

The car is great to drive.

I have lowered my car and the handling is tremendous.

Bottom end speed is great, but top end slightly struggles.

I have r s turbo bucket seats in my car and they are extremely comfortable.

Faults:

Steering rack bush perished after 1 year.Replaced under warranty.

General Comments:

Probably the best small car ride available. Compares favourably with much bigger cars.

The most fun you can have for £6k on a new car.

Driving position and space in front much better than competition.

Power assisted steering very positive and direct better than many a hot hatch.

Gear change precise and a joy to use.

Will travel at 80mph all day on motorway with no effort.

Negative only about toy town plastics on interior which easily mark.

Buy a stereo upgrade the Ford 6000CD is excellent much better than base unit.

Don't bother with fancy extras unless you're not paying full price you really don't need electric windows or fancy seats.

OK you will be beaten onto the motorway by 2litre Mondeos, but believe me you will have more fun on the twisty bits.

Get one you won't regret it.

Faults:

No faults to date.

General Comments:

Suspension, roadholding, brakes, steering and gear change are all fabulous.

The Ka is let down by its old fashioned, noisy engine. It works fairly well around town, but runs out of steam on main roads.

Annoyingly, there is no boot light and no boot catch. You have to use the key to open it.

The accelerator and brake pedals are too close together so if you've got big feet beware, you may hit both with your size tens.

There are no side rubbing strips so watch out for car park dents in the flimsy doors.

The cabin is light and airy and there is plenty of room in the front. The back seats are OK for short journeys.

Ka 1 is best value if new as extra goodies are overpriced. I am told that air conditioning adversely affects the performance.

Faults:

Hole in the tube for the water coolant. Fixed in a day.

Eh, that's it!

General Comments:

Fantastic to drive, cheap, handles like a dream.

This is the most fun car to drive, ever.

Not the most spacious, but fine for a couple without kids.

Stereo decent quality, although worth splashing out for the CD player.

Faults:

Nothing much, although there's a leak somewhere under the steering wheel when the car's been left standing for a while in the rain.

The engine's a bit rattly.

General Comments:

I bought the car at six months old from a main dealer where it had been used as a courtesy car.

I traded in a 1997 Ka which had had problem after problem - leaky sun roof, leaky cooling system etc etc.

The new car's been okay so far.

I've been able to compare having power steering versus no power steering, as it's now standard on the Ka.

It doesn't make a huge amount of difference to be honest, except in parallel parking situations.

Handling is just as brilliant in both (this is the best thing about the Ka).

The 1.3 engine is a little under-powered when climbing steep motorway hills. Put the 1.25 Zetec engine in, Ford!

Running costs are pretty low.

Faults:

Replaced a brake light bulb.

Replace a main light bulb.

There was initially rattling which after taking the car in, it was found that the air con unit was hitting the body of the car!

Doors also rattled, but settled down after about 15,000 miles.

General Comments:

Car had a very good ride quality overall.

The seats did become a bit fidgety during long journeys, but were generally good.

It was certainly fun to drive all the time.

Fuel economy is as good as you might expect.

Performance is quite good considering the engine size, even when you do need extra revs it still sounds quite smooth.

Boot isn't enormous, but if there are two or less of you, put the rear seat down and it will give you some good space due to the interior height.

Faults:

The speed sensor on my previous Ford Ka 2 developed a fault and as a result, the engine timing became erratic, over-revving. Otherwise, a trouble-free history.

General Comments:

I previously owned a Ford Ka 2, and when it came to choosing a new car, an obvious choice was the Ka 3, with a few extra bells and whistles like air-con and alloy wheels.

Ford Ka owners are probably all agreed on the fact that the power steering on the vehicles are second to none, and you find yourself whipping round tight corners and navigating the toughest bends with ease. After three years of driving a Ford Ka, I can say that they still retain their element of surprise, and they are fun to drive.

General opinion is that earlier 1996 models made in the UK aren't that great, so it's best to stick to the Spanish built Ka's for reliability.