Not a racers choice
Bulbs keep blowing.
Central locking went cockeyed.
Tracking was out of line when I bought it.
Very fast car for a small engine. The cabin is very comfortable and has wood trim round the dash. Theres an awful lot of extras with this car.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 24th August, 2003
Great starter car, reliable and cheap to run.
Interior mirror has fallen off. Needed glue pad from Ford Dealer.
Front brake discs and pads wear out at an alarming rate - every year or 10,000 to 15,000 miles. When Fiestas were first used by the Metropolitan Police they were going through discs and pads every 5,000 miles!
Rear silencer box needed re-welding after 3 years and now front silencer box join has holed.
Good fuel economy. I get about 330 miles from a tank at 70mph motorway speeds which costs about £32.00 in petrol. Petrol costs around town are also about 10p per mile.
The seats are uncomfortable, too low and poorly curved (like most car seats). I am 5 feet 10 inches tall and my head is only centimeters from the roof.
The right leg of front seat passengers often gets in the way when changing gear.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 24th July, 2003
Disappointing fuel performance, but a reliable starter
The brushes needed changing recently.
This is quite a reliable car, in that it starts first time in all weathers and keeps going in all weathers.
We were, however, very disappointed with the fuel economy. On our local, countryside runs we would just about manage 30 miles per gallon. On a long run this would stretch to maybe 40 miles per gallon.
We also had a lot of discomforting rattling at speeds of 70 miles per hour which did not get cured by the Ford dealer garage. When the brushes were changed by a private mechanic the rattling eased!
We also found that the car doors' inside trim got very mucky. This seems to suggest that the doors do not provide a good seal.
The interior of the Fiesta is fairly basic.
Recently we have also had problems with the radio switching itself off if we try to change channels.
We are planning to change this car for an estate.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 13th January, 2003
Well spec'd, quick, economical small car
Trim in footwells is coming lose.
Heavy wear to front brake discs and pads.
Suspension bushes seem to be made of cheese and need frequent replacement.
Body coloured front bumper has faded badly.
Driver's seat padding is starting to compress a bit.
Had this car for three years now and it has been superb. 1.25 litre engine is lively (75bhp) and very economical, particularly on the motorway. I average more than 40 miles per gallon and I drive quite fast.
The car rides well for its size and grips the road very well with the wide 185/55 profile tyres. I always fit the cheapest tyres I can find and still have more than enough grip.
The CVT transmission is jerky at low speed, but you soon get used to it and is plenty quick enough away from the lights. It cruises at 80mph at 3000rpm and top speed is in excess of 95mph (indicated). After cold starting (when the engine is fast idling) the first time you brake within a minute or so can induce alarming levels of brake fade. The transmission wants to drive the car forward quite hard, particularly when the engine is cold and the transmission fluid has not warmed up. Take it easy for the first mile or so and it is fine. After 50,000 miles the transmission has reported no problems.
However, overall I like this transmission a lot and will not go back to a manual.
There is not much engine braking so wear on brake pads and discs is heavy. I suggest some aftermarket performance pads and discs as a worthwhile investment (Ford really should have uprated the brakes for the CVT models). Rear brake pads seem to last forever though. Front and rear suspension bushes seem to made of cheese and a few need replacing every year.
Inside it is very pleasant and this Ghia X model is very well appointed with wood veneer trim, luxury upholstery, heated electric mirrors, electric front windows, heated windscreen, cd player, front fogs, sunroof, remote central locking, alarm, alloys, remote boot release, but alas no air-con.
It is cramped in the back though, especially if the front seats are moved well back.
Never let me down and I would definitely get another one (particularly if I could find a CVT model with air-con) so can't say any more than that.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 6th January, 2003