2004 Ford Ka Sportka from UK and Ireland - Comments

Yes, I sent My Sportka back after 3 weeks - I was angry that I spent over 11K.

As I was driving it, I thought,'What, and why have I paid for this'? One airbag, poor fuel consumption, and to top it all, growling at me when pushing 70ph on the motorway. Can't hear the cd system(2 speaker).

The car looks fab, and the seats are cool (to say the least in winter).

Why could they have not made an effort? (The Micra has on the 1.6 SR). Less money with high spec, heated seats, cracking sound system etc. Granted it has not the image of the Ka, so the Micra has had to work hard to gain its audience.

Ford, at times, I think, are very lazy. Playing on the fact that they have a captive market.

Please change the Ka's engine, or quieten it, heat the seats, put a cracking sound system in it... it deserves it! Attract the market.Surely they want it to be more than just a 11K run-around.... I know I do

Help!

I have one of these and adore it, but keep having issues with it nearly stalling (its been in and out of the garage since I bought it its only a year old, but they can't find the fault) mainly does this from cold engine with a quarter a tank of fuel left???

Would anyone be able to help at all I haven't a clue what to do next???

Hi - I have a ford SportKA SE (2003) and I love it. Yes, the turning circle really irritates me, but the handling well and truly makes up for it.

In regard to the post about their car stalling - I did have a problem the first year with a similar thing. The car went back to Ford on 4 occasions with them saying they had "fixed" it. Needless to say I threw it back at them after I had completely run out of power up a hill, but my foot was to the floor on the accelerator! full tank of fuel too.

It turned out to be a faulty CAT which was killing the power especially from cold. Covered and changed under warranty and never looked back!

Get them to check the CAT properly as I was told this fault is quite common (although why they didn't find it on the previous 4 visits is beyond me- typical Ford service!)

I pick my brand new Sport Ka SE up in 2 days, and I paid £7650, so all you who paid £11,000 5 year ago sorry. Admitted it's a solid colour, but hey that's what I wanted anyway. In that deal there's 12 months tax.

I think I will treat myself to privacy glass at £50. Why not, I've sold my 51 reg Subaru WRX to buy this. You may think I'm mad, but there's more fun to be had in the Ka with the help of a few mods.

Foxy.

I to had a subaru before my blazer blue sport ka no metalic colour for me why pay £400 I bought mine new with tinted glass for wait for it 7,850 an its the se model got it of the net an I have fitted a piper cross induction an is great I love it to bits sorry all you who paid 11grand but that life FOXYBOY.

I have a 2005 "54" plate Sportka SE which I LOOOOOVVVEEE!!! My previous (and first) car was a 1.1 Saxo which was my pride and joy until I felt the need for speed.

I fell in love with my Sportka after seeing it at my local dealership. Its got everything I could ever want in a second car! The clincher was the power steering, AC, 1.6 engine and the body styling. Its like a Ka only cooler!

The only niggle I have with my car is that you really need to have front mud flaps as I've got a rust spot appearing on the drivers door. I've been informed by my uncle that its caused by stones chipping the paintwork and then nature taking its course on the exposed metal. This is a tip for any other Sportka owners!

Another thing I've just remembered that annoys me is that due to the different shape of the front lights and the new configuration of the rear cluster, you can't get these fancy "Angel eye" or lexus lights. I secretly hanker after these to make my car my own.

If anyone knows where I can get my hands on these then let me know!!!

All in all it's a great car, but sometimes I want my Saxo back. Purely due to rising petrol costs, the costs of tyres for 16" alloys (£98 for ONE winter tyre!!, my general skintness and nostalgia.

I would just like to add my thoughts,

the sportka is great for the twisty stuff and really comes into it's own in this environment.

I would put money on it beating any 'kevd' up fester (fiesta) i bet half the people slating the car have never driven one but do have 'lexus'-'style' lights on their bangers.

I am not a great fan of fords but one drive in the sportka got me hooked, sure it, s not as fast as a scooby or evo but few things are

i find the drive very reminiscent of the racing puma from 2002 and if you want to grin like the proverbial cheshire cat go treat yourself to a SportKa (rt) they are cheap to run and insure and there aren't too many on the roads. 5*

Hi.

I had a brand new Sport Ka SE in July this year, and I absolutely love it!!

It's bright red and really stands out!

The only problem that I've found is that the clutch is really jerky. My partner came to fetch me in it last week, and as a passenger, I thought it was such an uncomfortable drive.

I've really started to notice it when I'm driving, and it seems to be impossible to make a smooth gear change.

Not sure if it's my driving or a problem with the car, but my 1.3 KA wasn't like that at all.

Has anyone else had this kind of problem?

In the past I owned a Peugeot 205 GTi and then a 106 Rallye 1.6. With a £3.5K budget I wanted something which would take me back to those fun days, but also be reliable and have low insurance. The SportKA seemed to fit the bill perfectly and reading Evo magazine's views on it I had to give it a go.

After 6 months of ownership I'm still blown away by how well it handles. It isn't a stick-to-the-road-like-glue, ultimate-grip type handling. It's proper, playful, zero understeer, back-end out handling. You have to be very careful in the wet because the rear really wants to step out. My Pugs were supposed to be edgy, but I can't remember them being half as playful as the SportKA.

When I step into it after my wife's Mazda 6, it feels like all my senses have been turned up a few notches. The nuggety ride, go-kart steering and instant throttle making me feel completely involved.

If you want amazing straight-line performance, get a Clio 172 and pay the insurance. I'd describe the Sport's acceleration as decent. In the right gear, making the most of the close-ratio box, it can hold its own.

However, take it down a b-road you're never found wanting more power. You wouldn't want to go any faster and you definitely wouldn't have any more fun if you were. The torque of the engine makes it easy to hustle in everyday situations.

Sure, the interior is crap, but the leather wheel and fantastic aluminium gear knob show that money was spent in exactly the right places. It could do with an oil temp gauge and bigger rev counter. Also, it's not particularly economical, but I get about 35mpg on my motorway commute, which is about right for this kind of car. A 6th gear like the Panda 100HP would help.

Mine was 5 years old and had done only 30K, but had rust around the filler cap - a very common problem. Luckily, I got it from a Ford dealer and they fixed it under warranty. Don't let this put you off, knock 'em down and take it to a bodyshop and it'll be as good as new. The Imperial Blue paint really shines and makes cleaning a pleasure.

All in all, it's a complete bargain. Low insurance, low running costs. Plus, there aren't many on the roads so it really feels special. All for just 3 grand.

I have an 04 reg Sportka and love it.. no problems at all, although I agree with the poor fuel consumption.

xxxxxx love it.

I have just bought an 04 plate SportKa - it looks stunning in imperial blue!

I can't believe people saying it is rubbish - it's ace! The handling is superb and it's pretty quick; not blisteringly fast, but still quick! The leather smells nice too :D.

I absolutely LOVE it!

I've had my SportKa for 3 weeks now and I'm still blown away each time I slip behind the wheel! As many people here have noted, dynamically this car is simply brilliant. It's wonderfully sharp, responsive and agile, yet it still manages to feel surprisingly solid and grown up thanks mainly to a beautifully judged ride (as someone said earlier 'nuggety' sums it up nicely) and meaty steering.

The engine and gearbox too make total sense, especially if you're city bound. It's not fast, but then it doesn't need to be - that's the point; it's about using the handling to maintain momentum and make the most of the performance on offer!! The short gearing means you're just a prod away from a decent squirt of torque. Yes, it's a bit of a pain on the motorway, but push on to 80mph/4000rpm and the engine quietens down nicely!

I also think it still looks great (especially in Magnum Grey as per my car) and I can't think of another car that would be more fun pound for pound (I paid £3.5k for my 54 plate, 30k miler).

Niggles? The brakes are less than confidence inspiring and the interior is cheap (seats, gearknob and steering wheel aside). Plus the image won't be to everyone's taste, it's quite dirty emissions wise and likes a drink. However, find a decent B-road and all of that is irrelevant.

I've been fortunate enough to drive a very wide range of cars over the past couple of years and I can honestly say that only the likes of the latest MX-5 and Honda S2000 have put a bigger smile on my face!

I have a Ka 1.3 Style, and the poor turning circle drives me mad. I have taken it to an independent garage and they have told me that even if the original wheels were put back on, it still wouldn't turn any more. Can anyone tell me why?

I too have recently purchased a Sport Ka and really enjoy driving it. I have had many 'Hot Hatches' over the years, of which the majority were much quicker than the 'Evil Twin'.

However, (and it pains me to say this being a Peugeot fan) I don't think any of them have been more agile in standard form. The steering is very responsive with a go-kart-like feel to cornering, and the engine, although a little thirsty and noisy, has plenty of mid range clout.

So in short, is it good value for money?

Are you still here? GO GET ONE!