2003 Ford Ka 1 review from UK and Ireland

Suspension bushes required replacement at second service (25000 miles). This appears to be a common problem with the Ka, as I know 3 other people who had one with the same problem at the second service.

The car also had an insatiable appetite for headlamp bulbs, went through 3 in 18 months.

Panther black met paint chipped easily.

Apart from that, my Ka took hell of a beating driving in all conditions and never once missed a beat.

This was a reliable car which never let me down, even at 4am in a winter storm.

Excellent handling although does understeer when getting pushed on.

Performance is really good for a small 1.3 engine, although my car had the newer 70PS engine, I also used to own the smaller powered Ka and it was fast although much more raucous.

The interior build quality was a bit of a let down, the catch broke on the glove compartment and wee bits of trim have also fallen off.

Servicing costs are very reasonable and it pays to try a few different Ford garages as they do vary in quality of workmanship and customer service. Parts are also cheap, like tyres or brakes.

The seat cushions are also a little too short for anyone with long legs and they lack support on long journeys.

On the plus side though, the Ka is economical, easy and enjoyable to drive, and equally at home on the motorway or in the town. It will happily cruise all day at motorway speeds and not miss a beat. Get one, I'll be sad to see mine go.