1997 Ford Fiesta Ghia X from UK and Ireland - Comments

No faults.

Bought to replace an unreliable 1997 Polo CL that was a living nightmare, not to mention showing signs of rust.

Gets used as a second car, so basically for carting things around, local trips and the occasional commute. Copes admirably with everything we throw at it, and has proven frugal, reliable and very good fun to drive.

Ghia X trim gives amazing spec for a small car. Electric windows, air conditioning, sunroof, heated front screen, electric mirrors, a decent CD player, power steering and alloys. Not convinced about the mottled brown plastic "wood" on the dash, and the interior isn't the last word in modern styling, but it works and is well put together. The car still feels very tight and "together" after 63k, and everything still works perfectly.

The little 1.4 Zetec engine is a peach and blows our old 1.4 VW Polo's stodgy 8 valve unit out of the water. It's smooth and eager whether ambling along at idle, or screaming past 6,000 RPM, and delivers acceleration that you could easily describe as lively. It doesn't rattle or smoke, and a sump full of genuine 5W/30 Ford oil doesn't need topping up between services.

The gearchange is short throw and slick, and the power steering gives lots of feel as well as quick gearing. The handling is exactly what a small car should be, with a lovely chuckable feel. It's not a sports car, but it really does have the energetic and fun feel that small cars nowadays lack.

Paid UKP 2000 for the car in November 2004 with 49k, a full Ford history and in immaculate condition. For the money, it's great value.

Fiesta better than a Polo? Are you sure you owned one?! I recently got rid my flimsy old 'P' reg fiesta after having nothing, but trouble with it. Problems I've experienced include mold/ rain water ingress in the boot and foot-wells, interior trim falling to bits, various electrical faults, rear wheel arches rusting away to nothing. I now have a 2000 'X' plate Polo TDI and it's in a completely different league, leaps and bounds ahead of the fiesta in terms on space, refinement and any other aspect you could think of. Just glad I'm not still stuck with that tin can on wheels. Lol.

Your Polo is three years newer and has one of VAG's excellent TDI engines.

However, dynamically the Polo is stodgy and vague next to the Fiesta. VW have a knack of over-assisting controls to the point where there is no feel or consistency and the Polo is one of the worst examples of it. The suspension is sloppy, the damping too soft and I've played arcade games with more realistic steering weighting and feedback.

My 1997 Polo was also a disgrace. Body rust at 6 years old, interior creaks everywhere and constant niggling problems.

VW do appallingly in the customer satisfaction surveys and my Polo showed why. I hope yours is better.

I am just about to buy a fiesta 1400 zetec engined 98 model, black 3 door, has been run for 20k miles with my previous girlfriend without a single problem, I am set to purchase the car for a bargain price as she no longer needs the car, so I am getting a 68k mile example for a song, I test drove the car and its lovely to drive, just what I'm looking for, my current car is a 1990 BMW 325, so as you can imagine the performance difference should be a great deal, but as I borrowed the car a few years back it is a way smoother drive, no eagerness to have me flying off sideways at the slowest of roundabouts, just good old predictable ford handling, one thing I have come to love over the first 7 years of driving ford escorts, Orion's, etc.

I know about the problems these fiestas have with bottom arms etc so have stocked up off ebay with a set for when they finally go, which, as a rule, won't bother me replacing them as I will be able to have a good look around underneath when the time comes

Can't WAIT!!

Fiesta IS better than the polo. I have one and there is NOTHING wrong with it.