Today, we look at Britain's best-selling car for well over a decade, the Ford Fiesta. Produced since 1976, and just replaced for about the sixth or seventh time with a new model, this perky little chap was waiting for us when we arrived at Nice Airport last August.
Most Fiestas have been produced in Valencia since the early days, and I believe they still are. This one had a 1.25 litre Sigma engine, which I believe produced around 80 bhp. It didn't seem very fast, but with a speed limit of local autoroutes of just 68 mph in general, it didn't need to be.
The car had done around 20,000 miles already (hence why it is the 2016 model), and already had a fault with the steering, due to someone having hit the underside before we hired it, but otherwise seemed fine. The air conditioning worked just fine (essential in the South of France), and the controls were clearly laid out and labelled.
The fascia layout, in these days of touch screens, Apple Carplay and Android Auto, is quite dated, but the infotainment system (yes, that is a word) was easier to use than many motoring journalists have said. It does remind one of an old Nokia 6310i, though, which was popular around 12-15 years ago (probably when the MK VI Fiesta was being designed).
The steering, clutch, pedals and gearchange all feel pleasant to use, with the gearbox in particular keeping up the Ford tradition of being pleasurable to operate. The handling seemed fine, although compared with my MG3, a car which is about two-thirds the price model for model, the steering is not as direct and is too light. For town use, however, this is fine.
The boot, at 285 litres, is the same size as the MG3 again, although rear passenger room is not as generous in a Fiesta. The Bluetooth system worked fine, and it was good to have a conventional handbrake and ignition key in a hire car when so many manufacturers seem to have played around with this recently...
The build quality was fine, although some of the materials are a bit more designed to be hard wearing than luxurious, and the seats are comfortable, especially when paired with a good ride, which the Fiesta does seem to have. The engine, having been designed around 20 years ago, is not particularly powerful, smooth or economical, but is perfectly acceptable for this sort of car.
An MG3 is around two-thirds of the price of a comparably specified Fiesta, and does not have such a modern engine line-up, but is almost on a par for build quality, has more rear space, lower insurance and better steering. It does not have the presence that Ford undoubtedly has worked on for years in every town and city in the country, though.
Most people would still choose a Fiesta, butI like the sharper drive, rarity, space and quirkiness of an MG3.
