It won't spark any motoring revolutions, but the new Ford Fiesta, writes Michael McAleer, motoring editor, offers a soft landing to those making the jump from a larger car
A NEW FIESTA amid a global financial crisis: nothing new there.
The timing could not have been more appropriate, had the Ford family personally beat up the Lehman Brothers.
After all, the Fiesta has its roots in the 1970s recession, when European motorists demanded something smaller than the Escort from Ford. Seven iterations of the name later and here we are again.
The good news is, while we may be facing financial woe, this car is nothing like the original, but the name has now built a heritage all its own. Ford probably should have dumped the Fiesta name in place of its concept car title, the Verve, but they made the call to keep its marketing costs down.
A new name is a pricey proposition, particularly for a company that's not exactly rolling in it. General Motors and Chrysler may be up to their necks in the red, but Ford is shoulder deep.
Yet for all its financial woes in the US and an over-dependency on SUV/truck sales over there - the brand is confident this little car will be a hit. It's also why the firm has opted to introduce the Fiesta not only to Europe, but to every market in the world, including its home market, where you could fit a Fiesta on to the back of the Ford's best-selling F500 truck.
Here in Ireland the jump for owners may not be as great from Focus to Fiesta, but it is likely that some family car owners will be seeking to downsize.
Many car buyers are facing into 2009 with worries about job prospects, mortgages and rising living costs. For some, that means looking at the used market, but the Fiesta offers the option of sticking with a new car and instead shifting down in price for only the most marginal of space reductions.
The attraction of the Fiesta is that it offers a lower price and running costs, but interior improvements mean the car is arguably better inside than the larger family hatchback Focus.
Ford has created a small car that doesn't demand compromise. But let's not lose the run of ourselves - this is no Ferrari.
However, while the dashboard isn't covered in hand-stitched snakeskin and the engine isn't a whining V8, it's a fantastic offering in its class. Just shop around with its competitors and you'll quickly see how hard - and rather nasty - black plastic is the order of the day.
We might occasionally overplay the importance of interior trims, but that largely depends on the class of car. Let's face it, few Fiesta owners expect a car that corners like a 911 or will outrun an Audi R8.
What they do expect is a car that handles well on back roads, doesn't wobble or lean in corners, and keeps them fully informed through the steering so they're in control.
It also shouldn't knock them about inside on bumpy roads, should be eager to speed up when they press down, and be safe enough for children.
Finally, it should be nice to spend time in, particularly when you consider that an average trip into any major town will mean sitting in traffic at some stage, waiting for lights to change. You want to feel comfortable. You wouldn't put up with that nasty hard plastic finish on your house furnishings, so why on your car?
That's perhaps why the Fiesta will do well. It handles well, steering feedback is impressive, it cushions the blows with aplomb, its smaller engines don't lack pep and the interior is smartly laid out. In short, it doesn't make you feel cheap or poor, is small enough to avoid any guilt and holds its own in modern traffic.
The engine range is pretty extensive for this size of car, stretching from a basic 1.25-litre engine putting out either 59bhp or 81bhp up to a 1.6-litre petrol 118bhp petrol engine. Included in the mix is a choice of 1.4-litre or 1.6-litre diesel engines.
The good news is that the 81bhp 1.25-litre powertrain is up to the task at hand. The sad news is that the flagship 1.6-litre petrol is limp and lifeless for what is supposed to be the powerhouse in the range. If anyone suggested trying a modern 1.6-litre petrol in a small hatchback, you'd expect it to be a rocket. But in this car it's a heavy lump.
Realistically, however, few Irish buyers will be opting for that engine. The big sellers will be the 1.25-litre and 1.4-litre diesel and both are extremely capable. Neither is excessively noisy and both fit well with the general feeling of quality you get with the car. During several long runs on the M1 up to the North, the 1.25-litre version felt capable of motorway travel, while on back roads it tucked in nicely on the bends - a tidy little package.
Sadly, engine options for Ireland omit the greenest engine on offer - a 1.6-litre diesel version that's part of Ford's ECOnetic range. The engine in question has CO2 emissions of just 99g/km, but as the lowest tax band in Ireland is for cars under 120g/km, the car doesn't benefit from any extra tax incentive over the 1.4-litre diesel version. So the powers that be at Ford have opted to leave it off our forecourts.
Another omission is stability control as standard. Last April, Ford was a leading advocate to have ESP systems made mandatory on new cars across the EU. At the time, we were told that such a move would save up to 4,000 lives a year in Europe, and that it was "a brave commercial decision for a carmaker" to make such systems standard. Too brave, it seems now, for Ford. ESP on the Fiesta costs an extra €565.
Both of these moves perhaps reflect Ford's belief that consumers put cash before either their own welfare or that of the planet.
No doubt they have the sales statistics to back up their decision. It highlights, however, that despite the hype, big car firms put commercial reality ahead of any campaign agenda.
In terms of everyday living, the Fiesta has grown up to offer enough space for four adults and a decent boot.
It might not be as big as some of its competitors, but any further increase would no doubt have added extra weight and could have sent it down the ill-fated route followed by Peugeot, which had a surefire winner on its hands with its lithe 205 but two generations on, its frumpy 207 has lost that lustre.
The real rival to the Fiesta is the sharp and nimble Mazda2, with which it shares its underpinnings. The Mazda is more typical of what a small car should be in terms of stature, but it lacks some of the finish on offer from the Ford.
For driving fun, the Suzuki Swift would still have our vote, but the Fiesta - with the right engine - is right up there with it.
Sharing this top spot is the Opel Corsa, our favourite from two years ago and the car we have recommended to many readers in recent times. However, the engine technology at Ford has overtaken its Opel counterpart.
Last, but certainly not least, is the Toyota Yaris. Long the conservative choice, Toyota gave it an overhaul some years back with digital read-outs and bright colours. It's a strong little car and, even in these times of flagging used car prices, has a tendency to hold its value, but the car still lacks character.
So that leaves the new Fiesta. Is it the greatest car to take to our roads in recent years? Hardly, but it's a very good small hatchback. And with more people looking to downsize, it offers a soft landing.
Factfile
Engine:1242cc four-cylinder petrol engine putting out 81bhp @ 5,200rpm and 114Nm of torque @ 4,200rpm
Specification:alloy wheels; remote central locking; power front windows and mirrors. Zetec adds: 16" alloys; air-con; halogen projector silver headlamps; sport suspension; rear spoiler; front sports seats; front and rear bumper skirts; leather steering wheel. Titanium adds: chrome grille surround and belt line finisher, front fogs with chrome surrounds, halogen projector headlamps. ESP stability control adds €565
L/100km (mpg): urban: 7.5 (37.6); extra-urban: 4.6 (61.4); combined: 5.7 (49.6)
CO2 emissions:133g/km
Tax:VRT - 16 per cent; motor tax - €150 (€156 from January 1st)
Price:€16,995 (€15,395 to €19,225)