Ford Fiesta Style 1.25 (82ps) 3dr Pre-Model Car Review - February 2012

The Ford Fiesta Style has a 4-cylinder, 1242cc petrol engine. It produces 80 bhp and has torque figures of 84 lb-ft at 4200 rpm. Its power and torque are suitable for city driving where demand for both is low. The car reaches 0-62 mph in 13.3 seconds and has a top speed of 104 mph. It has an efficient, 5-speed manual gearbox.

Suspension is excellent and the ride remains smooth over bumps and road imperfections. It handles well and there is good body control in bends. Steering is light, accurate and speed-sensitive. This is one of the most involving cars in its class, and you can feel the chassis respond to every move you make.

The engine is smooth, remaining quiet even at higher revs. Wind and road noises are fully suppressed.

This new-generation Ford Fiesta Style is a 3-door, 5-seater. It looks great in its definitive, modern hatchback styling. Both the exterior and interior are refined and have an up market look and feel. In addition to neutral colours, the model also comes in bold colours.

For the asking price, Ford could have offered more standard equipment with this trim. Still, the offering is not too bad with power steering, remote central locking, electronic stability control, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, driver airbag, passenger airbags, front side airbags, immobilizer, CD player and MP3 connectivity.

Quite a number of practical options such as climate control and alarm are missing. But you can get metallic paint for £495.

Inside, the Ford Fiesta Style feels like a big car. There is plenty of room for four adults to travel in comfort, and even the taller ones will enjoy sufficient leg and headroom. The seats are supportive and give much desired comfort for long drives.

The steering wheel can be adjusted for reach and height. The driver’s seat too is adjustable and can be easily manipulated for the perfect driving position. The dashboard design and arrangement is superb and clear. You will need to scroll through the menu screen to access some functions and this may take a while to get used to.

Storage space in the cabin is adequate. The glove compartment is a good size and there are a number of cup/bottle holders. Door pockets on all doors provide additional storage space. Boot space is a decent size at 295 litres. You can increase it to 979 litres by folding the rear seats. Unfortunately, the seats do no fold flat and create a stepped area, which limits the size and type of loads you can fit into the boot. The load lip is also high and makes lifting larger loads hard work.

Ford is a reliable brand and you should not have any problems with your Fiesta Style. The car is fitted with all the essential safety features including 5 airbags, stability control and central locking. The car scored an excellent 5-star rating for occupant safety in the Euro NCAP crash test, 4-stars for child safety and 3-stars for pedestrian safety.

The Ford Fiesta Style is not the cheapest super-mini, but it does offer very good value for money. Its resale value is also good.

Fuel economy ensures that you get an average of 50.4 mpg. Carbon emissions are also controlled at 129g/km. The lowest carbon emitting car in the Fiesta range is the Econetic, with only 98g/km.

The Style will cost you £95 annually in Road Tax under band D and you get to drive tax-free during the first year. The car is cheap to insure and falls under insurance group 6. The manufacturer offers a 3-year warranty up to 60,000 miles, with a service interval every 12,500 miles.