If you’re in the market for a new car, you can’t go wrong with Britain’s favourite model: the Ford Fiesta. With well over 16 million units sold worldwide, this little car is a big success by anyone’s standards. The UK’s love affair with the Fiesta is a special thing indeed – the car’s made itself at home as the nation’s top-seller since 2008, which is unsurprising when you consider that 130,000 Fiesta’s were sold in the UK in 2015 alone.
The Ford Fiesta is here to stay, and the model is showing no signs of slowing down on sales just yet. A few years after the release of later installment the Ford Fiesta ST Hatchback and it’s received a welcome facelift – as well as being dubbed a market leader, with well over a 6% share of the 2015 car market.
Original image by Manoj Prasad
The Fiesta was originally conceived as a smaller alternative to the very popular Ford Escort, and was a success thanks to its practicality, affordability and great performance. Declared a part of the elite group of ‘hot hatches’, the ST Hatchback continues this tradition of excellence. When it comes to cars, Ford always sticks to the old adage ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ As such, the new Fiesta is an evolution of the previous version, rather than an attempt to revolutionise the world of motoring.
Design
The Fiesta comes with some great features as standard, including 17-inch alloys, a sports steering wheel, DAB radio, Bluetooth and a heated windscreen. It’s these little features which make the car a pleasure to drive as well as a physical beauty.
The ingenuity present in all Ford Fiesta STs – even the entry level Style – is designed purely to add comfort and ease to your journey. All models include a gearshift indicator light, hill start assist and MyKey Technology – making your drive as easy and as safe as possible. Upgrade to a leather trim with the Ford Fiesta Zetec and you’ll even get ambient lighting and footwell illumination. At the top of the ST range, the Ford Fiesta Titanium and Titanium X both come with rain-sensing wipers and power-foldable door mirrors with puddle lights – proving this Fiesta is all about ease and efficiency. But it’s the state-of-the-art rear-view camera and Ford KeyFree entry and power system that make the Titanium X model really stand out – and it could all be yours for a sweet £16,645.
Overall, the new Ford Fiesta ST Hatchback is more of the same – but better. However, when you’ve got a basic range as good as the Fiesta, this is more than enough. If Ford can keep tweaking and evolving the Fiesta like this, we see no reason it shouldn’t stay the UK’s favourite car for decades to come.
Features
Beneath its sexy new look, this is still essentially the sixth-generation of the Fiesta we all know and love. That means that, while being a little more fun to drive that its predecessors, the ST Hatchback is still a highly practical everyday car. It has the same 290-litre boot as the other Fiestas and all the standard storage solutions: spacious glovebox, deep door bins and plenty of cup holders for your morning coffee. The engine also incorporates Ford’s ‘Ecoboost’ technology, offering excellent mileage and low CO2 emissions. Thanks to those low emissions, the new Fiesta fits into Vehicle Excise Duty (AKA road tax) band E, meaning you’ll only be paying £125 a year to keep it on the road.
Performance & handling
As with all hot hatches, the ST is designed for everyday use and the light, responsive steering is ideal for negotiating even the trickiest urban spaces. There’s plenty of torque here, and a nice three-mode traction-control system for first rate cornering – so this is the perfect car for handling those winding country roads. The stiffer suspension does means it’s slightly more comfortable at higher speeds, but this is still a great all-round drive. The Smart Regenerative Charging system and fine-tuned 6-speed manual gearbox all contribute to the Fiesta’s overall fuel efficiency.
The ST Hatchback has a slightly modified appearance – to give it a sportier edge – and comes with a 1.6 litre turbocharged engine delivering 180bhp, compared to the 1.4-1.6 litre standard engines offered with the regular Fiesta. Stiffened suspension, Recaro seats and the obligatory sports exhaust make for a finely-tuned machine, designed for some serious driving. If that’s not enough, there’s even an option to get the engine tuned up to 217bhp for just another £600 − an absolute bargain for true petrolheads. The revolutionary technology found in this sporty hatch also powered the 1.0L Formula Ford to a record 11th fastest lap time ever – making the Fiesta an ideal choice for drivers with a need for speed.
Image source: David Villarreal Fernández
Ford Fiesta finance
If you’re convinced and are ready to get your hands on a Hatchback, then why not take a look at the competitive Ford Fiesta deals available with The Car Loan Warehouse? With Ford Fiesta prices starting from just £10,345, we could help you find the funds for this sizzling hot hatch – and with a wide range of models available, there’s sure to be a Ford Fiesta for sale that will suit you. Explore your Ford finance options and find out how much you could borrow with our online, obligation-free car finance calculator.
What are you waiting for? Get back on the road sooner than you think by applying for Ford Fiesta finance today. Make sure you’re not missing out on the UK’s worst kept secret.
