The Ford badge is synonymous with reliability and you know that you are getting a well-built car if you opt for Ford. They are also known for developing practical, safe and affordable automobiles, making them a popular choice with young drivers right through to large families.The Ford Fiesta has been one of their flagship automobiles ever since its release in 1976. It is now in its eighth generation and remains one of the best-selling vehicles in the UK.

A Great All-Rounder

So, what is it about the Ford Fiesta that makes it an iconic vehicle? The Fiesta is a supermini that is a great all-rounder, which means that it ticks all of the boxes and is well-suited to a range of motorists. One of the key selling points has always been that it is excellent value for money in terms of price tag and running costs, which often makes it a popular choice with budget-conscious motorists.

The supermini market is filled with great models like the Citroen C3, the Suzuki Swift and the SEAT Ibiza, but for many, the Fiesta remains ahead of the pack.

Performance

As always, the new Fiesta is great fun to drive. It features light steering, strong grip, good body control and great agility. No matter where you drive the Fiesta, you will be blown away by the superb performance and how fun it is to drive. This is also enhanced by the range of engines available.

Engines

There is an engine for every type of motorist, but the pick of the bunch is the 1.0 litre EcoBoost three-cylinder petrol engine. The 138bhp version is capable of 0-62 in 9 seconds flat, which is the same as the 1.5litre TDCi diesel. The ST will be able to manage 0-62 in only 6.7 seconds. Another great thing about the Fiesta’s engine range is that running costs are kept down because they are small. The 1.0 litre EcoBoost is capable of 65.7mpg whilst emitting 97g/km. The 84bhp 1.5-litre TDCi, meanwhile, returns 88.3mpg and emits 82g/km of CO2. This makes the Fiesta very cheap to run and an efficient automobile.

Interior

The new Fiesta has an improved interior by replacing budget plastics with much nicer soft-touch materials and a refreshed layout. It feels much cleaner and less crowded than before and the touchscreen makes it modern and provides easy control for a number of features. It also feels more spacious inside, so it is practical, and the boot provides plenty of space for luggage.

Safety

Unsurprisingly, the new Fiesta is very safe with autonomous braking, adaptive cruise control, cross traffic alert and various other driver aids. It has yet to be tested by Euro NCAP, but the previous model achieved a 5-star rating and the new model uses the same platform.

The iconic Fiesta remains one of the best vehicles on the road and the new version is fantastic value for money, brilliant to drive, cheap to run and very practical.