SEVEN-UP

The Ford Fiesta has come of age. Jonathan Crouch drives the much improved seventh generation version.

Ford's Fiesta has always been affordable and great to drive. But state of the art? It's that too in this improved take on the seventh generation model. Beneath the smarter styling lies some clever user-friendly technology - and cabin quality that'll make down-sizing into one of these less of a chore. This car won't be with us for much longer but it's still a best seller on merit.

Background

Here we are again at the end of an era. We'll be saying that quite often to you over the next few years as familiar combustion model lines give way to full-electric ones but in this case, the change is particularly significant. The Ford Fiesta will soon be no more, production scheduled to end in Summer 2023. At least it's going out on a high. This Fiesta may still be a small car but these days, it thinks big in almost every way, starting with improved styling designed to make more of a statement in the supermini segment. Under the bonnet lies an impressively clean and frugal range of petrol units, which includes the brand's mild hybrid EcoBoost Hybrid tech. Plus there's now a more up-market cabin than you might be used to from a Fiesta, along with safety technology of the sort you might expect to find on a much larger car. As before, there's also an 'Active' Crossover bodystyle and an ST hot hatch - and across the range, class-leading driving dynamics. This is, in short, on paper at least, a thoroughly well thought out piece of supermini design. But will it be enough to keep Ford at the top of the sales charts? Let's find out.

Driving Experience

Not much about the engineering of this car has changed: not much needed to. Variations on the Fiesta theme may come and go but before driving any version of Ford's definitive supermini, there's one thing you almost always know for certain: that it'll be a great steer. This current generation model is 15% stiffer than its pre-2017 predecessor and both front and rear track measurements are wider. The engineers tell us that the chassis offers 10% more cornering grip than that old generation car, supported by Electronic Torque Vectoring Control, which enhances the driving experience by applying a small amount of braking to inside wheels to assist traction and stability when cornering. And engines? You'll want to know about those. There's no longer a diesel, but the elderly 1.1-litre Ti-VCT 75PS petrol unit continues at the base of the line-up. Ford has been gradually introducing its mild hybrid 48-volt tech into this car but for the time being, you can still have the volume three cylinder 1.0-litre EcoBoost turbo petrol engine without it, offering 100PS and a 6-speed manual gearbox. The 1.0T EcoBoost powerplant can also be had in mild hybrid mHEV 'EcoBoost Hybrid' form in 125 and 155PS forms, complete with the option of auto transmission and using that 48V electrified technology. With this, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine is combined with a belt-driven starter/generator and a 48-volt battery pack for extra performance and efficiency. The system also allows for easier stop-start integration, which can shut off the engine when below 15mph. The SUV-style 'Active' Fiesta variants share all the usual mainstream engines, but the top Fiesta ST hot hatch model, as before, gets its own 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol unit developing 200PS, though peak torque for this unit climbs from 290Nm to 320Nm.

Design and Build

If you go by the maxim that if something looks right, it is right, then you'll probably like the look of this improved version of the seventh generation Fiesta. As before, it's offered in both three and five-door bodystyles, plus an 'Active' crossover version, and all variants are tidy pieces of styling - especially in this revised form. The bonnet's been revised, the nose of the car raised and the brand badge moved into the grille, which is flanked by restyled LED headlamps. As before, the sportier 'ST-Line' models get a more aggressive front bumper and feature a gloss black honeycomb mesh grille. The Fiesta Active is marked out by vertical grille bars, plastic body cladding and silver trim accents. At the rear with all variants, the tail lamps are darker and Ford now offers a contrasting matte and gloss black diffuser finish. Inside, Ford has added a 12.3-inch configurable digital instrument display screen, which complements the usual 8-inch SYNC 3 centre infotainment screen. It incorporates 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring - and can include a 575-watt B&O stereo and a rear view camera too. Storage for personal belongings is delivered with a 20% larger glovebox and a 1-litre media bin in the centre console. Rear seat passengers aren't as cramped in the back of a Fiesta as they used to be; changes made in 2020 added 16mm more knee room, supported by slim-back seats that offer decent side-to-side support. This Fiesta's tailgate is wide for easy access to the 311-litre boot. If you're able to flatten the 60:40 split-folding rear backrest, you'll find that the revealed cargo floor ends up with quite a step in it, but the total capacity figure looks reasonable by segment standards - 1,093-litres.