Fiesta Zetec Flame (Ford Fiesta (1999 onwards) in general)

Member Name: andycharger

Product:	Ford Fiesta (1999 onwards) in general
Date:	14/08/03 (2560 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun, Cheap, loaded with gadget

Disadvantages: Small, NOT THE MOST COMFORTABLE

Now we have just gone out and taken advantage of a cracking deal that ford are currently offering to the public.
A brand new fiesta with air conditioning for free all for £8,995!!!
Wow! I hear you cry. But what am I getting for my money?

Well, the deal is not quite what it seems.
the good price is for a 3 door with no metallic paint. This limits your colours greatly.
So go for the metallic paint option.
ANOTHER £250!!!
OK, me and the wife are having a baby. Lets go 5 door....
ANOTHER £700!!!
So the cheap car is suddenly getting expensive.

However, you are still getting a lot of car for your money.

Firstly, lets look under the bonnet. Here sits a pokey 1.4 litre Fuel injected Zetec engine. The 16 Valve performance gives a steady acceleration that wont break any records but will get you nipping around town. It will go on and on with a full tank of petrol too. Very fuel economical. It also comes under th elow tax bracket so you will get cheap road tax too!

Steering is not a big issue on such a small car but it comes with Power steering as standard. No more tugging at the wheel on 3 point turns.

Getting inside the car will reveal a nice interior but still following the very plasticy feel of a Ford. However, there is plenty of headroom and a suprising amount of legroom in the back. This is easy to access with the 5 door model and the 3, 3 point safety belts in the rear make it safe for everyone to travel.

Getting out and looking at the astetics of the car make you think you are looking at a baby focus. That is exactly what ford have tried to recreate and they do it suprisingly well.

The model we went for is a limited addition version called the Flame. This comes in 6 colours, Vitro, Flame, Black, Pepper Red, Green, Ink Blue.
We opted for the Ink Blue as there are not many about on the roads and it would be a bit different.
Ok, so what does the standard Fiesta Zetec com
e with?
Well, it has:
Key operated Central locking.
Electric front windows.
Power assisted steering.
Colour coded bumpers.
15 Inch alloys
And best of all, it comes with free air conditioning at the moment. Hady in the hot summer.
So what does the Flame come with extra?
Well, How does Remote central locking, Quick clear front glass, perimeter alarm and electric mirrors grab you? All for a little extra money.
I think the Flame is the best option and much cheaper than the Ghia which is the next alternative up.

Ok, how does it drive?
Smooth and in a straight line. True you know that you are in a little car due to the lack of space, ride comfort and general jerking but what else would you expect. The cabin creature comforts help erase some of this. However, the lack of a center console between the seats for a drink of CD is a pain.
The CD player is great at pumping out loud and clear music. No more rattling Ford stereos. Their partners at visteon have provided a great electrics package throughout.

Boot space?
Well ,the brochure shows a set of golf clubs in the boot and I can tell you, they must be a small set as I cannot get mine in. We can just about get our new buggy in the back, ready for our new arrival in December. Not exactly the car to take on your weekly shop.

Overall?

A good little car packed with extras. Ok it?s a little small and its not the quickest but its cheap on the tax, cheap on the fuel and looks great. Add to this the deal of free Insurance and RAC cover for a year and you are laughing. Get yourself down to the dealership now!

Summary: