The Small Focus (Ford Fiesta LX in general)

Name: utero

Hello doyoo user, You have to be logged in to use these functions... Login or register Close window

Send message to member

Product:	Ford Fiesta LX in general
Date:	28/02/04 (1790 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great to drive, Roomy interior, Good running costs

Disadvantages: A lot of plastic on the interior, The cd player has problems with copy protected cd's

Around a year ago I wrote an opinion on the Peugeot 106. I had just bought one from new at a decent price and I liked it. However a year later and it?s funny how you can easily fall out of love with something. That especially applies to cars, you start by liking them confident in your choice. However 12-months of driving the thing soon lets you find it?s faults.

This summer I will have been driving 8 years and in that time I have had 3 Ford Fiesta?s. My first car was an old ?W? reg which was pretty basic but a good runner that rarely let me down and was inexpensive to insure and repair. I then had an E-reg model that was slightly better but still your bog standard car. In 2001 I bought a newer style P-reg and again it was a decent little ride. Now Ford has changed the shape of the fiesta, no longer is it the cheap little run around. In fact it?s a sturdy and attractive looking little car that doesn?t feel little. I remember sitting in one around a year ago and remembering how big inside it felt compared to the fiesta I?d owned in the past. That stuck with me and having driven one I was more impressed. Needless to say last week I bit the bullet, traded in the Peugeot and bought an LX model on an ?03? plate.

A new model fiesta will set you back anything from £7000 to past the £10000 mark. As always it?s best to shop around however I would have to say that I?d probably never buy a brand new car again. I picked up my LX model for under £7800 with less than 2000 miles on the clock. Of course new from the dealer means you may be able to get free insurance however the staggering excesses that ford have introduced plus the various add on?s make it a very un-appealing offer.

The 1.4 LX model is probably the most practical of the new shape fiesta?s. The entry level finesse is pretty basic, the LX is where the extras come in. My 5-DR model has electric windows, central locking, cd player, air con, heated mirrors and a heated front windscreen. The 1.
4 engine has some decent kick on the highway and handles the city roads really nicely. So far I have to say the fuel use has been pretty low as well but this is something you get a better idea of over time.

The first thing I noticed on driving the car was the ease of the drive; the power steering is very light and effortless. Naturally I was comparing it to the 106 and I have to say there is no contest. The Fiesta is just a lot easier to drive. One of the great things I like is the adjustable seating position. Raising the height of the drivers seat makes a great difference as well as the option to move the steering column. There?s also plenty of legroom, something which was sorely lacking in the 106. I also feel safe driving the car as it just feels strong and I have faith that it would protect me in the event of an accident. Again this is something that the 106 didn?t have.

As mentioned earlier, the new style of fiesta is generally a bigger car inside. There is great headroom and a lot more comfort. The rear would comfortably sit 3 passengers and provides them each with a headrest if they want to doze off! However the main negative point of the car is the interior materials. There is a lot of dull looking plastic on show, which is a bit disappointing considering the attention that has been paid in other areas. It also looks like the cd player would be a real pain to upgrade if you needed to. However it?s still a step up from the 106 and honestly as long as the car goes and doesn?t have a lot go wrong then I can forgive the interior materials.

On the extras side I mainly went for the LX model as it comes with the heated front windscreen. This week there?s been a lot of snow and ice. There?s nothing worse than the morning ritual of defrosting the car. However the press of a button takes the hassle out. After a couple of minutes the snow and ice was slipping off the car like butter on hot toast. As the wing mirrors are also heated it saves y
ou a great deal of time. Air conditioning was also something that attracted me to getting the car, obviously in these cold conditions there?s not really a use for it but I look forward to the summer when I can wind the windows up and flick that button to keep my armpits from turning a bit ripe. The sound system does its job well, it?s not amazing but you get a decent sound quality. The cd player is easy enough and the steering column controls help when driving. The only problem it has is with some copy protected cd?s. I put my copy of Aerosmith?s greatest hits in and it didn?t like it. However it does work with CDR?s well enough.

Insurance wise it?s cost me £260 fully comp to insure and that?s a pretty good price for a 25-year old. I?m certainly happy I made the change and Ford have certainly improved the quality of their little car. I?d definitely recommend it to anyone looking to get a big car feel in a small car.

Summary: