FORD Fiesta 1.25 Zetec
Thursday, October 21st, 2010
It's nice, but it's just not fast enough. It really didn't like hills.
FORD fiesta 1.25 zetec
Price New £11,645 - £16,695 Used £5,745 - £11,648
Wheelbase 2489 mm
Length 3950 mm
Width 1695 mm
Height 1467 mm
Weight 966 kg
Engine Size 1242 cc
Power Output 80 bhp
Torque 114 Nm 84 lb-ft
Top Speed 104 mph
Attention to detail at its finest: the Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec
The Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec has an outstanding appearance. This is supplemented with superb handling and brilliant fine tuning.
First off, let’s talk about the engine. The Ford Fiesta is equipped with a 1.25 liter four cylinder entry level petrol engine. The engine is available in two specialized power outputs, at 59 and 81 horsepower. It may seem underpowered, but the transmission response is excellent, being a match for the compact vehicles produced by Hyundai and Skoda. Engine noise reduction is also an important feature not found in vehicles of the same class from other manufacturers.
When it comes to handling, the Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec is truly unsurpassed. All of the car’s controls are placed at the perfect position and are well weighted. The driving position is superb, and it doesn’t take a whole new driving lesson just to learn how to drive the Ford Fiesta. Feedback from the steering wheel, gearbox, and the three pedals for acceleration, brake and clutch make it seem like the car is alive and talking to the driver. Steering is responsive and informative, since the smallest movements produce precise and reactive cornering regardless of the driving speed. The suspension of the car does not fall behind either, where tight and submissive settings grant lots of grip and first class body control. Brilliant engineering and attention to detail make the Ford Fiesta a joy to drive on any road at any speed. Ford has really managed to mix fun, comfort and relaxation in one package.
Regarding the exterior, the Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec is a five door ultra-compact hatchback. The shape and contour of the Ford Fiesta’s body look enticing from all angles, making Hyundai models appear dry and uninteresting in comparison. This smoothness in style continues to the interior of the vehicle, where a soft touch dashboard makes the Ford Fiesta more advanced than the i20s. If examined closely, the interior of the Ford Fiesta uses hard plastic in some of the less apparent parts of the cabin. However, the construction Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec car makes it feel extremely elegant and sturdy. The central console stands out and dominates the cabin, while large buttons are efficiently placed over the big control panel under the dashboard in front of the driver. The back seat is spacious, comparable to other ultra-compact vehicles, capable of loading up to four medium sized passengers. For loading capacity the “boot”, or the storage space at the rear of the car through the hatchback door, increases from 295 liters to 975 liters with the chairs folded down. However, there is no innovative folding mechanism and the chairs simply fold downwards. Thus the flat floor of the boot only extends until the outline of the back seat, and there is no floor if you choose to maximize space including the entire rear of the car’s interior.
The Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec is available at a price of £11,352. This makes the vehicle one of the more expensive ultra-compact cars on the market. However, considering the overall quality of the car, the Ford Fiesta probably gives the best bang for your buck.
