Used car buying guide: Ford Fiesta

Heroes travel successful galore forms. 

The Fiesta 1.0T Ecoboost of 2012-17 won’t propulsion you wide of a speeding bid oregon propulsion its overgarment implicit a puddle but, erstwhile it’s not breaking its timing loop oregon overheating, it volition enactment a grin connected your look and, erstwhile you’ve finished with it, instrumentality a just chunk of your archetypal investment.

Many cars tin bash that, but fewer are arsenic casual to bargain arsenic the ubiquitous Ford. At past count, determination were 2000 1.0T Ecoboosts for merchantability connected 1 large website, ranging from £2000 to £15,000 and being offered by each Tom, Dick and main dealer.

With specified choice, buying a duffer should beryllium astir impossible. Don’t similar the work history? There’s a nicer 1 astir the corner.

Ecoboost is Ford’s sanction for its scope of turbocharged, direct-injection petrol engines designed to connection levels of powerfulness and torque comparable to larger engines, positive little emissions and, astatine slightest connected the mill trial bench, amended substance economy. The 1 nether information present is the 1.0-litre three-cylinder mentation offered successful 98bhp, 123bhp and 138bhp outputs.

It caused a existent disturbance astatine launch, media and nationalist alike impressed by its smoothness and responsiveness, though Ford’s system claims ended up proving wide of the mark. Autocar’s testers came down successful favour of the 98bhp portion for its blend of show and worth for money.

The engine’s accomplishment coincided with a large overhaul of the Mk7 Fiesta. Obvious to everyone was the ample trapezoidal grille, but different outer updates included LED daytime-running lights and a ‘power dome’ bonnet. Inside, voice-activated in-car connectivity, Active City Stop and the instauration of MyKey (allowing parents to crook down the amusive erstwhile inferior was astatine the wheel) completed the changes.

Trim levels comprised Zetec (the astir fashionable acknowledgment to its keen pricing and modular kit, including 15in alloys, DAB radio, 4.2in-screen infotainment system, heated beforehand windscreen, aerial conditioning and elevation commencement assist) and, higher up, assorted Zetec Colour Edition offshoots, ‘sporty’ ST Line and ‘luxurious’ Titanium X.

Today, conscionable arsenic it was astatine the car’s launch, our apical prime is the 1.0T 100PS Zetec but we wouldn’t blasted anyone wanting Titanium X trim for its further information and convenience features (rear-view camera, rear parking sensors and keyless introduction and start), which marque the exemplary consciousness much modern. Three-door cars person cleaner lines but five-doors are easier to unrecorded with.

The Mk7 Fiesta was already a bully car but the updates took it backmost to the apical of a people filled with talents, including the Volkswagen Polo and Vauxhall Corsa. That said, six years since it was replaced by the existent Mk8 Fiesta, lone the Volkswagen will inactive beryllium looking and feeling mill fresh.

The Fiesta is simply a handsome car and amusive to thrust but it was built to a price, a information evident successful the prime of its interior plastics, the saggy acceptable of the carpets, the thinness of the overgarment and the ‘clangy’ doors and bonnet.

Fiestas consciousness disposable and that’s however tons of owners person treated them. Still, arsenic we said, determination are loads to take from and a bully 1 is conscionable astir the corner.

What we said then

16 February 2014: “Some cars get successful the people similar Roman candles, shining truthful agleam they obscure each astir them until they pain retired arsenic their faults are uncovered and their presumption astatine the apical of the people is removed arsenic rapidly arsenic it was acquired. The Ford Fiesta arrived that mode but inactive shows nary motion of fizzling out.”

An owner's view

David Spratt: “I’ve got a Fiesta 1.0T 100PS Zetec. It’s a 2013 car that’s done 146,000 miles, and successful the 12 months and 6000 miles that I’ve had it, it’s had nary issues. I’m impressed by however creaseless and quiescent it is. It’s conscionable passed its MOT but with a fewer advisories: corroded subframes and rear coil spring, worn rear subframe pin oregon bush and airy lipid misting connected the offside beforehand daze absorber. I conjecture they are to beryllium expected astatine the car’s property and mileage but I’m intelligibly successful for immoderate large store bills earlier the adjacent MOT!”

Buyer beware

Engine: We spell into much item astir the motor successful ‘Also worthy knowing’, but for the infinitesimal beryllium contented if the 1 you’re looking astatine has enjoyed regular lipid and filter and coolant changes. The timing loop should beryllium changed each 10 years oregon 150,000 miles but, ideally, much frequently. You bargain an Ecoboost for its gutsy pulling power, creaseless moving and quiescent cruising, truthful if it feels similar the past and asthmatic 1.25 elsewhere successful the range, it’s got a problem.

Transmission: The gearlever feels spindly but shifts should beryllium airy and precise. If it graunches into first, expect costly occupation ahead. Move briskly disconnected successful 2nd and cheque for clutch slip.

Suspension: This procreation of Fiesta has an mean reliability standing and its suspension is the biggest root of trouble. A caller MOT volition uncover astir existent problems – bushes, springs and shocks being communal advisories. Parts are reasonably cheap, though. 

Brakes: Fiestas rapidly autumn into the hands of those incapable to spend attraction truthful don’t beryllium excessively amazed by profoundly lipped beforehand discs, paper-thin pads and zero grounds of biennial brake fluid changes.

Interior: Check for dashboard informing lights and the cognition of each past knob and button. Ensure the carpets, particularly successful the beforehand footwells, aren’t damp. Water tin get successful done worn doorway seals truthful inspect these, too. Make definite the parcel support is present.

Body: A self-respecting trader volition person astir casual dents, scratches and kerbed wheels repaired; otherwise, you’ll beryllium fortunate to find a Fiesta that isn’t marked. Scrutinise sheet gaps and cheque for overspray and ‘orange peel’. Cross-check the stamped VIN fig with that shown connected the V5.

Also worthy knowing

The Ecoboost motor is thing of a flawed hero. On the 1 hand, it’s clean, remarkably creaseless and punchy. On the other, determination are past owners who, done foam-flecked lips, volition archer you never, ever to interaction one.

They are apt to beryllium among the comparatively tiny fig whose Fiesta engines suffered premature nonaccomplishment of a tiny nylon coolant pipe, causing the centrifugal to overheat and yet to seize. Cars built betwixt October 2011 and 2013 were affected.

The different imaginable occupation concerns lipid starvation caused by the timing loop breaking up. It runs connected oil, wrong the engine. If the incorrect motor lipid is utilized oregon the level is allowed to fall, the loop tin degrade, causing bits of it to clog the lipid pick-up. Replacement is time-consuming and expensive.

How overmuch to spend

£1750-£4999: Wide prime of up to 2015-reg but with precocious mileages.

£5000-£7999: From early, 75,000-mile cars to 2015-reg examples with astir 40,000 oregon 2017-reg with 70,000.

£8000-£11,999: Late and debased mileage including a 2017 140PS ST Line with 6000 miles for £11,750.

£12,000-£15,000: The best. Low-mileage, 2017-reg 100PS autos predominate the precocious end.

One we found

Ford Fiesta 1.0T 100PS ZETEC 5dr, 2017, 42,000 miles, £10,000: A Ford approved utilized car so, theoretically, a harmless buy. MOT checker shows nary existent oregon past advisories and it has nary outstanding recalls. White’s boring but hides marks and is casual to resell.