Fabulous Fiesta fulfils diesel dreams

DIESEL power reigns supreme in the new Ford Fiesta range. I"ve had the petrol option before Christmas and now the diesel difference in the new 1.4 litre Fiesta is outstanding. You may notice my change of mood for the Fiesta: it"s well founded based on a combination of performance, value and economy. The difference is that big and the driving pleasure that impressive. My recent test run took the Fiesta 1.4 TDCi for a good distance. The car has an identical design to the petrol powered model, and it"s what"s under the bonnet that makes the difference. Ford"s diesel engine has topped the economy and emissions stakes, along with a few others, I might add. For the new Fiesta, the economy is impressive at 4.2 litres/100km (67mpg). That"s ahead of everything apart from the Mini One D, which is far more expensive and less practical. The improved engine shows a marginal drop in acceleration time over the older version. That is more than compensated for by the lower exhaust emission levels, now down to 110g CO2/km, almost a 10 per cent decrease. That brings with it the lowest annual road tax rate of just €104. Equally important, this improved diesel engine is very smooth and relatively quiet to run. The fuel injection process softens the engine sound especially at low speeds for a smoother drive. Ford has used more high strength steel in this new car, lowering the overall weight by 40kg, while adding more features such as safety devices and more sound insulation would normally add more than this amount. Ford claims that the body structure with this high strength steel is stronger while being lighter. Ford has also trimmed the fuel usage levels by using an electric power steering system in the new Fiesta. As well as saving fuel, the new system requires less effort for low speed parking manoeuvres. Ford claims to have tuned the new Fiesta"s steering system to ensure that it delivers the precise steering feedback expected. The suspension on this new car has also been improved. The structures used are bigger, to take bigger shock loads, while the settings are more precise for twisty roads, according to Ford. The Fiesta is now a bigger car with more space. Even though the overall footprint of the car is virtually the same as the older model, it is bigger on the inside and seems to handle the roads well. More space has not meant a compromised boot. The boot space is bigger than many cars in this segment of the market. The new Fiesta comes with the Ford EasyFuel system. EasyFuel means never having to wrestle with a fuel filler cap again and you will not put the wrong fuel into the car. That"s proving more important as we move to higher levels of diesel car ownership. Mis-fuelling can be expensive. It"s a simple error and can lead to major engine damage, higher insurance premiums and an expensive repair bill. Most of all, this new diesel engine is competitive. Within the Fiesta range the 1.4 litre petrol engine is the obvious comparison. This engine is 20 per cent less economical, has a higher CO2 emission level and is more expensive to buy and run. For the first time in years, the small Ford Fiesta is better value with diesel power than petrol power of an equivalent size. Add the economy figures and lower running costs, plus the now 12,000km service interval and diesel power is naturally coming into its own. The new Fiesta confirms that diesel is the way to go in a car that is smooth to drive and impressively economical. Yes, styling adds to its appeal and the interior as well as being spacious is also modern and attractive. The centre dash section is well laid out; the Bluetooth phone connection is easy to set up and the lights are clear and strong. My only crib was the windscreen washer unit failed for me; that"s probably a service issue that can be remedied. The entry price for the five-door Fiesta is €17,075 before delivery charges. That"s over €1,000 cheaper than the 1.4 litre petrol powered equivalent and just €1,000 more expensive than the entry level 1.25 litre petrol model that"s slower and 25 per cent less economical. The argument in favour of Fiesta diesel is convincing for economy and value reasons. The styling is modern, the comfort is good in a most spacious small car leader.