Ford Fiesta 2007 Review

Cars in the light car segment are usually known for their small size, small engine and small price tag, resulting in some average driving, but adequate getting around.

But Ford has added a teacher's pet to the segment, one that is certainly worthy of a few gold stars.

It's still small in size, but the engine and price tag get slightly bigger.

The XR4 breaks the $20,000 price bracket, which seems expensive for a light car, but it doesn't take long for the all-round performance to quickly prove its worth.

At $24,990, the XR4 comes in less than its other athletic competitors such as the Volkswagen Polo GTI at $26,990 and the Mitsubishi Ralliart Colt for $29,990. And while others such as the Suzuki Swift may come a little cheaper, they don't have that edge to performance found in the XR4.

The stand-out Fiesta has ditched the regular 1.6-litre engine, and instead adopts a modified version of the 2.0-litre Duratec 16-valve engine found in the Focus. The free-revving four-cylinder powertrain delivers 110kW at 6000rpm and 190Nm at 4500rpm, with 80 per cent of torque available from as low as 1800rpm.

It feels very quick and snappy in city traffic, with great pulling power for such a small car.

The acceleration isn't outstanding, but it's very confident. Around town cruising revs at 2000rpm; hit the highway in fifth at around 100km/h and it sits on 3000rpm.

Its straight-line performance is good but not quite superb, as the XR4 is more of an all-rounder, a jack-of-all-trades but not a real master of any.

It doesn't take long for the XR4 to come up to speed when under-revving in higher gears and around corners the feisty Fiesta bites back, showing even third gear is up to the task.

The new XR family member is lively in all conditions, thanks to some changes to the suspension, including the stiffening of the front and rear springs, recalibrating the dampers and lowering the suspension.

Steering is also more agile and the five-speed manual transmission has been revamped to allow quicker shifting. The brakes haven't gone untouched, with an upgrade to the front ventilated discs with larger calipers and pads, as well as rear disc brakes for the first time in the Fiesta range.

So, while it seems to fit the description of a sporty car, it's really only let down slightly by the sound of the engine, as the road noise from the low-profile tyres often overpowers it.

The tightened suspension means you feel the many potholes around town, but it also makes it much firmer and sturdy on the road.

The enhanced performance comes at a sacrifice as fuel consumption is higher than your regular light cars, the Fiesta usually averaging 6.6litres per 100km. The XR4, however, has a claimed 7.4litres per 100km consumption, but on our test it didn't drop below 8.7litres per 100km.

While it's light in nature, just 1090kg, contributing to the excellent driving dynamics and handling, the wide turning circle could have done with some tweaking. Tight shopping car parks usually required a shift into reverse before clearing the turn.

And the pedals are positioned too far to the left, leaving no room to rest your foot next to the clutch, instead having to put it in front of the pedal.

Inside, a thin dash and big windows, means there's plenty of room for front seat comfort. The rear seats get a little squishy, but two adults could still travel for a decent journey without feeling too cramped.

Inside, you're welcomed by a two-toned interior design.

The test car had bold blue coloured-cloth, combined with seats with leather inserts, which proved very comfy. The blue and black dash was topped off with silver trim as a reminder of that sporty theme.

Storage space in the front is minimal, although the glovebox and the boot are reasonable.

If you're not convinced the driving and handling is enough to justify the price rise, there are many features that might just change your mind.

The XR4 gets a six-disc CD player, airconditioning, six airbags, Dynamic Stability Control and traction control, sports seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, 17-inch alloy wheels, a leather gear-knob with alloy trim and sports pedals.

But it lacks cruise control and the radio controls sit on a bulky lever behind the steering wheel like the rest of the Fiesta range, which is fiddly and not that easy to see.

The hot-hatch wears some XR4 badges and a sports body styling kit, which includes a front bumper, side skirts, rear bumper and a large body coloured spoiler on the exterior. But for those wanting everyone to know their sporting tendencies, there's an extra option you can take that is sure to make you stand out.

For an extra $300, you can get some bold racing stripes.

At first it seems a little boy toyish, but the racing connection grows on you and it lets everyone know just how special the car is.

With the XR4 label, the Fiesta earns its stripes as it is transformed into a sporty little machine, without burning a big hole in your pocket.

Bottom line

While it may be a much smaller addition, the Ford Fiesta XR4 lives up to the family name.

Snapshot

Ford Fiesta XR4

Price: $24,990

Engine: 2.0L/4-cylinder, 110kW/190Nm

Transmission: 5-speed manual

Economy: 7.4L/100km
 

The rivals

VOLKSWAGEN POLO GTI

Price: $26,990

Engine: 1.8L/4cyl turbo, 110kW/220Nm

Transmission: 5-speed manual

Economy: 7.9L/100km
 

Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart

Price: $29,990

Engine: 1.5L/4-cyl turbo, 113kW/210Nm

Transmission: 5-speed manual

Economy: 6.7L/100km
 

Suzuki Swift

Price: $23,990

Engine: 1.6L/4-cyl, 92kW/148Nm

Transmission: 5-speed manual

Economy: 7.5L/100km