2004 Ford Fiesta Reviews

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the first and second generation Ford Fiesta between 2004 and 2015 as a used buy.

Styling of the latest couple of generations of Ford Fiestas is bold and their stunning, almost futuristic, looks appeal to many, particularly those moving down from larger cars.The Ford Fiesta is sold as a three-door or five-door hatchback. The three-door has a sporty appearance, but the five-door certainly isn’t on the staid side. Getting into the back seat of the three-door Fiesta isn’t too difficult for the kids, but large adults will find it a hassle.Once in the back seat, occupants will find it reasonably spacious. The front seats are larger than average for a car in this class and are reasonably comfortable, though some may find them on the firm side in the German manner.Ford Australia is keen to please drivers looking for more than mere transport so imports its small cars from Europe. This makes them slightly more expensive than products from Holden, which are often made in South Korean factories, but Ford Oz has managed to keep prices down.The Fiesta comes in plenty of different variants. Most use a 1.4- or 1.6-litre petrol engine and offer a couple of drivetrain options. The WZ series Fiesta, introduced in August 2013, has an interesting pair of turbocharged power units, in particular a willing little three-cylinder 1.0-litre with plenty of spark in its response. Even better is the 1.6 turbo-petrol in the Fiesta ST, it has strong torque over a wide spread of revs and can be regarded as a low cost alternative to full-on hot hatches.The Ford Fiesta XR4, introduced in June 2007, is a genuine hot hatch, not just a dressed up standard model.  Inside, there are sporting seats with leather bolsters. Fiesta XR4 has lowered suspension and rides on Pirelli P-Zero tyres. Ride comfort is surprisingly good for the hot-hatch class.The XR4's big Duratec 2.0-litre engine gives plenty of performance in a light car such as this. Some will be disappointed that only a five-speed gearbox is used. However, it has nicely chosen ratios and the change action is slick and positive.A fascinating new model was launched in November 2009. The Ford Fiesta Econetic is a super-economy model that's powered by a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine tuned specifically for low consumption. It has good torque, uses higher than normal gearing and runs on special low-rolling resistance tyres. The result is fuel consumption below four litres per hundred kilometres during easy motorway running and only five to seven litres per hundred kilometres in day-to-day suburban driving.A good home mechanic can do a fair bit of their own work on a Fiesta, but the underbonnet area is cramped. Leave the safety items to the experts. There are plenty of Ford dealers Australia wide. While uncommon parts for Fiestas may not be held in all country dealerships it usually only takes a couple of business days to have parts freighted out there. We seldom hear any real complaints about prices of parts or servicing. Plenty of mechanics running their own independent businesses will have had formal training while employed by Ford dealers in the past.Insurance premiums for the standard Ford Fiesta models are about average for its class. Some companies may charge more for the XR4 hot-hatch and the hot-ish Fiesta ST, though not outrageously so.WHAT TO LOOK FOREuropean cars aren't built to the high standards of Japanese ones, so be sure to arrange for a full professional inspection. Carefully check the interior for signs of damage due to poor assembly, also for damage done by rough or bored kids.Listen for squeaks or rattles when driving on rough roads, not necessarily outback tracks, just suburban surfaces that have seen better days. The Fiesta engine should start easily and idle smoothly virtually from the moment it kicks over. Listen and feel for a manual gearbox that hesitates or crunches during fast changes.Try the steering on full lock at low speeds both all the way to the right and the left. Listen for the clicking sounds that indicate worn universal joints. A Fiesta XR4 that has been driven hard can often be identified by uneven tyre wear. Also look for lowered suspension, big-diameter wheels and additional instruments.Rust isn't going to be a problem unless a car has been poorly repaired after a crash. Look for paint finish that doesn’t match from panel to panel and for overspray on non-painted areas.CAR BUYING TIPA simple way to check for rust repairs is to hold a magnet against a suspect area. It will stick to metal under the paint, but not to plastic fillers.

Ford took a long time to find a proper replacement for the Korean-built Festiva, but it finally struck gold in 2004 when it unearthed the European Fiesta.The Kia-built Festiva had been a winner for the blue oval, as had the Laser before that, but the company stumbled at the first attempt to find a suitable Festiva replacement when the quirky Ka proved a dismal failure in this market. When small car buyers went looking for a car to replace their Festivas what they found was the odd looking Ka and they quickly realised it wasn't for them.In effect Ford abandoned the traditional small car market when it pitched the Ka at funky young females hoping they would think it cute. Traditional small car buyers also baulked when they found the Ka was only available as a three-door hatch and they couldn't get it with an auto transmission.The arrival of the Fiesta was a relief to all concerned, probably including Ford's management who must have been relieved to see the end of the Ka experiment.MODEL WATCHThe Fiesta was a return to the mainstream for Ford after the Ka experiment. Whereas the Ka only came as a funky three-door hatch the Fiesta was a more conventionally styled model and buyers could choose between three-door and five-door hatch body styles. They also had the choice of three models, in the form of the LX, Zetec and Ghia.The LX was the price leader, which missed out on air-conditioning. For that you needed to spend an extra couple of grand. What you did get was remote central locking, power windows and mirrors, immobiliser, leather steering wheel and a four-speaker CD sound system.In the middle of the range was the Zetec, a three-door hatch with the promise of a more sporty drive. Those who chose to spend the extra for the Zetec got air, alloy wheels, and fog lamps in addition to the gear that came with the LX.Perched atop the range was the luxury Ghia five-door hatch, which came with a six-stacker CD sound system and the option of extra safety gear. There was just the single engine available and that was a 1.6-litre four-cylinder with double overhead camshafts and sequential fuel injection. At its twin peaks it was outputting 74 kW at 6000 revs and 146 Nm at 4000 revs, enough to endow the Fiesta with quite a bit of zip.The transmission choices consisted of a five-speed manual and four-speed auto, and the final drive was through the front wheels. The brakes were disc front and rear, the suspension was independent with a typically Ford of Europe sporty feel, and the steering was by power-assisted rack-and-pinion.IN THE SHOPOwners of the Fiesta appear to be generally satisfied with their cars; very few complaints have been received here at CarsGuide. If there's a consistent complaint it's about brake wear, but that's a common grizzle with most European cars, not something peculiar to the small Ford. Make the usual checks for dodgy crash repairs and a service record.ON THE ROADThe Fiesta was a revelation after the Ka; it was great to drive with a punchy engine, nippy performance, and very good ride and handling. On top of that it looked good, had a bright and breezy interior, and was easy on the pocket when it came to those compulsory stops for fuel. If there was a criticism it was that the seats lacked support, but that was about it.IN A CRASHAll models were equipped with dual-stage airbags for the driver and front passenger, as well as seat belt pretensioners. ABS and EBD braking was standard on all models, except the base LX manual hatch. ANCAP rated the WP Fiesta at four stars.AT THE PUMPRoad testers at the time reported 7.5-8.0 L/100 km on average. Ford's official claim was 6.6 L/100 km.LOOK FORAttractive looksPunchy engineGood economyNippy handing.THE BOTTOM LINEA great little car that was a delight to drive.RATING80/100

I bounce around like a puppy that's sniffed too many exhausts, exhorting her to come and see the new arrival and she politely tells me she'd rather finish filing her nails.This is because my tormentor-in-chief is about as interested in motor vehicles as I am in public transport. She might have to use them occasionally, but someone else always does the driving and she remains blissfully unconcerned by what sort of engine it possesses.As long as there's no gum stuck to the seat and it can recline far enough for her to nap on long drives, they're all the same to her.As you can imagine, this causes no small amount of tension chez Corby.Recently, however, we took possession of a car that caused as much excitement as a warehouse full of free shoes.This unbridled, hand-clapping joy was not shared by yours truly, because the car in question was a Ford Fiesta, which looks like a Ford Focus that's been left in a hot car wash too long and come out two sizes too small.Apparently, however, the Fiesta is incredibly, indelibly "cute". Furthermore, not only could you park it in a bike rack, it also has "excellent visibility".The Fiesta is also "wonderful" in many other ways, but it should be kept in mind she still thinks the Holden Gemini is the best car ever built.To my chagrin, however, I am forced to agree that, for its size at least, the Fiesta is pretty damned wonderful.The cabin is far classier and better put together than an $18,990 price tag or a Ford badge would suggest.Of course, for that price we did get the sporty three-door Zetec model, which manages to look not only cute but surprisingly sharp as well.But you can get an equally chic Fiesta for as little as $14,490 if you choose the three-door, five-speed manual LX. Alternatively, you can get the neat, petite luxury car, the five-door Fiesta Ghia, for $21,490.Of course, the reason this Ford is so well-built can be detected as soon as you drive it. The indicator stalk is on the left-hand side of the wheel.This is actually an indicator of quality because it means the car is made in Europe. In the Fiesta's case, it's Germany.And, as the Holden Astra (now built in Belgium) has shown us, the best Aussie cars are the ones that aren't made here.The Fiesta's engine, a 1.6-litre four-cylinder, is a truly hard-worker. It moans, groans and occasionally screams if you kick its firewall too hard, but it's a solid performer and makes the most of its 74kW.Of course, with only 146Nm of torque, it climbs hills like a baby Sherpa – slowly, but with in-built determination.The four-speed auto our car was fitted with doesn't make life any easier for the engine, and it would surely be a more lively vehicle with the five-speed manual.The one truly strange quirk of the Fiesta is its cooling fans. Take the car for a hard flog, or even a slow jog, and when you park you will be assaulted by what sounds like a small helicopter whirring into action under the bonnet.The first few times I heard it I was convinced it was not coming from the cramped confines of the Fiesta's engine bay and that there must have been a hovercraft parked nearby.That noise, and the roar of the overworked engine aside, the Fiesta is a remarkably refined and smooth machine.Only the very short of leg would attempt to occupy the back seats, but the front ones are suitably supportive and height-adjustable.The sporty steering wheel in the Zetec is another nice touch and it communicates a zippy, sharp feel to the driver.After a week of being driven around in it, the better half showered the baby Ford with the highest praise. Apparently, it's almost as good as a Gemini.

It's not as large as the Focus but obviously comes out of the same design house, with its sharp European lines.Our test vehicle was the sporty, eye-catching Zetec model, priced from $18,990 plus on road costs.It's a tempting price for a great little car but just remember this does not include automatic transmission $2300. 

IT'S been a long time since Ford had a genuine striker in the baby-car league.You have to go back to the Korean-made Festiva to find a regular scorer for the team.The Ka was only ever a midfielder, and even then it needed a price cut to promote it from left back.But now there is a new star in the squad, and it's going to give Ford a massive kick.The Fiesta has all the right skills and strengths for the light-car contest, with a funky body and a perky engine. Unlike the Ka, it also has an automatic gearbox option, and the price has been set with a basic bottom line of $14,490.It has taken Ford Australia a long time to get the European-made Fiesta into its team, but it's been worth the wait.It's not as adventurous as the Honda Jazz or as enjoyable to drive as the Mazda2, but it has the rest of its rivals covered.It is, without any doubt, the car that Ford has always needed to replace the Festiva.The Fiesta was designed and developed in Germany.It comes in three basic models – LX, Zetec and Ghia – and with a choice of three and five-door hatchback bodies.There is only one engine, and the 1.6-litre Duratec is a good one. Ford says the power and torque peaks are 74kW and 146Nm with lightweight design, twin-overhead camshafts and sequential fuel injection.The gearbox choices are the traditional five-speed manual or four-speed automatic for the front-wheel drive Fiesta, but Ford has created a self-shifter with multi-mode electronic controls.Brakes are four-wheel discs and the suspension is fully independent with the sort of sports tuning we have come to expect on everything up to the Fairlane.The lineup begins with the LX three-door at $14,490, but it's a price that doesn't include the $2000 extra for airconditioning. The five-door LX is $15,990.The mid-level car is the sporty-ish Zetec three-door at $18,990 – which picks up anti-skid brakes, alloy wheels and fog lamps – while the flagship is the five-door Ghia at $21,490 including a six-stack CD player, with optional side and curtain airbags for $900."Customers looking for a small car are just as selective as those wanting a larger car. They prefer a small car because it's the vehicle that best suits their needs," Ford Australia president Geoff Polites says."The days of having to sacrifice driving dynamics, performance and safety features along with size will be gone with the new Fiesta."THE Fiesta is a good little jigger. We've driven a range of cars, from the basic five-door model to the sporty Zetec with optional body kit, and liked them all.They are responsive, comfortable, well equipped and great value.We spent most of our time with the LX five-door manual and believe it is a winner at $15,990.The engine is perky, there is plenty of space inside, it has all the right gear, and it is enjoyable to drive.It's not at the cutting edge set by the Jazz and Mazda, which have truly innovative cabins and class-leading quality.But it is cheaper, and few buyers in the baby-car class are going to know what they are missing by heading straight to a Ford showroom.Just why has it taken Ford Australia so long to get the Fiesta and get it right? Right now, we don't care.We're just happy there is a Ford that takes the brand back to the strengths of the original Laser and the Korean-made Festiva, and which delivers a package to sit comfortably alongside the classy BA Falcon.The Fiesta even shades the larger Focus, which needs the same sort of engine-room effort.The baby car's Duratec four is punchy from the bottom and still has a top-end surge that allows nippy performance in the city and strong overtaking.It's also light on fuel, proving the efficiency of its design.The engine is helped by the car's light weight, but it highlighted – for us – the real weakness of the Focus.If Ford can get the powerplant right in the Fiesta, why can't it do the same for the Focus?The five-speed manual gearbox is light and direct and the brakes are strong and efficient, while the steering has good feel with a light load for parking.The ride and handling of the Fiesta is outstanding, with great grip in curves and the sort of enjoyable response that qualifies it as a hot hatch.It doesn't bump and thump like many of the Euro-made babies, either, though we'd prefer less road roar from the tyres on coarse bitumen.There is plenty of space in the Fiesta, the ¿smiley face¿ dash (top left) is simple but attractive, and we liked everything from the giant ventilation outlets to the CD sound and the column-mounted sound controls we sampled in the Zetec Fiesta.But the seats don't have enough shape or support, you have to pull the seatbelt a long way forward in the three-door car, and the cabin colour – cave black – won't be much fun in an Australian summer.Holden discovered a long time ago that it needed lighter and brighter cabin colours in its Barina and Astra.But they are only minor niggles on a car that's right at the front of the baby-car battle and kicks another big goal for Ford.

You probably think they are cramped, under-powered, noisy, harsh, gutless on hills, laboured under a full load, rattle prone, have no creature comforts, look like a toy, are unsafe and have puny brakes.Small cars always have been cheap motoring. Cheap to buy, maintain and run.But now there is a growing number of quality small cars that have all the virtues of a compact, without many of the drawbacks.Consider the Peugeot 307, Citroen's C2 and C3, the smart series and now Ford's Fiesta.These are attractive cars that also are rewarding for drivers and still cheap to own and operate.The new Fiesta is built in Germany. And that means more than just the fact that the indicators and windscreen wipers are reversed.It means engineering and build quality is superior and that the driver is well accommodated.It looks like a shrunken Focus. Almost the same lines, yet still a style all its own.The $18,990 three-door Zetec (second top in the range) test car has 45 per cent low-profile tyres and seven-spoke 16-inch wheels (an extra $900) that gives it a distinct rally feel.Inside, there are plenty of WRC references in the C3-style round air vents and brushed aluminium trims.The seats also are rally style, offering firm support, plenty of adjustment and little sideways slip.That's just as well, because the chassis is every bit as tight as its famously taut bigger brother, encouraging plenty of G forces in corners.The 1.6-litre Duratec four-cylinder engine is tuned to aid the driver to find relevant power across the rev range.Its power is a modest 74kW on 95RON premium fuel, but economy is good at between 13 to 15km of every litre.Where it does impress is in its drive delivery. With its 11:1 compression ratio and 146Nm of torque at a respectable 4000rpm, there is plenty of urge out of corners, up hills, under load and from low revs. It will pull nicely from 2000rpm and sprint all the way to the 6000rpm red line.Acceleration in the Zetec is helped by a notchy and precise manual five-speed gear shift. It would be interesting to see if the four-speed automatic box is up to the job.You will certainly pay for the auto – an extra $2300 – so it would want to be good.Fellow motoring writer Gordon Lomas reported from the Fiesta launch last month that the auto starts hunting for gears going up gradients but was responsive and smooth.Bumps in corners are handled well by the sophisticated independent MacPherson strut front suspension and semi-independent rear, but will bang and kick back a little through the steering wheel.The Fiesta steering is pin sharp and it turns into corners so quickly you could find yourself cutting corners until you adjust to the lack of understeer and steering wheel weight.Together with audio controls on a steering wheel stalk, it all adds up to a great driving experience.But the fun doesn't stop there.A generous boot, rear seat (although leg room is obviously at a premium), and head room make it quite spacious for a compact, although getting in and out of the three-door was tricky for rear-seat passengers.It should employ a one-touch lever system that not only tilts the seat back, but also slides the front seat forward.Once accommodated in the back, there is good vision, a deep and comfortable seat, adjustable headrests and low cabin noise.While it's difficult to tell from a test vehicle that has only had its first service, there is a stiffness and firmness in the body and suspension that reassures it won't rattle itself to pieces in a few thousand kilometres.It's a robust little unit with plenty of flair and driving pleasure, without too many small-car drawbacks.If you want auto and a few extras, you will break the $20,000 barrier.But a few extra dollars hasn't hurt sales of Holden's German-built Astra and it shouldn't hurt this quality compact.