Faults:

Nothing appalling, but lots and lots and lots of minor issues... Lots.

General Comments:

Brilliant little run about. For a 1.2 litre, it's really quite spritely if you keep the engine bubbling and it handles very well indeed... Great fun for thrashing around the twisties.

The gears and clutch are smooth, but due to it being a small engine, that's just as well as you'll be up and down the gear box like no one's business.

There's plenty of room inside the passenger compartment and the visibility is outstanding. The two door version is very easy to enter and exit from, but you need to be a bit flexible to get hold of the seat belts, they are miles away from the front seats.

The fuel consumption isn't as good as I'd hoped for, but in fairness, we seldom take it on long runs which, I'm sure, would return more reasonable figures.

The boot space is as you'd expect from a small hatch back, woeful, but much better than that of the Ford KA... Which is simply ridiculous.

Is it a car you could fall in love with?... Yes, I think it might be. It's a willing little car and very reliable, by and large. It's good fun to drive but no continent crusher. Although it's comfortable enough, it's not really designed to gobble up huge distances in one go.

Is it safe?... It certainly doesn't feel that way, but I'm sure it's adequate. The Fiesta feels very light and a bit tinny, and it isn't a Volvo, that's for certain!

Who might it appeal to? Anyone who wants a cheap, no nonsense, reliable small run about. The Fiesta's no head turner, but no shocker either. It certainly won't impress anyone other than if you want a small Jack of all trades... It does everything you'd expect of it well enough.

Are there better cars in its class?... Probably, in individual areas of interest, then yes, such as looks and performance, but the Fiesta will never be last in any competition.

The Ford Fiesta... That'll do Donkey, that'll do.

Faults:

1. Was burning oil off the forecourt. Approx 1 litre every 700-1000 miles. The Ford dealer did not want to know. Diagnosed by independent garage as piston ring failure.

2. EAC FAIL flashing up on the dash with a rough idle upon starting the engine. Happened about once a month. Cleaning the throttle body helps.

3. The seat levers to get in the rear both snapped; cheap fix, common problem. Poor design.

4. The passenger side front suspension spring snapped. As there is a water trap on this side, the strut bolt corrodes rapidly. The strut had to be forced off and two new ones fitted to achieve parity across the front suspension. Check the bolt in the strut tower! It will be rotten. Fill the well with vaseline. Common problem.

5. The driver's side wouldn't unlock in ice. Ever. Had to climb through the passenger side every morning.

6. Random fault code regarding temperature sensors. A wiggle of wires and wd40 fixed this.

7. Sticking front caliper rapidly ate a brake.

8. Poor starting. Needed to pump the accelerator and listen to it turn over a load of times before it would start. You had to pump it. Otherwise it wouldn't go. At all. Would just crank. New leads, plugs etc. Common problem on early examples. ECU update works apparently.

9. Quickclear windscreen died at 40k with little use, got it replaced.

10. Standard CD player is temperamental. Likes to flash CD ERROR with scratch free discs. Binned it.

11. Rattles. Everywhere. Squeaks as well. Annoying.

12. Had option piano black dash trim. Very nice. Until the glue fails and the light switch surround fell off.

13. One taillight shined brighter than the other. No solution found.

14. Rivets on sideskirts pop off, cheap fix, common, the front near the wing comes away from the car. Annoying.

General Comments:

Great fun, puts a smile on my face when it's working.

A very good looking hot hatch. Ford make the best looking boy racer cars.

Corners like nothing else I've driven, especially with good tyres.

Needs to be worked hard to get the engine to sing.

Fit some breathing mods to realise more of its potential.

Thirsty, but I knew that.

Fit a Focus ST interior light. You get submarine lighting.

Seats are nice. Pre facelift dials glow red at night. Look ace.

Blessing in disguise. I killed it last week. It's in the scrap yard. A love hate relationship indeed. I loved it. It hated me and told me so with its big niggles.

Full history and it had a shagged engine at 34k. Why?

The Ford dealer's customer service is awful. They don't care once they have your money.

I've owned 8 Fiestas over the years. All older by far. None were as troublesome as this. My 1990 XR2i was more reliable.

Would I have another? Yes. But I would examine every nut and bolt.