Ford Fiesta Red Edition Review - Aiming to deliver the same thrills as the full-fat ST hot-hatch, but with a much lower cost and a little more sensibility, the Ford Fiesta Red Edition is the latest in a range of fast Fiestas. The Fiesta is a pretty common sight on the roads, but Ford has made this one stand out with a racy bodykit, large rear spoiler and this gorgeous red and black finish. It certainly looks the part, so what’s it like to drive? Inside, Ford continues the same sharp-looking red and black contrasts, with both the sculpted wheel and the gearbox cover upholstered in black leather with red stitching. Even the front cupholders get illuminated in red light, which is a nice touch. The cloth sports seats cement you in place well and they’re a lot more comfortable than full-on bucket seats, but they can take a bit of adjustment to get right. Based on the Zetec S trim, standard kit is pretty comprehensive and includes air conditioning, Bluetooth and DAB digital radio. There’s also a 12v connection and USB slot for your mobile, while this test model has cruise control as a £150 option, plus auto wipers and lights. The only real problem that I have with the Fiesta range in general is this – the infotainment system. The gloss black surround is nice and everything, but it does look incredibly dated, while the endless amount of buttons makes it annoying to use, particularly on the move. Considering the Fiesta is Ford’s best-seller, it’s a little confusing as to why they still come with this, particularly when virtually all of its rivals – and the rest of Ford’s range – all come with slick touchscreens.
Clambering into the back, everything’s as comfortable as in the front, though middle passengers might find themselves a little bit squashed in. Still, leg and headroom are both good, and there are even two storage binnacles with their own cupholders. That said, three doors are obviously not as practical as the five-door Fiesta. It’s a bit hard to get in and out of, while parents with child seats won’t find it ideal either. The 290-litre boot isn’t the biggest in its class, but it’s still pretty spacious and well-proportioned, while 60:40 folding seats make light work of carrying most items. The Red and Black Edition Fiestas come powered by a souped-up version of Ford’s tiny turbocharged 1.0-litre petrol EcoBoost engine. Despite being so small that the engine block can fit on an A4 piece of paper, not a joke, the little engine wrings out a full 138bhp. That means that this dinky little supermini has more power per litre than a Bugatti Veyron, courtesy of cylinders no bigger than two cans of beer. As a result, acceleration is fantastic, with the Fiesta rocketing to 62mph from a standstill in nine seconds flat. True, it’s not as lairy as the full-blooded Fiesta ST, but it trades all-out balls to the wall performance for a little more usability. The 17-inch gloss alloys are gorgeous, but also comfortable, while the suspension is infinitely friendlier on the vertebrae than the rigid ST shocks. It’s also remarkably quiet for a three-pot, but produces a satisfying thrum when you put the boot down. On the road, it’s all Fiesta.
There’s a reason it’s the biggest-selling car in the UK of all time, and a large part of it is thanks to this. Diving into corners with razor sharp precision, its strong performance is matched with a slick-shifting gearbox and incredibly well-weighted steering. With the exception of the ST, it’s probably the most fun you can have in a car of this size, and it’s simply awesome. It’s well-priced too, with the base model starting from £16,145 – more than a grand cheaper than the ST and much less costly than the Polo GTI. Match this with fuel economy of nearly 63mph thanks to standard start-stop and just 104g/km of CO2, and you could end up getting some serious bang for relatively little buck. Everything else aside, the main selling point of a car like this is always going to be the fun factor. In that respect, the Red Edition Fiesta delivers in spades. It looks great, it feels great and it’s an incredibly addictive drive for relatively little money. Sure, three doors won’t suit everyone while some might be put off by the infotainment controls, but for pure pleasure there are few better options at this price point. Thanks for read Ford Fiesta Red Edition Review.
