43 Ford Fiesta: Classic design let down by a dated interior

Due for replacement soon but the Fiesta is proof that, forty years on from the arrival of the first, the latest can still put together a very tempting small car package. It still looks good, for a start, with that gaping grille and fast-rising windowline, but you will soon sense the age of the basic design once you get inside – it’s very heavy on the dark, relatively cheap plastic and there’s no option of a big, bright touchscreen. That said, the actual functioning of the small-screened infotainment system is surprisingly good, which just goes to show that tinsel isn’t everything. Mind you, basic equipment on all models sometimes feels a bit too basic. Best engine by a country mile is the three-cylinder 1.0-litre EcoBoost. Even the basic versions feel quite spirited to drive, but the 100hp model, with added turbocharger, is really, really sweet – thrumming away like a sewing machine playing bass guitar and giving the Fiesta some proper performance chops. it’s an exceptionally engaging car to drive too, never more so than when specced as a 190hp ST, which comprehensively answers the question of who makes the best current hot hatch. Hotter ST200 is a €32k runout special edition, but not actually that much more fun than the regular ST.

Price range: €15,990 to €32,190

Co2 emissions: 98 to 140g/km

Which one? Definitely the ST. Best fun car around.

PCP from €POA