Ford Ka - Bond's Runabout

Expert Rating:

What is it?

The new Ka is a little bit more than an average model cycle update; it's the replacement for a modern icon. The original lasted 12 years and found its way onto 1.5 million drives, 500,000 of them in the UK - so it's clear we love our Kas here in Britain. But as if following that act isn't difficult enough, Ford is making a big song and dance about the newcomer's appearance in the new Bond film, Quantum of Solace. What we have here, then, is not only the one of the most eagerly anticipated superminis ever, but a Bond car most of us can actually afford. No pressure then.

The all-new Ka sits on the same platform as the Fiat 500 and is built at the same Polish factory, though Ford has dramatically overhauled the Fiat underpinnings to try and recapture the 'go kart' handling synonymous with the original. There's a new rear anti-roll bar, the springs are softened and the electric steering is sharpened up. The unique tyres are designed to reduce road noise too - developed jointly with the new Fiesta's engineering team.

Two engines are available: a 1.2-litre 68bhp eight-valve petrol unit and, for the first time in a Ka, a diesel. The 1.3-litre derv model will return 67.3mpg on the combined cycle and only 112g/km of CO₂, yet Ford expects only five percent of new Kas to get refreshment from the black pump.

Is it any good?

That depends on what you're comparing it to. Let's get to the point here: alongside the rest of the supermini class, the Ka just about the best. Yet, compared to the positively ancient car it replaces (when the original Ka was launched you could still buy a new Ford Escort), it somehow feels a minor disappointment. It's good because it does the three things the Fiesta does so well: handles with assurance, softens knobbly roads and feels bigger than it is. At the same time, however, in coming across like a smaller Fiesta clone, it loses much of the personality that made the first Ka so great.

As with all modern Fords it's dynamically and ergonomically superb, with a good driving position, sharp steering, a snappy gearshift and a well built cabin. The plastics are a little hard, but the Ka feels so spacious inside that you're often left feeling you're in a bigger car, which almost makes you expect more. There are plenty of cubbyholes and a massive glove box, and there's even a decently sized boot and enough room for two small people in the back. As an overall package, it's brilliantly sorted.

The two engines do a good job, but neither of them is fast and the diesel can feel a little lacklustre and gruff if you push it. The revvy four-pot petrol unit is better suited to the character of the car, and is still well into the fifties for economy (55.4mpg) and under the magic 120g/km CO₂ mark - only just, mind - with 119g/km. What should settle the petrol argument for most, however, is the fact that the diesel is only available in top-spec Zetec guise, starting at over £10,000 - that's a lot for an urban runabout.

Should I call the bank manager?

It's a bit of a no brainer, really. If you're in the market for a city car, the new Ka can do everything a good one should - and quite a bit more. It not only steers well, with the point-and-squirt zip of a proper city car, but it's refined enough to be at home on the motorway. What the Ka loses in individuality (it looks like a Vauxhall Corsa and the new Fiesta melted together then reduced in size by 20 percent) it makes up for by being an extremely capable small car. So that'll be a yes.

Still, the fact that the second generation Ka is so generic is a real letdown. Ford has tried to inject some personality into the mix by offering three 'personalisation' packages: Tattoo, Grand Prix and digital Art. Have a look and make your own mind up, but we think the latter two work best, adding bold colours inside and out - though they could potentially make the Ka expensive.

Four trim levels are available, with Ford expecting the top level Zetec versions (starting at over £9,000) to account for over half of sales. Lower down the range, Style and Style+ are mid-level options, with kit including electric windows, remote central locking, heated mirrors, and air conditioning for the latter. Propping up the range is Studio trim, which starts at £7,995, and although it has twin front airbags and a CD player, it's really basic. It has wind up windows - remember those?

It's really going to be a balancing act of price against personality in the Ford showroom - get too basic a model and it'll feel slightly bland and under-equipped, but plump for a full fat version with a personalisation pack, and although you're getting a great Ka, you're well into Fiesta territory financially.

Summary

Quite rightly, the Ka's deep rooted competence will appeal to plenty of people, but there's no escaping the fact that we're a vain bunch these days, and many will accept the slight dynamic inferiority of a Fiat 500 to get its bucket load of personality. It's almost as though Ford sensed that fact once the car was completed and came up with the 'personalisation' packs to patch up the problem.

Those in the know will choose the Ka over rivals for its superior driving dynamics, and they won't be disappointed. It's almost a bonus that you'll be able to cram so much inside, and probably travel the length of the country and arrive at your destination feeling fresh. Like all modern Fords, it's very difficult not to recommend, but it still somehow seems less than the sum of its parts. You could say this latest Bond car is a cocktail with all the right ingredients, yet it somehow struggled to stir us.

Mark Nichol