Ford Ka TDCi

Expert Rating:

Introduction

Ford's new city car baby keeps all of the previous model's chirpy looks, but does it retain the cheeky character? We find out in the first Ka to use a diesel engine.

What are its rivals?

The Ford Ka is based on the Fiat 500 and this Italian provides some very stiff competition, especially with its kitten-cute looks. Fiat has also worked wonders with the 500's retro chic cabin, giving it just the right amount of classic looks mixed with sufficient space. There's also a convertible version of the Fiat 500 and a cooking Abarth, so there's something for everyone. A more mainstream rival for the Ka also comes from Fiat in form of the Panda, which offers practicality and a good drive. Vauxhall's Agila and Suzuki's Splash are the same car behind the badges and provide decent driving manners with reasonable space and costs. The Hyundai i10 is another cracking car from the ever-improving Korean company and gives the Ka plenty to worry about. Finally, the Citroen C1, Kia Picanto and Renault Twingo all serve up low running costs and a dash of style, if not quite the same driving verve as the Ford.

How does it drive?

It may have a diesel engine, but the 1.3 TDCi version of the Ka is just as quick from 0-62mph as the petrol model, covering the sprint in 13.1 seconds. That's not very quick though and it means that the Ka driver has to give the engine a good prod to get the best from it, even in town. The five-speed manual gearbox doesn't have the same sweet shift as the previous generation Ka enjoyed either, but the new Ka does feel more substantial on the motorway. However, road, wind and engine noise all conspire to make longer and faster journeys a trial for its occupants' hearing.

This is a shame, as the Ka handles corners keenly and has steering that lets the driver make use of every inch of available road. Ford has tweaked the suspension of the Ka to make it more nimble than the Fiat 500 and it's worked a treat - to a point. That point comes when you want to ease up and enjoy the ride. Sadly, the Ka's ride has other ideas and jolts over any bulge or gouge in the road.

What's impressive?

Combined economy of 67.3mpg is good for the wallet of any Ka owner, while 112g/km of carbon dioxide emissions mean it attracts low-rate road tax. Couple this to the Ka's group 2 insurance ranking and Ford's low-cost servicing and you have a city car that should not empty the piggy bank to keep it rolling for many years to come.

What's not?

The list price of the Ka 1.3 TDCi Zetec is pretty steep compared to several rivals. Bear in mind that most of the competition at the same price offer better levels of luxury and safety equipment and the Ka begins to look plain old pricey. We'd also like to see side airbags come off the options list and onto the standard kit roster.

Should I buy one?

We have no hesitation in recommending you buy a Ford Ka for its decent levels of space and the way it loves zipping down city and country roads, but just make sure it has the petrol engine. This may be the first time Ford has offered a diesel engine in the Ka, but it doesn't make it a better choice. The turbodiesel unit is too loud and crude at all speeds, which would steer us towards the petrol model, which also feels zippier.

Alisdair Suttie