Used Ford Fiesta review (2016-2023)

Driving position 

Slide into the driver’s seat of the Fiesta, and you’ll notice that Ford got the fundamentals completely right. 

Unlike older generations, where you felt perched on top of the car, this model allows you to drop the seat nicely into the chassis. The steering wheel adjusts generously for both rake (height) and reach (depth), making it incredibly easy for drivers of any height to find a comfortable, natural posture. 

The standard seats are highly supportive, keeping you firmly pinned when cornering, though you’ll want to look at the ST-Line or ST models if you want sports seats with deeper side bolstering.  

The main dials are clear and placed directly in your line of sight, and the pedals align perfectly with your legs – preventing the lower-back ache that some of its French or Italian rivals give on longer journeys. 

One annoying quirk: The rotary dial to adjust the seat backrest is crammed into a tiny, narrow gap between the seat base and the door pillar.  

It’s incredibly tight to get your hand down there, so it's highly recommended to adjust your seat before you close the car door. 

Tech and features 

Ford Fiesta trims 

– Style 

– Zetec 

– Trend 

– Titanium 

– Vignale 

– Active 

– ST-Line 

– ST 

When it comes to tech and features, the final generation of the Ford Fiesta is a fascinating car on the used market.  

Because it was produced for seven years, what you get inside depends heavily on whether you choose a mid-tier trim or step up to a post-2022 facelifted model.  

Ford thankfully threw out the clunky, button-heavy dashboard of the older models, replacing it with a clean, driver-centric cabin that feels genuinely modern – provided you skip the absolute entry-level base models. 

The centre of the Fiesta’s tech experience is its floating central touchscreen. On mid-spec models like the Zetec, Titanium and ST-Line, you get an excellent eight-inch display running Ford's SYNC 3 software.  

It’s bright, fast and features clear, easy-to-hit tiles alongside standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.  

The only real catch is that this generation never received wireless phone mirroring, meaning you still have to plug your phone into the USB port to get Google Maps or Spotify up on the screen. 

For buyers looking for a more premium experience, the 2022 facelift brought a massive digital upgrade to the cabin.  

Higher-spec late models swap out the traditional analogue speedometer and rev-counter needles for a gorgeous 12.3-inch digital driver's display. This screen is crisp, responsive, and completely changes its graphic theme based on your selected Drive Mode, morphing from a calm blue in 'Normal' to an aggressive checkered flag layout with red highlights in 'Sport'. 

There are also a handful of standout features that make the Fiesta incredibly easy to live with every day.  

The absolute star of the show is Ford’s signature Quickclear heated windscreen, which uses microscopic elements in the glass to melt ice and fog in under a minute on freezing winter mornings.  

Music lovers should actively hunt out models fitted with the optional 10-speaker, 575-watt Bang & Olufsen premium sound system, which features a subwoofer hidden under the boot floor and offers some of the punchiest audio in the supermini class.  

Furthermore, models built from late 2018 onwards feature an onboard modem that connects to the FordPass smartphone app, allowing you to remotely lock the doors, check fuel levels and locate your car on a map. 

Engines and power 

Ford Fiesta performance stats 

– Power: 75hp, 100hp or 125hp 

– 0-62mph: nine to 11.2 seconds 

– Top speed: 103mph 

– Driven wheels: Front-wheel drive (FWD) 

When it comes to engines, the Fiesta keeps things simple: pick a turbocharger, avoid the base models, and you will have a great time. 

The absolute best choice for most buyers is the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine. Don’t let the tiny size fool you; this little three-cylinder turbo is punchy, full of character and loves to rev.  

It comes in various power outputs – 100hp or 125hp. The 125hp version is the sweet spot, offering plenty of zip for overtaking on the motorway while easily sipping fuel.  

From 2020 onwards, Ford added mild-hybrid (mHEV) tech to these engines, which uses a tiny battery to assist acceleration and push real-world fuel economy past 50mpg. 

There are two engines you should probably avoid. The first is the entry-level, non-turbocharged 1.1-litre petrol engine. With just 70hp or 75hp, it is painfully slow and feels completely out of its depth outside of the city.  

The second is the 1.5-litre diesel engine. While it is incredibly efficient on long motorway journeys, it feels heavy and lacks the fun factor of the petrol models, which is why Ford eventually discontinued it. 

If you want a genuine sports car in a small package, look straight at the Fiesta ST. It gets a larger 1.5-litre turbocharged engine pumping out a massive 200hp. It rockets the car from 0-60 mph in just 6.5 seconds, sounds aggressive and is widely praised as one of the best-handling hot hatches ever made. 

As for gearboxes, most Fiestas feature a crisp, easy-to-use six-speed manual that makes the car incredibly fun to drive.  

Automatics are available, but they are rarer and tend to dull the car's agile, engaging personality. 

Handling and ride comfort 

The way the Ford Fiesta drives is its ultimate superpower. Unlike rivals that focus purely on being soft and easy to park, the Fiesta is engineered to be sharp and genuinely fun.  

The steering is quick and precise, meaning the car darts exactly where you point it with immense grip and almost zero lean in corners. It communicates beautifully through the steering wheel, making even a mundane trip to the supermarket feel engaging and confident. 

How comfortable it is, however, depends entirely on which version you buy. If you stick to the standard Zetec or Titanium models, you get a brilliant everyday balance. The ride is slightly firm to support that great handling, but it easily soaks up potholes and settles into a smooth, relaxed cruise once you get up to motorway speeds. 

If you opt for the incredibly popular ST-Line models, things get noticeably stiffer. These versions sit on a lowered sports suspension and larger alloy wheels.  

While this makes the car feel even sharper and more agile on a country lane, the trade-off is a jiggly ride over poorly maintained city streets. You will definitely feel more of the road's imperfections. 

At the extreme end is the high-performance Fiesta ST. Its track-tuned suspension is unashamedly firm to provide sports-car levels of grip.  

It’s an absolute blast on a twisty road, but you have to accept a heavy compromise: it bounces over speed bumps and can feel pretty harsh if your daily commute involves a lot of rough, broken tarmac. 

Boot space 

Ford Fiesta boot space:  

– Boot space: 311 litres 

– Incl. rear seats folded: 1,093 litres 

While the Fiesta dominates its class for driving dynamics, its boot space is more average than exceptional.  

With the rear seats upright, the five-door model offers up to 311 litres of capacity, while the rarer three-door version drops slightly to 292 litres.  

In the real world, this translates to enough room for a hefty weekly supermarket shop or a couple of airline carry-on suitcases.  

However, if pure luggage space is a top priority, the Fiesta noticeably trails rivals like the Volkswagen Polo (351 litres) and Škoda Fabia (380 litres), both of which offer significantly more cargo room.  

Rear seats 

Rear seat space is another area where the Fiesta prioritises compact, agile dimensions over outright passenger accommodation.  

If you are sitting up front, the car feels airy and spacious, but stepping into the back reveals where Ford made its compromises.  

While it grew slightly larger than its predecessor, the space on the rear bench remains average for the supermini class.  

Two adults under six feet tall will fit perfectly fine for shorter journeys, but taller passengers will quickly find their knees brushing against the front seatbacks and their heads getting intimately close to the roof lining. 

If you are a parent, the Fiesta presents a bit of a mixed bag for family life. It comes equipped with standard ISOFIX mounting points on the two outer rear seats, making it easy enough to click a child seat into place.  

However, because the legroom is tight, bulky rear-facing infant carriers will force the driver or front passenger to slide their seat notably far forward, which can compromise front-row comfort.  

If you frequently carry older teenagers or need to fit rear-facing child seats, rivals like the Volkswagen Polo, Honda Jazz, or Škoda Fabia offer noticeably more stretching room. 

Storage solutions 

Cabin storage in the final-generation Fiesta is a bit of a mixed bag, offering decent space up front but falling noticeably short for passengers in the back.  

Ford did a good job of providing dedicated spots for your daily essentials, though they didn't push the boundaries of clever packaging the way some of their compact rivals have. 

Up front, the storage layout is highly usable. The door bins are reasonably generous, sculpted to hold a decent-sized water bottle alongside smaller loose items.  

Nestled in the centre console are two cup holders that can comfortably accommodate standard coffee cups or drink cans.  

Right ahead of the gear lever sits a storage cubby specifically designed for smartphones; on mid-to-high trim models, this slot features dual USB ports, and on late-model top trims, it doubles as a wireless charging pad.  

There is also a small cubby under the central armrest, which is deep enough to hide away your keys, wallet, or sunglasses, alongside a standard, illuminated glovebox that handles the vehicle manual and a few extra knick-knacks. 

Rear passengers are treated to much smaller door pockets that will struggle with anything larger than a small flask.  

If you buy a lower-spec three-door version, these are replaced by shallow moulded trays next to the seats.  

You do get map pockets on the backs of the front seats on mid-tier trims and above, which are handy for tablets or magazines.  

Aside from those, there are no centre cup holders or pop-out armrests for rear passengers.  

It’s a strictly functional setup that works well for solo drivers or couples, but a full car of passengers might find themselves playing musical chairs with their loose belongings. 

Ford Fiesta dimensions  

– Height: 1,476mm 

– Width (incl. door mirrors): 1,735mm 

– Length: 4,040mm 

– Kerb weight: Up to 1,555kg 

Safety 

Safety was a major selling point for this generation of the Fiesta, which earned a maximum five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP when it was tested.  

Although testing standards have grown even stricter since then, the car remains a robust and secure choice on the used market. 

Driver assistance technology is impressively comprehensive for a small car, though availability depends on the age and spec of the model you are looking at.  

Every single version comes equipped with lane-keep assist that monitors road markings and gently nudges the steering wheel if you begin to drift out of your lane without indicating.  

From mid-tier trims upwards, you also get Traffic Sign Recognition, which reads speed limits and clearly displays them on the dashboard, alongside automatic emergency braking (AEB) that can detect pedestrians and cars ahead to help prevent low-speed city shunts. 

If you shop for a post-2022 facelifted model, Ford added even more advanced active safety features to the mix.  

These later versions introduced a ‘Wrong-Way Alert’ system, which uses a forward-facing camera and navigation data to flash warnings and sound chimes if you accidentally drive past no entry signs on a motorway slip road. 

Fuel economy 

Fuel economy is a major strength for this generation of the Fiesta, making it highly cost-effective to run.  

Because Ford focused heavily on small, efficient turbocharged engines, you can expect excellent fuel efficiency without needing to search for a rare, older diesel model.  

In everyday mixed driving, the majority of the petrol lineup will comfortably average 45mpg. 

The most popular choice, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, strikes a brilliant balance between zip and thriftiness.  

In the real world, owners typically see around 45 to 48mpg, which easily climbs past 50mpg on a steady motorway journey.  

For maximum petrol efficiency, look for the mHEV (mild hybrid) models built from 2020 onwards. This system harvests energy under braking to assist the engine during acceleration, keeping your average consistently above 50 mpg even in heavy city traffic. 

Reliability 

When it comes to reliability, this generation of the Ford Fiesta is a remarkably safe and dependable bet.  

Because it was the best-selling car in the UK for years, millions are on the road, meaning any potential quirk has been thoroughly figured out, parts are incredibly cheap, and any local mechanic will know how to look after it.  

It’s a car built for stress-free ownership, providing great peace of mind as a used purchase. 

Because Ford doesn’t make the Fiesta anymore, used examples won’t come with a manufacturer warranty, but adding a service like cinchCover to your purchase helps to fill the gap.