RE: Ford Fiesta Zetec S

[havoc]

Cars are going backwards!

The wife owned a classic-shape Zetec-S a few years back - 108bhp snorty, revvy 1.6i Zetec, under a tonne in weight, wheel-at-each-corner and proper steering. It was genuinely very good fun to drive. Official 0-60 was over 10s, but it was clearly quicker than that, and because it was so light / so low, it FELT quick.

So...either they're understating the 0-60, or this car is slower, heavier, UGLIER and I would expect subtantially less-involving than it's 'grandad'!!!


So...£10k for this or £3k for a VGC '51-plate or similar...hmmm...

[beasto]

OK enough, but a shame about those oversized and ugly rear lights.

[VladD]

minimoog said:

If car waistlines get any higher there'll be no room for side windows at all.

I think this one's had a waffer thin mint recently.

[Gizmo!]

That'll look wikkid on a set of 19s, or maybe 20s.

Ahem.

Seriously, I like it. Pointy. All it needs is a supercharger or maybe the Focus's 2.5T

[Hitch78]

I think it looks great - will look better in grey or black too.

The wheels is a whole new issue, not only do they look like castors but they're a bit of a crap design too.

Looks like it's going through a month by month 'paypacket' upgrade - whoever owns it is still saving up for the wheels!

[L100NYY]

rfn said:

So it's got 20 more bhp, yet it's no quicker than the old one? Hardly a "Hot Hatch" now is it Ford. Even the luke-warm offerings from other manufacturers are quicker than that!

That's why it's not being billed as a hot hatch. It's a warm one, reading the articles really does help ya know.

I really have no doubt this will be huge fun in the twisties and cheap(ish) to insure.

Wait for the ST if you want a hotter version.

[RobCrezz]

tom2019 said:

personally i like my one (06 plate)

It has the same 0 - 60 time which is confusing. The thing with ford is they strangle the engines so much , anyone know the reason.

Honda can get 140 bhp out of there 1.6 !

Honda can get a damn sight more than that!

The old Civic type R, no the last one, the one before that, had 185bhp from a 1.6! Doubt it was as economical though

[damci]

It doesn't look too pretty in the pics but I'm sure it will look better in the flesh. Would never buy one for myself but it’s another candidate to put on the shortlist for the missus.

[dpbird90]

L100NYY said:

Wait for the ST if you want a hotter version.

Sod the ST, what about the RS version we have been promised?

Still, the St will be pretty good I guess, but we demand an RS with 250BHP and 4WD

Edited by dpbird90 on Wednesday 16th July 15:38

[rfn]

L100NYY said:

rfn said:

So it's got 20 more bhp, yet it's no quicker than the old one? Hardly a "Hot Hatch" now is it Ford. Even the luke-warm offerings from other manufacturers are quicker than that!

That's why it's not being billed as a hot hatch. It's a warm one, reading the articles really does help ya know.

I really have no doubt this will be huge fun in the twisties and cheap(ish) to insure.

Wait for the ST if you want a hotter version.

I don't want one, and I'm not in their target market, but I do think Ford are missing the boat based on the engines that are being offered in other cars of similar size. - it's a big leap from this 100bhp 1.6 to the 2.0 in the ST - I think in an ideal market they should be looking at something like the 1.8 out of a Focus?

It will be cheap to insure for a "warm" hatch. I struggled to get a quote of less than £1k when I was 19 with 1 NCB on an 02 example. It will however, be fun to drive (based on the last one) and sell loads, cos it looks pretty funky .

[Polarbert]

Looks like parallel parking will be fun in that. Not a lot of 3/4 rear view from what I can see. Could be wrong though.

[chris_w666]

That colour is awful and doesn't suit the car, the 3 door looks a bit badly thought out compared to the 5 door and surely the point of a warm hatch is to give a sporty look without too high insurance premiums.

ST/RS versions will be quicker if they ever arrive but I would have thought in the current climate ford would concentrate on launching some quick diesel variants rather than their usual petrol 1st approach.

[niva441]

A bit of a non-PH thought here.

Why is the TDCi still only 90 bhp, when Peugoet, Citroen and the Focus all have a 110 bhp version of the same engine.

[chris_w666]

niva441 said:

A bit of a non-PH thought here.

Why is the TDCi still only 90 bhp, when Peugoet, Citroen and the Focus all have a 110 bhp version of the same engine.

Ford seem to restrict outputs for gearbox reasons. The one I drive would benefit from a few more standard horses and a 6 speed box. The lack of one seems to be down to space (meaning that they need to develop something and want to cut developmental costs).


ETA: Ford have a 110bhp version of the 1.6 tdci in the focus but it has a bigger intercooler and variable vane turbo.

Edited by chris_w666 on Wednesday 16th July 14:57

[peanutjb]

This may well end up being my next car... I'm not overly convinced so far! Hopefully the next fez ST won't be too much further away as it's getting harder to avoid a new Focus RS!

[mateyboy]

L100NYY said:

rfn said:

So it's got 20 more bhp, yet it's no quicker than the old one? Hardly a "Hot Hatch" now is it Ford. Even the luke-warm offerings from other manufacturers are quicker than that!

That's why it's not being billed as a hot hatch. It's a warm one, reading the articles really does help ya know.

I really have no doubt this will be huge fun in the twisties and cheap(ish) to insure.

Wait for the ST if you want a hotter version.

warm!! +1

[rockinatmidnight]

back end looks like one of those wierd city dodge things :S

Looks like a new focus and an astra got smooshed together at the front and the back end is just nasty, don't imagine it will be too much fun for parralel parking in the city

[coleo]

Doesn't look anywhere near as good as its predeccesors IMO:

[morgrp]

pbirkett said:

DamoLLb said:

0-60 9.9! Even if the chasis is going to be sweet, isn't that just a little too slow?

Isnt it still quicker than the old one? The Zetec S was never really billed as a "hot hatch" anyway. Still think its fugly though.

Every old shape Zetec-S owner I ever see is a 19 year old chav who simply has to race everything of the lights - Porsche 911? "no probs in my Zetec-S"

[Rob13]

Coleo, im sorry but I cant agree with you there. The Mk5 (or Mk4.5 whichever way you look at it) was a much better design than the early Mk4, and brought it closer to what it should have been revised to following the very popular Mk3 (of which I owned 3). The missus has a '00 Mk5 and while it is cheap motoring, I dont think its particularly attractive. Dated design but still not as bland as its later revisions. You dont see that many people under 60 driving the newer models because they dont excite. Ok the hotter versions do attract a younger audience but up against its competitors it looks stale.

This latest incarnation is following a trend of many other manufacturers in the high waistline/high rear combo. I like the angular styling and even like the spoiler. The question is whether it is better than its sister the Mazda2. It has the same chassis but what is the weight comparison and is it as well balanced as the 2?