Ford Fiesta Trend (2017 - ) Review

When Ford launched its Fiesta model back in the mid-70s few could have imagined the success story it would turn into. Year on year it is the UK’s best-selling car and customers can choose from a raft of models with sporty ST versions, luxurious Vignale models and even a beefed-up SUV-styled Active X Fiesta.

But now there is a new entry-level car too. It’s called the Fiesta Trend and replaces the outgoing Zetec model. It is available in three or five-door guise and boasts plenty of kit as standard.

Ford predicts the Trend will account for one in every four Fiesta models sold in the UK so it needs to perform very well indeed.

Ford has launched a new base-line model into its extensive Fiesta line-up. It’s called the Fiesta Trend and is available in three or five-door body style.

Powering the Fiesta Trend is just one engine - a 1.1-litre petrol unit mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. This TI-VCT engine delivers 85PS and 108Nm of torque resulting in a 0-62mph sprint time of 13.8 seconds and a top speed of 105mph.

They may not be the most dynamic performance stats and hardly set the world ablaze, but it is worth remembering this is the budget Fiesta and will be ideal as a first car for anyone who has recently passed their driving test.

Out on the road, the car possesses all the ability associated with the latest Fiesta model and is very easy to drive. It moves smoothly through the five-speed manual transmission and it was only on faster dual carriageways that I found myself looking for a sixth gear.

The road-holding is nice and grippy meaning bends can be approached with confidence and the car proved nimble in busier town centres too.

This is a vehicle that goes about its business in a confident manner. It’s not flashy, but nicely accomplished and that’s why Ford expects sales of the Fiesta Trend to be so high in volume.

The Ford Fiesta has always been a well-balanced car and the new Trend is no different. The 1.1-litre engine lacks the instant power and acceleration of the multi-award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost powertrain that has proved so popular with Ford customers in recent years, but it does a good enough job.

It cruises at motorway speeds although it may take a little while to get there, and there is no sign of any body sway when tackling long sweeping country lanes.

The Fiesta Trend sits on 16-inch alloy wheels which are the perfect size for the Fiesta. Go bigger and you lose some of the agility that the car excels at.

Comfort levels are good and the ride quality, for such a competitively priced model, also impresses with nicely tuned suspension helping to smooth out the road surfaces.

Another plus point is the steering - it’s perfectly weighted and delivers ample feedback through sharp bends. It’s also light enough to make twisting and turning a doddle in busier town centres.

Mention entry-level models and it conjures up all sorts of images of bargain basement cars without the slightest hint of class. The Fiesta Trend is the exact opposite and you actually get quite a lot of kit included as standard too.

Viewed from any angle, it’s instantly recognisable as the latest Fiesta and the Trend boasts the likes of halogen headlamps with LED daytime running lights, front fog lamps with cornering feature, body-coloured bumpers and door handles, a mesh design front grille with chrome surround, privacy glass, electrically operated and heated door mirrors with side indicators, plus 16-inch eight-spoke alloy wheels with a machined finish.

The interior is clutter-free but features lots of kit. The cloth seats are nicely trimmed and look well-made and there are plenty of soft-touch finishes and quality materials incorporated into the cabin.

When it comes to driver refinement, you can expect to hear quite a lot of engine noise, especially when pushed hard, but road surface and wind noise are kept to a minimum thanks to some highly effective insulation.

Take your seat behind the leather-trimmed steering wheel and it takes a matter of seconds to find the perfect driving position with ample manual seat and steering wheel adjustment.

The cabin has been ergonomically designed so all controls, read-outs and dials are easy to see and use. The all-round visibility is good and there is a wealth of technology to explore too.

The infotainment system is courtesy of the Ford SYNC set-up with an eight-inch touchscreen, a DAB radio, a six-speaker sound system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There is manual air conditioning and two USB sockets to stay connected on the move.

Our test car featured a Comfort Pack adding £350 to the cost. This introduced heated front seats and a heated leather-trimmed steering wheel.

With the prospect that this car may be used solely, or at times, by a relatively inexperienced driver, it comes with Ford’s very clever ‘My Key’ system. The software on this feature is linked to a second key and it means you can limit certain aspects of the car such as the top speed and even the maximum volume for the sound system. It can also prompt the driver to wear their seatbelt.

Obviously a three-door model will not be to everyone’s tastes, especially if regularly carrying passengers in the back. If that’s the case, then the five-door Fiesta Trend, priced from £16,495, might be the better choice.

Up front, there is ample space for the driver and passenger to stretch out, and there is room for a couple of youngsters to sit comfortably in the back. Push the front seats right back though and adults would not be too chuffed about being relegated to the back seats.

The boot has quite a high lip so loading anything heavy or awkwardly-shaped may prove tricky, although the wide boot entrance is a plus factor. Storage options are good with a boot capacity of 292 litres, which can be increased to 1,093 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat. In addition, there are lots of convenient storage compartments scattered throughout the car, such as a glove box, cup holders, trays and quite shallow door pockets.

The Trend is the cheapest Fiesta specification on sale right now, but it doesn’t feel like the cheap option. That’s thanks to the stylish design both inside and out and the decent level of kit included as standard.

Our test car was priced at £16,385, but a Comfort Pack costing £350, along with a spare wheel costing £150, meant the final price-tag was £16,885. It replaces the Fiesta Zetec that had a starting price of £15,465.

According to official WLTP figures, the three-door Fiesta Trend could deliver 48.7mpg with carbon emissions of 114g/km. These CO2 figures would result in a first-year Vehicle Excise Duty charge of £170 which would reduce to the standard rate of £145 after the first 12 months.

There are some great value deals for anyone keen on purchasing the car too. With a £4,197 deposit and a £1000 deposit allowance from the dealer, 9,000 per year annual mileage, monthly payments on Ford Options are from £170 over 3 years.

Another plus point worth noting is the Fiesta Trend’s low insurance group rating. It has been classed as group 5.

Sometimes the base trims in a model’s line-up prove the wisest investment when it comes to reliability as they have less to go wrong. The Fiesta Trend does feature lots of onboard technology, but systems such as the Ford SYNC system are tried and tested so should prove durable.

The previous generation Fiesta (the Mk 6) which was replaced in 2017, didn’t always score particularly well in owner satisfaction surveys, but the standards were raised dramatically with the arrival of the Mk 7 model.

The interior of the Ford Trend looks like it will survive the test of time with high-quality upholstery and a smart touchscreen. There are a few hard-plastic surfaces and these may be prone to scratching, but only time will tell.

The Fiesta Trend is supplied with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty.

The Ford Fiesta Trend has a maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and is loaded with safety features and driver assistance aids.

The car features Ford’s NCAP pack which includes Lane-Keeping Alert, Speed Limiter, rear seatbelt reminder, a rear centre headrest and automatic headlamps.

It also has anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, stability and traction control, emergency brake assist, Isofix child seat fixtures, a tyre pressure monitoring system and electronic stability control with hill start assist as standard, plus a full suite of airbags.

Another feature that may seem quite trivial, but is always very welcome in the winter, is the quick-clear heated windscreen.

A Thatcham alarm is fitted to keep intruders at bay.

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