Ford Ka Road Test

Ford Ka

There are four trim levels available for the Ford Ka: Studio, Style, Style+ and Zetec with prices ranging from £7,945 to £10,145. Basic features include a stereo radio/CD with MP3, Aux and six speakers, body-coloured bumpers - which is a new element, Electric Power Steering (EPS), Intelligent Protection System (IPS) with front airbags, ABS with EBD and manual front windows.

Style adds body-coloured, powered and heated door mirrors, electric front windows remote locking, manual height adjustment for the driver's seat to go with the rake-adjustable steering column, storage under the front passenger seat, 50:50 folding rear seat-backs with head restraints. Style+ has air-conditioning and quick-clear windscreen over and above this.

The Ford Ka Zetec comes complete with 15-inch alloys, front fog lights, Pearl White steering wheel inserts, a premium trip computer and a stowage net in the roofliner.

All of the Ford Ka models are available with the 1.2-litre petrol engine and only at Zetec level does the 1.3 Duratorq engine become an option. I drove both and found the petrol engine to be the better of the two in terms of performance but the good news is that both units emit less than 120g/km, CO2.

The 1.2 Duratec engine produces 69PS at 5,500rpm and 102Nm at 3,000rpm. It has a top speed of 99mph and it takes 13.1 seconds to complete the 0-62mph dash and, around town, that is good enough. That is not to say that the Ford Ka is not capable on the motorways nor that it feels vulnerable, because it doesn't. It feels a solid and very driveable car with the added bonus of generous fuel consumption returns. For the urban cycle, 44.8mpg is the figure to aim for, while out of town it the target is 64.2mpg, which results in a combined cycle of 55.4mpg.

Like all things Ford, the Ka is easy to live with. It can be dynamic if you wish or equally happy to pootle along with the stop/start traffic of town. It is easy to park and there is a long list of optional extras and packages available to make life even easier. Will it be as popular as the original Ford Ka? I think so.

Ford Ka