The Ford Fiesta shows its metal

The Fiesta may not be the largest car in the supermini sector but on just about every other main criteria, it’s either up there or class-leading. It at last has cutting edge looks and a decent cabin, and with more competitive pricing plus the new Metal hot hatch package it offers a pragmatic mix between tried and tested elements that are cost effective and enhanced performance and style that gel extremely well.

Limited to just 1000 examples, the Fiesta Metal boasts 134PS at 6,700rpm and 160Nm of torque at 4,250rpm from its 1.6-litre, Duratec Ti-VCT petrol engine, and can reach 62mph in just 8.7 seconds.

Big enough for the whole family, comfortable enough for long journeys, sporty enough to entertain and stylish enough to satisfy the image conscious, these cars really are all-rounders. The 1.25-litre Fiestas don’t have quite such a comprehensive array of strengths but they do a lot of what the more expensive options do at a temptingly low cost.

Based on the popular three-door 120PS Ford Fiesta Zetec-S, the Fiesta Metal boasts: chrome twin exhaust pipes, silver-painted front grille surround, front aerofoil and front fog light bezels, Piano Black painted centre stack bezel, air vent rings and door pulls, Ebony Black leather sports seats with silver contrast stitching, unique floor mats with silver piping, stainless steel door scuff plates with Fiesta logo, 17” Black alloy wheels and sports tuning with lowered ride height.

Standard specification includes: Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Home Safe headlights, Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS), Intelligent Protection System (IPS), front, side and knee airbags and anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). It is available in Panther Black, Midnight Sky and Frozen White. Prices start from £15,695.

Big enough for the whole family, comfortable enough for long journeys, sporty enough to entertain and stylish enough to satisfy the image conscious, the Fiesta Metal is a great all-rounder.