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The Ford Fiesta VI was a fiesta in the truest sense of the word: a party where people had a good time, a party where some people had a bad time, and a party where Danny DeVito danced from evening till morning. Whether I exaggerated or not remains to be seen in today’s review.

In the car industry, the average lifespan of a car is 8 years. Just like Donatella Versace, every 4 years comes a facelift to keep the model relevant in the market. Except the Ford Fiesta VI lived for 11 years and got a facelift after 5 years. Why? Because it was so good. Yes, there were issues here and there, but this car was a huge success for Ford and a cause for joy for all the sales agents in the industry who got a new company car.

What made the Ford Fiesta VI so good?

First of all, the looks. It got rid of the diminutive and feminine look of the Ford Fiesta V and moved to the new “One Ford” policy: That car that is adapted for all continents. An idea that has proven to be as useful as peeing while walking, is demonstrated by the Ford Focus III literally peeing on itself while driving.

The years 2008-2012 were absolutely fantastic for hatchbacks and small cars. We got hit in the head by the crisis and all the big cars were swept away. The world went back to small cars, and the attention of car manufacturers turned to building brilliant small cars. Not necessarily Ford Fiesta VIs, but brilliant small cars.

The Ford Fiesta VI, even though it suffered from Ford’s vast intelligence, remained one of the most dynamic cars in its class and one of the most practical. In fact, the Ford Fiesta VI has always been compared to the VW Polo 6R and that’s it, the VW Polo remaining the benchmark in this small car sector. That doesn’t mean however that it was a perfect car, but nobody and nothing is perfect, except Sofia Vergara.

Ford Fiesta VI Engines

Petrol:

• 1.0 Fox of 80 horsepower – An engine that replaced the young 1.25 and is strictly a city engine. Very good for moving your bum in comfort from home to kindergarten then to work then to the hypermarket then back to kindergarten and home.


• 1.0 Fox EcoBoost of 100, 125, and 140 horsepower – We talked extensively about this controversial engine in the Ford Focus III article. Essentially, a faulty hose caused the engine to melt, which was replaced in 2011. It’s important to see if the coolant line was changed, although most bad engines have long since melted. Just like the dreams of a young poet working as a cashier in a hypermarket.


• 1.25 Zetec-S/ Zetec-SE of 60 and 82 horsepower – 1.25 ZeTec was launched on the Ford Fiesta IV in 1995 and retired in 2013. Lacking verve or willpower, this Betty White of engines is as simple and satisfying as potato soup: it gets the job done, and keeps you fed, but that’s about it. A yes, there have been serious spark plug issues, which need to be changed every 50,000km or 3 years, whichever condition is met first. Otherwise, you’re left without an engine.


• 1.4 Zetec-S/ Zetec-SE of 98 horsepower – this original Yamaha engine is the same 1.25 engine, slightly enlarged. Very old, but did its job honorably until 2013 when it was retired. An honest engine, without the issues of the 1.25 and without the issues of the 1.0 EcoBoost.


• 1.5 Duratec Ti-VCT of 112 horsepower  – the same 1.4 Duratec brought up to 1499 cc and Euro 5 emissions standard. Only Ford knows why it has enlarged the engine by another 100 cc.


• 1.6 Duratec of 120 horsepower – Always in Ford Fiesta history, these 3 Yamaha engines have been bundled together: 1.25, 1.4, and 1.6. A very reliable, powerful, and gutsy engine, but good luck finding a Ford Fiesta VI with this engine.


• 1.6 Duratec Ti-VCT EcoBoost of 182 or 200 horsepower – One of the best engines in recent automotive history, this turbocharged petrol has proven to be a knockout engine. Reserved for the “ST” edition, this engine is a top engine that combines power with reliability. However, if you need more than 200 horsepower in a Ford Fiesta VI, I can warmly recommend my psychiatrist’s phone number.

Diesel

• 1.4 TDCI DLD-414 / DV4 of 68 horsepower – Rightly so, it didn’t get 69 horsepower, because there’s nothing fun about it. It just has serious injector issues. Seriously, it’s more fun to watch Amy Schumer try to stay relevant in 2022 than to try to lie to yourself that this is a good engine.


• 1.6 TDCI DLD-416 / DV6 of 90 and 95 horsepower – Ahh, the same 1.6 TDCI that kicked Ford, Volvo, Mazda, Peugeot, Mini, and Citroen in the testicles. This engine is the opposite of Renault’s 1.5 dci: while the 1.5 dci is a great engine for many cars (from Dacia to Mercedes), the 1.6 TDCI is disastrous for many cars. If the 1.5 dci is the cigarette that cures cancer, the 1.6 TDCI is the water that causes cirrhosis.


• 1.6 TDCI Econetic DLD-416 / DV6 of 90 and 95 horsepower – Same 1.6 TDCI, with minor tweaks to cut down on fuel consumption. So you can easily save 30p on a full tank.

Ford Fiesta VI Reliability Issues

• Like Johnny Sins's equipment, this article is long. That’s because the Ford Fiesta VI has sold in huge numbers, and the issues have been extensively documented by fans.


• The interior parts creak because they were made in Valencia, the factory where this generation of Fiesta was built. And if we are talking about Valencia and therefore Spain, most likely it was built in between siestas.


• Automatic gearboxes are still as good as a pint of beer dropped on the floor. In fact, 2018 brought Ford a $10 million fine for the way they built the automatic transmissions and especially the way they handled the issue.


• As with any Ford of this era, expect numerous issues on the electrical side. Not necessarily serious, but many annoying ones.


• Brake discs on 1.25 engine cars are prone to pre-heart attack and sudden death before their time. As for the rest of the models, front suspension issues occur frequently.

Ford Fiesta VI Verdict

The Ford Fiesta VI was to Ford what the Golf V was to VW: a car that revolutionized the brand’s image. Yes, Focus III appeared in the same era, but the visual impact was made by the Fiesta. And it shows on the streets: whether we’re talking about a learner car, a car of a medical company, or a simple personal car with popcorn on the body, the Ford Fiesta VI is a presence that is hard to ignore. 

It’s no Henrik Sebok of the supermini sector, to say the least, but it’s certainly a damn fine car. Reliability issues notwithstanding, the Ford Fiesta VI remains one of the best supermini class cars in recent history.

What do I recommend? The Ford Fiesta VI is a city car and should be treated as such, so I can only recommend the 1.4 and 1.6 naturally aspirated petrol engines. I can also confidently recommend the beer in a 1-litre can. It’s small, compact, full of fun, and only good for slipping into your backpack when you’re off to work. You know, to make the day more interesting.