Ford Fiesta Zetec S

It seems right then that this should be the first car driven for York University’s premier motoring column. I’ll be driving cars that matter to students, whether you’re thinking of buying one now or after graduation.

For me, the previous Fiesta was always lacking something. It never had the ‘va-va-voom’ of the Renault Clio or the coolness factor reserved for the mighty Mini. It was always the adequately average super-mini. Don’t get me wrong, it would do the job extremely well and was considered to be the best handling car in its class, but there was always something missing.

The Fiesta is sleek, stylish and oozes road presence compared to its rivals

With the arrival of the all new Fiesta, I can no longer write such things. The model I drove was the Zetec S and featured a 1.6 litre engine with a 120bhp. Compared to the previous model the difference wasn’t just noticeable, but blatantly obvious.

Ford’s new model is especially important to one type of person, the student. If you’re like me then in a year’s time you’ll being saying bye-bye to university life and saying hello to a job (even if it is an unwelcome one). By this time, there will be second hand, low mileage Fiestas on the forecourt making this a serious choice when we finish our degrees.

Firstly, there's the styling. Building on Ford's ‘kinetic design’ seen in the current face-lifted Focus and Mondeo, the all new Fiesta has a fresh look and is so much more attractive than its predecessor. It appears sleek, stylish and oozes road presence compared to its rivals. I’m particularly fond of the gaping lower grill.

I can gladly say there are few interior plastics. The dash features a ‘soft touch material’ available in a range of colours based on your preference. The biggest change, however, is to the quality and design of the centre console, based apparently on the design of a mobile phone. It might not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s functional and simple, much like an iPod. One thing in particular that made me chuckle about the interior was the hardcore nature of the climate controls. The dials are big and chunky, and they revolve with heavy handed notches.

On the road the Fiesta’s new found spring of life continues. The driving position is both sporty and comfortable and is flexible enough to fit all shapes and sizes. The engine fizzles with life above 3,500rpm and can be frugal at the same time, boasting 47mpg for such a peppy little engine. The steering is especially brilliant in and around town and manoeuvrability is light and easy. However, when speeds increase the steering feels more stiff and gives the driver reasonable feedback from the road.

To sum up this car is difficult. For once I can truly say, you really have to look to find things wrong with the car. Its rivals should be scared - for them the super-mini game has just taken a turn for the worse. But for prospective student buyers, it's good news.

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