Farewell to the Fiesta?

I just saw that the Ford Fiesta may well get discontinued next year. My first half-decent car was a Fiesta (about 25 years ago now!), and we have a decade old one now as a runaround.

I know that many won’t miss the old “Dagenham dustbins” but I will - other than recent iterations with the problematic ecoboost engines, I think these are generally considered to be decent, affordable little motors. Certainly my experience over the years anyway, and definitely the end of the an era.

Anyone else have fond (or otherwise!) memories of the FF?

Phew! Thought it might have been the magazine ! :redface-new:

Good riddance, i used to own one and it rotted like no car i have ever owned.
My current French car is twice as old and has 90% less rust.

Good memories of times in friends Fiestas during my college years in the late 90's. Don't think I've been in one since.

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Originally Posted by blackal

Phew! Thought it might have been the magazine ! :redface-new:

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Hahaha - old school!!!

I drive a 2017 Fiesta. It's been solid for me so far but I'm always slightly nervous about the ecoboom engines reputation!

We currently have an old 03 plate one which we drive to and from work in, 1.2 petrol and although the pas pumps a bit rattly shes still going strong. The wife and i had one in our teens, 1.3 GHIA with the canvas roof which we had replaced. It was burning a bit of oil so i whipped the head off and replaced the valve stem oil seals in about an hour……oh now for simple technology. We took it down to Cornwall that year and the A30 was rammed, quite a few overheats going on but the old Fiesta kept going. My brother used to work for the local Ford dealer and i remember going in to his workshop one day and there were about 20 XR2s just delivered. Always had a soft spot for the fiesta….ford cant really stop the model surely?

I thought it still featured in the top 10 best-selling cars (at least in the UK) so surprised the read that Ford no longer consider it worth building. BBC reported that the reason is folk are increasingly moving to SUV style/sized vehicles.

As a second family car, I think a wee runabout hatchback is ideal.

Between me and the wife we've had at least 7 of them from the mid-nineties up to about 4 years ago. The only one that gave problems was a 1999 model but the problems started after six years ownership.
I think now people walk into a Ford showroom and for very little extra monthly outlay thay can be in an Ecosport or Puma instead.

Surprises me that Ford would consider dropping the Fiesta. Mrs W had an 09 plate 1.6petrol Titanium which we got for her 50th birthday, ran it for 9 years and only got rid because she needs a 4 door car and a bit more space, I was sad to see that car go. Never had any problems and it was nice to drive, not a hot hatch by todays standards but reminded me of the XR3i I owned in 1990.

The engine pre-dated the ecoboost, a 1.6 non-turbo putting out around 120hp. Reliable, lively and gave excellent fuel consumption too.

Could be it’s being retired to make way for a small, differently named, EV.

Ford do seem to be lagging behind most manufacturers in the EV marketplace.

It’s a shame I’ve had a few ( I run a 15 plate one now) fond memories of the ‘super sport ‘ and XR2

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Originally Posted by walkerwek1958

Surprises me that Ford would consider dropping the Fiesta. Mrs W had an 09 plate 1.6petrol Titanium which we got for her 50th birthday, ran it for 9 years and only got rid because she needs a 4 door car and a bit more space, I was sad to see that car go. Never had any problems and it was nice to drive, not a hot hatch by todays standards but reminded me of the XR3i I owned in 1990.

The engine pre-dated the ecoboost, a 1.6 non-turbo putting out around 120hp. Reliable, lively and gave excellent fuel consumption too.

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Yes that’s the model we have Paul, the 1.6 petrol. Has been a cracking little car for a good few years now

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Originally Posted by Peck

we have a decade old one now as a runaround.

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Have had a 2012 zetec in the family since it was a year old - cracking little car, full of character

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Originally Posted by lewie

It’s a shame I’ve had a few ( I run a 15 plate one now) fond memories of the ‘super sport ‘ and XR2

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Mk2 Ghia 1.3 was my first car, always wished it was either of the above, but insurance was a no-go. Had not realised Ghia spec made it higher to insure vs a base 1.3 either…the cost of replacing all that velour obviously!


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CVR 19Y was the number plate on mine that I had handed down from my sister in about 1987. The radio cassette was the most tech part of it. Happy times


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Originally Posted by Kingstepper

Could be it’s being retired to make way for a small, differently named, EV.

Ford do seem to be lagging behind most manufacturers in the EV marketplace.

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Was listening to BBC Radio 4 on this topic today. The challenge seems to be manufacturing a cost effective small car given the size and weight of batteries. It’s a market that is waiting for some one to enter.

My first brand new car in 1980. Great little car, even better when I had the 1300 Supersport Silver with black decals

Great memories.

Had an XR2 then in 1990 a brand new XR2i and then 18 months later bought a Fiesta RS Turbo which i loved.

I think all three of them are now worth more than i sold them for.

A really nice Supersport is beyond 18k nowadays.

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Originally Posted by Peck

Hahaha - old school!!!

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Who didn't find a collection of porn in the bushes in the 70's / 80's? It became quite the cliche.

I think it was on Who Dares Wins (the comedy series with Rory McGrath and Jimmy Mulville) that they mentioned the next Ford after the Fiesta and the Escort was to be called the Readers Wife Shaven Haven. Or I could be paraphrasing.

Sent through the ether by diddling with radio waves

I'm always astounded when I see a crappy Ford Puma for £23,000 being voted a hot deal on Hot UK Deals.

I'll be sad to see it go, if it does. I really loved the one I owned for a few years. Until it was stolen from the swimming pool car park...

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Originally Posted by gerrudd

Was listening to BBC Radio 4 on this topic today. The challenge seems to be manufacturing a cost effective small car given the size and weight of batteries. It’s a market that is waiting for some one to enter.

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Dacia have already entered it with the Spring Electric. They don’t know if they are going to bring it to the uk but it’s on sale in France and it’s about 11K.

Fond memories. Had a 2007 one for about 200k km. It had seen a lot.

I had one (strictly speaking it belonged to my parents) about 40 years ago, a Fiesta 950 in pale blue. It was very, very basically furnished and the body was made of very tinny metal. I enjoyed driving it though.

Had a red 1.0 Pop and purple 1.1 LX in my youf.

I could only dream of a Ghia.

Never had one. But it's just a word on a metal box so I'm indifferent to its cancellation really.

The only Fords I thought were good were the 4x4 Sierra 2.9V6 and 4x4 Cosworth variants. Loads of fun!

Well back in the day I had an XR2 mk1 & a week ago an ST3 8.5 arrived.

Reminds me of my Clio Trophy from 2006 but with oodles of kit.

My first two cars were MkII Fiestas - first a delightfully orangey-red 957cc and then later a puncher XR2.

Given both cars were pretty old/cheap as I was a student at the time, they were absolutely money pits. The local Ford dealership saw me so often they started giving me trade prices.

Still, did quite a few miles in both of them, and a mate got a good deal on the XR2 - especially since I'd sorted all the issues on it! Taught me quite a bit about cars and how to keep them going.

I've driven a couple of recent versions and they're not bad little cars. Thankfully I didn't have to care about long term reliability, given they were just hire cars.

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Originally Posted by g40steve

Well back in the day I had an XR2 mk1 & a week ago an ST3 8.5 arrived.

Reminds me of my Clio Trophy from 2006 but with oodles of kit.

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I was just thinking that a week ago would have been a great time to buy an ST.

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Originally Posted by hogthrob

I was just thinking that a week ago would have been a great time to buy an ST.

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I am a petrol head at heart & fancied a small hot hatch & the ST3 fits the bill.

It replaces a megane RS280 that was awesome on track & A roads but too big for my country lanes. The wife a daughter hated the cup packed suspension ride & it was very firm indeed.

I for one would be sad to see it dropped from their lineup. As an Ex Ford salesman they were the one model that kept us afloat and were always an easy sell. Having said that I’m more of a classic car man and the only one I ever personally owned was the original XR2 and its still one of my favourite cars albeit it would feel like driving a bag of nails in comparison to the newer ones but one thing it had in bucket loads was character which is so sadly lacking these days.

I thought it was still the UK's best selling car, but it's not been for a few years.

My eldest son has an ST which is pretty good.

I view this with a similar suspicion as Toyota and the Corolla, discontinued in favour of Auris, yet now the Corolla is back. The Fiesta is a class leader; recently understandably overtaken by the Corsa, but ultimately the Fiesta just needs to be launched as an EV and you will again have a class leader again as long as Toyota do not launch a Yaris EV; the main problem is that all manufacturers view small cars as loss leaders now, yet not everyone wants a £30k hatchback or EV, so maybe Dacia should become the best seller for offering a plethora of very good cars across segments for under £20k.

I too though it was the UKs best selling car. Things have moved on, it seems. It looks like the Fiesta market segment are buying Pumas these days (or other makes/models). Interesting that the Corsa and Polo still sell well.

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Originally Posted by hogthrob

I too though it was the UKs best selling car. Things have moved on, it seems. It looks like the Fiesta market segment are buying Pumas these days (or other makes/models). Interesting that the Corsa and Polo still sell well.

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Exactly this.Looks like from June 2023 it will be replaced with an electric Puma.