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Ford Fiestavan: Test Drive

Date: 01 May 2009   |   Author:

Category: Light van
Price (ex VAT): £9610
Key rival: Vauxhall Corsavan

Ford has moved swiftly to launch the van version of the Fiesta supermini following the car's successful introduction.

It's not unusual to have to wait up to 18 months between derivatives, but in this case Ford has left a mere four-month gap as it looks to capitalise on a car that's been well received.

Available with 1.2-litre petrol engine or 1.4 and 1.6 diesels, the Fiestavan will be offered in three trim levels: Base, Trend and Sportvan.

Although Ford is predicting the most operators will pick the basic model, Trend looks good value at £200 extra, for which you get auto lights and wipers, power folding heated body-coloured mirrors, driver's lumber support, front fogs and trip computer.

It's the Trend spec in most-popular 1.4 TDCi diesel that we've chosen to try here.

Priced at £9610 plus VAT, the 68PS 1.4 is £950 cheaper than the 90PS 1.6 diesel, and should be plenty swift enough given that these vehicles will spend their lives in a mainly urban environment. That's not to say it's sluggish. In fact, with a little work it can be hustled along relatively rapidly.

The top-notch steering, ride quality and handling all transfer across from the hatchback. The van is, though, a touch on the noisy side, with the diesel boom resonating out to the load bay and back again.

In the new age of LCV makers revealing CO2 and mpg data, the van will have the passenger Fiesta's official 110g/km and 67.3mpg statistics, figures that are replicated on the 1.6 diesel.

The 1.0cu/m load volume is in the same ball park as Vauxhall Corsa and Peugeot 207 LCV rivals, and the load length of 1296mm is 39mm longer than the Corsa but the same distance shy of the 207. On the flip side, a payload of 490-515kg compares with the Corsavan's 550kg and 207's 450kg.

The Fiestavan is probably the best-looking LCV on the market in standard form, and that's without the bodykit that makes the Sportvan trim a wannabe boy racer. It drives as well as it looks, too, and should be cost-effective to run, with Ford predicting a hefty £600 uplift on RVs over the previous model. All-in-all, very impressive.

Ford Fiestavan 1.4 TDCi Trend
Price (ex VAT)£9610
Model price range£9025-£11,305
Service interval12,500 miles
Insurancegroup 1E
Warranty3yrs/60,000mls
Load length1296mm
Load width (min/max)1000/1278mm
Load bay height806mm
Loading height540mm
Gross payload513kg
Engine size/power1398cc/68PS
On salenow
Score9/10
VerdictGreat-looking, great-driving,
and is close to rivals
for practicality


Verdict


Great-looking, great-driving, and is close to rivals for practicality
9/10

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