Skip advert
Advertisement

Ford Fiesta

When it comes to city commuting, desperate times call for desperate measures. You can't take to the skies for trouble-free urban transport yet, but many of the UK's rivers are being called upon to provide stressless town travel.

Ford's conventional Durashift Automatic feels old-fashioned compared with competitors. Changes are smooth, yet the system lacks refinement. It's easy to drive, but many rivals offer better performance and value.

When it comes to city commuting, desperate times call for desperate measures. You can't take to the skies for trouble-free urban transport yet, but many of the UK's rivers are being called upon to provide stressless town travel. How-ever, the latest version of Ford's Fiesta could provide a less radical solution to your problems thanks to its new line-up of two-pedal transmissions.

While other manufacturers concentrate on one specialised gearbox, Ford is offering both clutchless manual and conventional autos with its Fiesta. The traditional self-shifter is likely to appeal to more conservative buyers, but will it make a splash, or sink without a trace?

Called the Durashift Automatic, the new four-speed transmission is only available with the Fiesta's 1.6-litre four-cylinder powerplant and has been improved over previous Ford units with reworked clutches, brakes and ratios.

Many customers will be pleased to see that there are no complicated buttons or levers to change gear. You simply have a traditional auto selector - pull it into Drive and away you go. And there's no denying that this Fiesta is one of the easiest cars to pilot on sale today. In town, the chance to rest your left leg without working away at a clutch pedal is welcome, and there is no delay in the Ford's throttle response - a problem that plagues many two-pedal supermini competitors.

However, the all-round performance of this Durashift Fiesta can't maintain the standard set by its eager first-gear pace. While the actual changes are relatively smooth, the Durashift system seems to hold the gears for too long, which results in intrusive engine noise even under gentle acceleration. It's not helped by the fact that the 99bhp 1.6-litre unit isn't the most refined in the Ford range, and mated to this auto it also struggles to deliver adequate pace.

The sprint from 0-62mph takes 11.7 seconds, which is more than a second slower than the equivalent five-speed manual. Auto buyers will also spend more on fuel as the Durashift returns only 37.7mpg - 5.1mpg less than the three-pedal transmission - while emissions rise from 156g/km to 179g/km.

At £12,245, the newcomer looks expensive, too, costing £500 more than the better kitted Ghia manual. It might be the latest addition to the Fiesta line-up, but the standard Durashift Automatic could already be out of its depth.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Have you considered?

Vauxhall Astra review
Vauxhall Astra UK - front
In-depth reviews
20 Feb 2024

Vauxhall Astra review

Vauxhall Astra GSe PHEV long-term test: a troublesome start to life on our fleet
Vauxhall Astra GSE PHEV long termer - first report header
Long-term tests
15 Feb 2024

Vauxhall Astra GSe PHEV long-term test: a troublesome start to life on our fleet

Peugeot 408 review
Peugeot 408 PHEV - front tracking
In-depth reviews
31 Jan 2024

Peugeot 408 review

Most Popular

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay
Road tax documentation
News

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay

Drivers with newer cars can expect to be paying roughly £10 more per year, a although the biggest gas guzzlers will fare the worst
26 Mar 2024
Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power
Dacia Sandero - front
News

Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power

Both the Sandero and Sandero Stepway ranges have been tweaked, gaining more safety features to meet the latest regulations
26 Mar 2024
Huge Audi new car blitz to bring us 9 models in 2 years
Upcoming Audi models - four-way image
News

Huge Audi new car blitz to bring us 9 models in 2 years

After a quiet few years, the German giant is gearing up for its biggest product onslaught to date
25 Mar 2024