Used Ford Ka Review

How much?

A second-generation Ka can be yours for only £4,000, but there aren’t many examples available for less than £5,000. Even the cheapest cars are likely to have covered under 30,000 miles – many have done barely half this – but they’ll be petrol-engined and in Style or Studio spec.

You’ll pay from £5,250 for a decent Zetec, with an equivalent Edge an extra £500. High-spec Titaniums start from £6,500; this is where diesel Kas come in, although these are outnumbered by petrol models by about 10 to one, so you might have to travel to buy the right example.

Running costs

Whichever engine is fitted, all Kas need to visit the workshop every 12 months or 12,500 miles. Diesels generally cost a little less than petrol cars to maintain, but there’s not much in it. A service on a 1.2 is between £130 and £280; it costs £120-£280 on the 1.3 TDCi.

While the diesel is chain-driven, the petrol engine has a cambelt that must be replaced every five years or 62,500 miles. The work costs £375. Brake fluid should be renewed every two years and coolant every 10 years, at £40 and £75 respectively.