Ford Ka review (2008-2016)

The second-generation Ford Ka felt dated from behind the wheel and couldn’t match more modern city car rivals such as the Skoda Citigo, SEAT Mii, Volkswagen up! and Hyundai i10 for refinement, low running costs or sharp handling.

To be fair, Ford gave the Ka’s suspension a thorough overhaul, so it had sharper handling and a more controlled ride than the Fiat 500 with which it was co-developed. It was also a fraction more refined.

But the Ka also had to give best to rivals for practicality. Not only was it hobbled by a smaller interior and boot, the Ford was only available in three-door guise.

The Ka may have lost the grown-up driving dynamics and fun-filled character of the original model, but it still looked smart. And the comprehensive line-up meant there was a version for every taste and budget.

The Ford Ka was a staple of Ford's small car line-up ever since the first generation arrived in 1996. That car featured radical looks and Ford's trademark engaging handling, and proved to be a runaway success for the firm, even though it started life with a variant of the ancient Kent engine, a unit that originally appeared in 1959!

The original Ka featured concept car looks - it was a development of a Ghia design study - and the car's 'New Edge' styling language was a staple of Ford's designs for many years. The Ka Mk1 remained on sale for 12 years, and in that time earned a reputation for delivering fantastic handling while being cheap to run, although poor build quality and rust were always an issue.

Still, Ford took advantage of the Ka's popularity with a host of special editions, especially towards the end of its run. In addition, the SportKa added some mild hot hatch fun to the mix with sporty looks and a revvy 1.6-litre engine, while the StreetKa was a two-seater convertible variant that shared its looks with the SportKa.

The Ka Mk2 was launched in 2008, but under its fashionable skin was an all-new platform, which was shared with the Fiat 500 and Panda. In fact, the Ka was even built at the same factory in Tychy, Poland.

There was a diesel option for a while, but it hardly made sense in a city car such as the Ka, so the only engine we would recommend is the 68bhp 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol, sourced from Fiat. This came with a five-speed manual gearbox, and like the Mk1 there was no automatic option.

The basic trim range remained largely unchanged throughout the Ka Mk2 production run. There was basic Studio, higher-spec Style, Grand Prix and Zetec trims (including Zetec Black and Zetec White specials) and the posh Titanium version.

All cars featured electronic stability control and stop-start as standard, while the original Ka Mk1's black plastic bumpers made way for body colour bumpers across the range. The best-selling Ka Zetec added big-car extras such as air-conditioning, electric windows, a heated windscreen and a leather steering wheel. Bluetooth, a USB port and a multifunction steering wheel could be added as no-cost options on all models except the entry-level Studio Connect.

As with many of the Ka Mk2's rivals, you could add a variety of personalisation options too. For instance, there were a number of bold bodywork decals, larger alloy wheels and even a kit to lower the suspension.

The Ka's rivals included the aforementioned Fiat 500 and Panda, as well as the usual city car suspects, including the VW up!, SEAT Mii and Skoda Citigo trio, the Citroen C1, Peugeot 107/108 and Toyota Aygo triplets, the Hyundai i10, Kia Picanto, Renault Twingo and higher spec versions of the Dacia Sandero.

The Ka Mk2 was replaced in late 2016 by the all-new Ford Ka+ which was based on the Fiesta and has a five-door body.

Engines, performance and drive

Ford seemed to overlook the incredibly positive impact of the sweet-handling Ka Mk1 when engineering the second generation. By choosing to share mechanical bits and platform architecture with the Fiat 500 range for the Mk2, its options were limited from the outset.

To be fair, Ford’s technical team gave the Fiat chassis a thorough overhaul, with a new anti-roll bar allowing softer damping, but the Ka still fell a little short of class standards. 

Happily, the tweaks to the suspension and steering at least helped make the Ka sharper to drive than its Italian cousin. The steering is precise, body movement is well checked and there’s decent grip. While many drivers will appreciate these qualities, those hoping for a bit more zest will feel the Ka Mk2 is nowhere near as much fun as a Ford Fiesta, or indeed as the trend-setting Ka Mk1.

So it's not especially thrilling to drive, but in its favour the Ford feels remarkably stable and relaxed, and is capable of tackling long journeys without breaking a sweat. Only the occasionally fidgety ride at lower speed on bumpy surfaces gives any real cause for concern, and on longer journeys the wind and tyre noise may become intrusive – newer rivals offer better refinement these days.

Engines

The Ford Ka was available with two engines: a 1.3 TDCi diesel and a 1.2 Duratec petrol, although both were just rebadged Fiat units. The 1.2 petrol is the one to go for, although the 68bhp unit can sound strained at motorway speeds. But it’s coupled with a five-speed manual gearbox that’s slick and easy to live with.

Otherwise, the engine is a smooth and reasonably spirited performer and feels happy to be worked hard. Even so, Ford claimed a leisurely time of 13.4 seconds for the 0-62mph sprint, meaning the Ka struggled to keep up with the standard-setting VW Group city car trio – the Skoda Citigo, SEAT Mii and Volkswagen up! – all of which use a smaller 1.0-litre engine. Ford claimed a 99mph top speed for the Ka petrol, too.

MPG, CO2 and Running Costs

The 1.2-litre petrol engine meant the Ford Ka Mk2 was fairly economical and cheap to tax. Although for a car in this class, it's disappointing that there wasn't a model emitting less than 100g/km of CO2. The engine claimed 115g/km emissions, which were high for a small car.

Road tax was cheap, but the Ka competed in a highly efficient sector of the market where most of its rivals offered much lower running costs.

Ford claimed 57.7mpg fuel economy, but again that trailed most competitors’ official figures. You can expect to return at least 45mpg at the pumps in the real world; either way, the actual cash savings the class leaders will offer here won’t be huge, but at this end of the market, they make a big difference. After all, lots of city car drivers – especially those who are new behind the wheel - will be operating on pocket money budgets.

Straightforward mechanicals and cheap parts costs worked in favour of the Ka, and you’ll never be far from a main dealer, either, as Ford has a massive UK franchised network

Insurance groups

Insurance shouldn’t prove too expensive, as all models in the Ford Ka range sat in Group 3 – as they’re powered by an identical engine, the ratings are exactly the same.

The trouble is, the Ka fell short of rivals here, too. Buyers looking for the lowest possible premiums are likely to consider the Skoda Citigo and Hyundai i10 – most models in these ranges are in insurance Group 1.

Depreciation

The Ford Ka wasn’t the cheapest city car to buy new, but high depreciation and the sheer number of cars sold means there are plenty of cheap second-hand examples available.

To get an accurate valuation on a specific model check out our free car valuation tool...

Interior, design and technology

The domed roofline gave the Ford Ka Mk2 a hint of its Fiat 500 sister car, but that’s about as far as the family resemblance went. 

In the main, the exterior is dominated by a sharp, modern look like a shrunken Ford Fiesta. It’s a different design approach to that of the intensely retro 500, and a sharp contrast to the original Ka with its distinctive curves, but it works well enough.

Studio and Edge versions of the Ka didn’t get alloy wheels as standard, but Ford fitted the latter with manual air-conditioning, electric front windows and remote central locking.

Whatever way you look at it, the Ford Ka was expensive for a city car, although Zetec models and above got front foglamps, heated wing mirrors and 50:50 split rear seats for that extra bit of practicality.

The interior was simple and stylish, with a higher-quality feel than you might expect to find in a city car. Unfortunately, newer rivals such as the Volkswagen up!, Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii won’t be losing any sleep, and it's a bit of a shame that the radio controls and some of the cheaper materials from the Fiat 500 made their way into the Ka’s cabin.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

While many of the latest city cars feature touchscreen options that replicate your smartphone on the dashboard, the Ford Ka remained pretty basic – there wasn’t even a built-in sat-nav option. New drivers especially are likely to be unimpressed that they can’t sync their mobile, read E-mails, check the weather forecast or use mapping.

For buyers who are less obsessed with connectivity, the basic Studio model may well be sufficient. It got a four-speaker radio/CD player with an MP3-compatible auxiliary jack. You need to upgrade to the Studio Connect model if you want Bluetooth, USB connectivity and steering wheel audio controls.

Titanium spec added the Advanced Music Pack, which included a subwoofer, amp and six speakers.

Practicality, comfort and boot space

Despite its tiny exterior dimensions, the Ford Ka delivered reasonable practicality. Inside, there are a pair of usefully shaped door bins, a decent-sized glovebox and a number of cup-holders. Zetec models and above got stretchy storage nets mounted in the rooflining and on the side of the centre console. 

The driving position could be better – you sit too high and there’s no reach adjustment on the steering wheel – but visibility is good.

Dimensions and size

It wasn't the most spacious city car, but the Ford Ka is pretty compact – although at this end of the market the differences tend to be fairly marginal.

At 3,620mm end-to-end, the Ka was 25mm longer than a Renault Twingo, 80mm longer than a Volkswagen up! and 165mm longer than a Toyota Aygo. It was 20mm shorter than a Hyundai i10, but the Ford was at least 20cm wider than all of them.

Leg room, head room & passenger space

Legroom and headroom are both pretty good up front for driver and passenger. However, the Ka was hampered by its three-door layout, which made getting into the cramped rear tricky. On the plus side, Edge models and above got an easy access driver’s seat that tilted further forward to create a larger opening.

Once inside, rear passengers will find space isn’t a match for the class leaders’. Headroom is OK, but leg and shoulder room are compromised. Again, the Ka had to give ground to more efficient rivals – buyers will find more practical accommodation in the rear of the Hyundai i10, as well as in the near-identical Skoda Citigo, SEAT Mii and Volkswagen up!.

There was no centre seatbelt on the rear bench, confirming the Ka as a strict four-seater, although standard Isofix child seat mountings were part of the package.

Boot space

The Ford Ka provided 224 litres of boot space, which was more than the Fiat 500, but trailed the Volkswagen up!, SEAT Mii and Skoda Citigo by 26 litres. From Zetec spec upwards, all versions of the Ford Ka got split-folding seats, so you could expand boot space to a useful 747 litres. It wasn't bad for such a small car, but it’s just a shame that there was such a high boot lip, which made loading bulkier items a bit of a pain. The luggage area couldn’t be configured with a flat floor, either, unlike a Citigo’s.

As the Ka wasn’t officially rated for towing by Ford, you can't fit a tow bar.

Reliability and Safety

The Ford Ka Mk2 didn't feature in the latest Auto Express Driver Power satisfaction survey, but the closely related Fiat 500 finished in 87th position. That was an impressive 27-place improvement on its ranking in 2014.

Ka owners haven’t reported any major reliability problems, and as it’s a relatively simple machine, any glitches should be fairly straightforward to rectify.

You’ll never be far from a Ford garage, although that may not necessarily be a good thing – the network ranked only 26th out of 31 in the Driver Power 2015 dealer survey.

The Ford Ka Mk2 only came with two airbags as standard, so it’s no surprise it achieved a disappointing four-star score in the Euro NCAP crash tests in 2008. As the test was carried out when the Ka was fresh in showrooms, it would do worse under the independent body’s current crash test regime, which has become more stringent over the years.

At least stability control and tyre pressure monitoring were standard across the Ka range, while curtain airbags could be added. However, there was no option to specify more advanced safety equipment such as autonomous emergency braking.

This is quite a contrast to the latest city cars – the Hyundai i10 earned five stars under the more rigorous Euro NCAP test regime, and side airbags are included on every model, while the same goes for the VW Group’s trio of city cars.

Warranty

All Fords come with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which is about average for this class, but way short of the manufacturer packages offered by the best. For example, Hyundai covers its i10 for five years and 100,000 miles.

Servicing

Ford main dealers are free to set their own servicing costs, as there’s no nationwide fixed price scheme. However, the prices are usually pretty competitive.

If you’re considering a used Ka, Ford is currently offering fixed prices for all models over four years old - £195 for a major service, and £125 for an intermediate check-up.