Reasons Why I Love My Ford Fiesta Zetec TDCi

I have a few reasons why I am putting this post up. Firstly, I have some doubts about my future in university. I feel that I need some positivity to cheer me up, and so I am turning to something which I know I can rely on to cheer me up, something which won’t let me down: my car. Secondly, I can’t have been the only one who has noticed all of the posts about people listing reasons why they don’t like their car, and I felt like balancing that out somewhat with a positive post, with things I like about my car. And what if my car is a ten year-old Fiesta (and a diesel at that)? Well, maybe I can inspire some other people to be more positive about the cars they drive, whatever they may be. So, to commemorate the one year anniversary of me becoming a fully-licensed driver, here are some reasons why I love my little Fiesta.

1) It’s a cheap car

Now, your mileage may vary on this one, but being a cheap car, I can feel confident in throwing my Fiesta around a bit. Me and my Dad paid £2000 for this particular example in good condition. I’d say that’s decent for a first car. You don’t need to shell out ten grand for a first car, and if you wreck it, a cheap car won’t be such a big loss financially (maybe it would be sentimentally). I don’t have to worry about babying my Fiesta around, which is great because…

2) It teaches you to drive with momentum

My Fiesta is not fast by any definition. It has a 1.4 litre turbodiesel engine with 67 horsepower and 118lb-ft of torque. That’s not much. See, in a powerful car, you can make mistakes, and just power away from any consequences. My Fiesta isn’t like that, as sloppy driving is punished by a lack of speed. So instead, you drive smoothly and learn to carry as much speed as you can, because you have to work to build up momentum. Taking a slow car and chucking it about can be quite a lot of fun. I believe cars such as the Mazda MX-5 and the Subarota coupes have become popular for the same reasons: they make you work hard to get up to speed, but they are more rewarding when you nail a series of gentle s-bends as fast as you dare.

3) It’s actually rather fun to drive

My Fiesta is not a conventional driver’s car, but I’d still argue that you can have some fun with it. Complain about front-wheel-drive and understeer all you want, but with a kerbweight of just 1100 kilos, even with a cast-iron diesel block weighing down the nose, it is rather light. Add to that the fact that a decent front-wheel-drive won’t suddenly snap out on you, the fact that you have to work the gears yourself, and that Ford can make even their commuter models have a bit of sparkle, and a dreary thirty-mile commute on a twisting coastal road becomes a bit more bearable. A fizzy petrol model, such as the Fiesta Zetec S with its sports suspension and 1.6 litre engine is likely to be even more fun.

4) It’s refreshingly old-school

I’d say my Fiesta hits the sweet spot in that it has a bit of technology in it to make life more comfortable, but the driving experience is still old-school. You get hydraulic power-steering, a five-speed manual transmission, a lever handbrake and little in the way of distracting technology. The interior is plain and focused on simply providing an environment in which to operate the vehicle. Driver aids basically come down to anti-lock brakes and the driver’s brain. That’s it. There’s no technology to distract you from the act of driving, or to cover up for your mistakes.

5) It’s a practical daily-driver

This car was practically made for the daily grind, and while we see cars as more than just transportation pods, the reality is that many of use also use our cars to get around. And I’d say the Fiesta is good for this. It’s practical, with enough cabin space to be comfortable for this six-footer. Five doors mean easy access to the rear seats, where I often place my rucksack or any passengers to whom I grant the privilege of messing up my weight distribution. Visibility is good out of the windows, and the car is the ideal size for squeezing through gaps and placing in parking spaces. The diesel engine has some decent pull for a little motor, and provides enough low-down torque for almost effortless cruising, which is nice when you’ve had a long day and the last thing you need is to give the car constant attention. It gets good fuel economy too, and when you think about it, 60 miles per gallon equates to a quite a bit of savings for car parts down the line. Insurance is cheap for young drivers like me as well. We pay £1300 a year to insure me on this car, which is likely to go down as I gain more experience and no-claims. Ever wonder why so many like me drive compact cars like this? Because that’s all we can afford to drive.

6) There’s a Fiesta for everyone

For 2005, there were a lot of different trims, engines and bodystyles available in the Mk6 Fiesta range. Looking for a cheap commuter? Go for the Studio, Style or Zetec. Fancy some luxury and leather trim? Go Ghia. How about sportiness? The Zetec S and ST are highlights. What kind of engine do you prefer? Petrol 1.25 (75hp), 1.4 (85hp), 1.6 (100hp) and 2.0 (150hp) engines are ripe for the picking. Prefer diesel? The 1.4 (68hp) and 1.6 (90hp) TDCi engines are stoic performers. Would you like the style of the 3-door, or the practicality of the 5-door? I prefer my example, which is the mid-range Zetec model with a decent bit of kit, a 1.4 diesel engine and a 5-door bodyshell, but if you want a Fiesta of this vintage, you have plenty of choice available, which brings me to…

7) They’re everywhere

Some people like to be distinctive and have a car that stands out. If you have a Fiesta, that isn’t really going to happen. It’s no secret that the Ford Fiesta is one of Britain’s best-selling cars, with my 2005 example being one of 345,000 sold in Europe that year alone. The flipside of its near-ubiquity is that cars and parts are easy to come by. Any parts that go wrong can be easily and cheaply fixed or replaced. You’re never far from a dealer, forum or owner’s club too. And why not do something to make your Fiesta a little bit more unique? I haven’t seen any Mk6 Fiesta 5-doors with tinted back windows yet…

8) It makes an ideal stepping stone to other cars

Being my first car (OK, my second car. Long story…), my Fiesta has taught me a lot of things about driving. And although I intend to keep the plucky little car as long as possible, I will be well-equipped to handle whatever car I want to upgrade to. I could go for another compact, something with a bit more power. I could even go for another Fiesta, a Zetec S with some actual sportiness to it. Or I could upgrade to a bigger hatchback, perhaps a Golf or Focus.

And so that brings me to the end of why I love my little Fiesta. I hope you enjoyed, and feel free to share some reasons why you love your cars, whatever they may be.