Ford Fiesta Active

FIRSTDRIVE UK’s top-selling car gets SUV-style makeover

- James Brodie

THE Ford Fiesta needs absolutely no introduction, and with its latest model Ford is expanding the best-selling supermini’s appeal even further –hence the addition of the new Fiesta Active.

This SUV-inspired hatch back says a lot about where the new car market has been moving over the past few years, and it could well be a package holding mainstream appeal. Ford certainly thinks so. The firm predicts up to 15 per cent of Fiestas leaving UK showrooms could be jacked-up Active models.

It’s not just a single variant, either, because three separate sub-trim levels are available, plus there is a healthy spread of power train choices.

Visually, the rough-and-ready makeover comprises new bumpers, sills and whee larches shod with black protective cladding, standard roof rails, a fresh grille and a unique set of 17-inch alloy wheels. The basic Active– priced from £17,995 –is spun off neatly from the mid-range Fiesta Zetec, meaning a 6.5-inch SYNC 3 touchscreen with Apple Car Play and Android Auto is standard.