We Took the All-new Fiesta Active for a Spin...
Added: 10 August 2018
We took the All-new Fiesta Active X for a spin and here’s what we thought…
The Fiesta Active X is a very attractive car. It has the sporty appearance of an SUV with its contrasting roof rails, sporty alloys and raised seated position but it is compact enough be agile and easy to park. The model that we drove was a Fiesta Active X in Frozen White and was a 1.0T EcoBoost 125PS (Petrol) with Start/Stop 6 Speed.
Rugged AND Luxurious!
On first impressions, we were surprised at how spacious the Active is, with five seats and plenty of legroom in the back. The seats are part-leather giving a luxurious feel and the eight-inch touch screen centre console adds to this. Being that this is the Active version of the All-new Fiesta, the seats are higher up giving you a slightly elevated position, which is great if you have young children or sometimes struggle getting in and out of cars. We really liked the fact that there are lots of hidden storage compartments (including a handy sunglasses holder in the roof!) and the spacious boot meant there was plenty of room for a lot of shopping and luggage.
We drove on a variety of different road surfaces (from motorways to gravel carparks) and it handled all of them with ease. The Active is incredibly smooth to drive and has great suspension, so you barely feel potholes and speedbumps on the road. There are three driving modes (Normal, Eco and Slippery) and each change the ESC (Electronic Stability Control) to adapt to the changes in road conditions.
Packed With Technology
The EcoMode function monitors vehicle speed, RPM, engine torque and engine temperature, as well as the position of the clutch, gear lever and accelerator and then feeds all this information back to the driver via displays on the dashboard. This gives you an ‘eco rating’ which can be improved the more economically you drive.
The Slippery mode can be used in icy or wet conditions and gives you more traction on the road.
There is also a lane-change feature which alerts you should you drift into the wrong lane and Hill-start Assist gives you a two second delay in between the time you remove the handbrake, to the time you drive off. This is a lifesaver when driving in the notoriously hilly city of Swansea!
Helpful Gadgets
If gadgets are your thing, then the Active won’t disappoint. Our favourite feature is SYNC 3 which lets you choose your music, make phone calls and read out texts without you having to take your hands off the wheel. What we really liked was that you can ask the SYNC system to point out restaurants, petrol stations and places of interest, without taking your hands off the wheel. This is great for when you are driving in an unfamiliar area and you are unable to pull-over safely. Reverse parking cameras are also high up on our list of favourite features and are a massive help when reverse parking.
Overall, the Fiesta Active really is a pleasure to drive and you get an awful lot of technology and gadgets for your money. It is well worth a test-drive and we can guarantee you will love it as much as we do! To find your nearest Day’s Ford branch, click here.
Photos for illustration purposes only, model shown is a Fiesta Active X. Some features and spec mentioned may incur an additional charge. Please ask in-store for more information.
