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Week at the wheel: Ford Ka TDCi. Image by Alisdair Suttie.

Week at the wheel: Ford Ka TDCi
Ford's new baby replaces the long-lived first generation Ka, but does a new diesel version suit the cheeky Fiat 500-based city car?

   



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| Week at the Wheel | Ford Ka Zetec 1.3 TDCi |

Inside & Out: star star star star star

Ford's second-generation Ka may share its oily bits with the Fiat 500, but Ford has made a great job of giving the Ka its own distinct looks that still have plenty of styling DNA from the original. The curve of the rear window and roofline, in particular, show a continuation in the style department. The new Ka also has more than a hint of the latest Fiesta about its physiognomy, which is no bad thing. This doesn't translate into Fiesta levels of space inside the Ka, which has rear seat space that is just able to cope with adults for short trips. Likewise, the boot is just about up to a decent supermarket splurge, while the fold down rear seats help with larger loads.

For the driver, it's a mixed bag. Seat support is good, but the chair itself seems unduly high-set, so the driver perches on the Ka rather than feeling in it and part of the car. The steering wheel adjusts for height, but not reach and we didn't manage to find the ideal driving position, even after a week of fiddling. At least the gear lever set into the upper part of the central dash frees up some much needed leg room for the front occupants. However, Ford needs to improve the quality of the plastics inside the Ka as it all seems placky-tacky to sight and touch.

Engine & Transmission: star star star star star

This is the first time the Ford Ka has been offered with a diesel engine. Now we know why the previous generation Ka survived so long without one... The Fiat-sourced 1.3-litre turbodiesel, which also sees service in the Vauxhall Corsa, is a rowdy little number and its uncouth noise and manners grated on us from the first moment we fired it up. It's coarse at any revs, which is a problem in this installation, as it needs to be wound up to get any decent performance out of it. Peak torque arrives at 1,500rpm, but it doesn't feel as punchy or broad shouldered as some rivals' powerplants.

There's little respite for the driver when it comes to the gearshift. The high positioning of the lever up on the centre of the dash makes it a mere wrist stretch to reach from the steering wheel, but the change isn't very fluid. This is a deep disappointment in light of the whip crack precision of the old Ka's gearshift.

Ride & Handling: star star star star star

We'd love to give the Ka a third star here because it handles well and makes any back road jaunt something to enjoy. Sadly, we cannot justify this as the ride comfort of the Ka also makes every such trip something to endure. Bumps are greeted with gritted teeth as the Ford tackles them with little subtlety. Tweaks to the Ka's suspension to make it handles more ably than the Fiat 500 have worked, but why hasn't Ford managed to improve the ride quality? This is doubly frustrating when we know Ford is one of the greats when it comes to ride and handling balance.

On the plus side, the Ka steers accurately and is easy to pilot around town. At higher speeds, wind and road noise join in with the engine in a bid to boost hearing aid sales though. Don't expect much in the way of performance either, as the diesel Ka feels merely adequate compared to its petrol sister, even if they do share an identical 0-62mph time of 13.1 seconds.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money: star star star star star

A small diesel engine in a city car has got to mean running costs you could fund from change found down the back of the sofa. This is true to a point with the Ka. The 67.3mpg combined economy is good, but we found our test car didn't want to return any more than 54mpg, even with the most feathery light of right feet caressing the throttle, and that's about the same as the much-better-to-drive petrol Ka's combined economy figure. Carbon dioxide emissions of 112g/km attract low-rate road tax, while insurance is about as affordable as it gets.

Not that there's much to pinch from inside a Ka. Even in Zetec trim - which is the sole choice for the diesel model - the Ka is only moderately well kitted out. Air conditioning and electric windows feature, along with a CD stereo and alloy wheels, but only two front airbags as standard falls way short of what we expect nowadays. Making buyers pay £150 for side airbags just seems rude, and we'd add that ESP at £300 only increases the Ka already hefty basic price tag. Yes, discounts are easily available, as is the scrappage scheme's £2,000, but Ford has set the price of the Ka just too high for our tastes.

Overall: star star star star star

It gives us no pleasure to slap a two-star rating on the Ford Ka 1.3 TDCi. We're keen drivers and the Ka's chirpy back road behaviour should make it the city car we'd forsake all others for. But it isn't: the ride and refinement are just too poor. The engine makes a racket and we know we can get more luxury and safety kit for our cash elsewhere. Try the petrol-engined Ka instead, as it's a much more attractive proposition.

Alisdair Suttie - 4 Aug 2009



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2009 Ford Ka specifications: (Zetec 1.3 TDCi)
Price: £11,195 on-the-road (€13,320 for equivalent in Ireland).
0-62mph: 13.1 seconds
Top speed: 100mph
Combined economy: 67.3mpg
Emissions: 112g/km
Kerb weight: 1055kg

2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.

2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.



2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.
 

2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.
 

2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.
 

2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.
 

2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.
 

2009 Ford Ka. Image by Alisdair Suttie.
 






 

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