Overall rating:

Squint and you still won't notice the differences, as the changes to Ford's Fiesta are minimal at best. Most significant is the 1.6-litre TDCi ECOnetic engine, which is now even cleaner and more frugal than its predecessor and available on Zetec and Titanium models as well as the basic Edge version.

Key Facts

Pricing: £14,445 (ECOnetic Zetec)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel
Transmission: five-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Body style: three/five-door hatchback
Rivals: Vauxhall Corsa, Renault Clio, Volkswagen Polo
CO₂ emissions: 95g/km
Combined economy: 78.5mpg
Top speed: 111mpg
0-62mph: 12.9 seconds
Power: 94bhp
Torque: 146lb.ft

In the Metal:

It's still the same Ford Fiesta on the outside, save for a couple of new colour schemes. Mars Red and Fashionista (a sort of lucid brown colour) are now on the options list, but save for that, it's the same handsome little car on the outside.

Inside is, again, pretty much identical - it's well built, of good quality and a great place to sit. There's now a flash new stereo, a DAB radio, Bluetooth and other trinkets are available right across the range.

Driving it:

Granted, the ECOnetic isn't the most potent Fiesta around but it does the job if economy is your priority. Generate some momentum and it will happily tool along at a reasonable lick, but if you fancy something racier then the Metal special edition has a far punchier 132bhp 1.6-litre Duratec lump (it's a little more potent than the existing 118bhp Zetec S).

There haven't been any changes to the Fiesta's dynamics, which is no bad thing, as it remains arguably the best handling car in its class. Crisp, communicative steering complements a sorted chassis, so you know exactly where you are with it all the time. It's safe, comfortable and predictable, but also a hoot to drive and very easy to exploit.

What you get for your Money:

Pay attention here, because the ECOnetic engine is now available on Zetec and Titanium models rather than just the basic Edge, the idea being that you can have the most economical car without any compromise on luxuries. The cheapest ECOnetic version starts at £13,895, while the cheapest of the lot is the 1.25 Studio at £9,495. More affordable superminis are available but they're generally less enjoyable.

Worth Noting

We mentioned that the Fiesta is now cleaner than ever and it is - the ECOnetic now emits 95g/km as opposed to 98g/km. Hardly a huge amount and it won't save you any more money because the outgoing model is already tax and congestion charge-free. Worth noting, though, is that Ford will release an 87g/km version in a year's time, along with an 89g/km Focus. Good to see a manufacturer getting ahead of the game before the Government shifts the emissions goalposts again - even if you do pay more for ECOnetic models in the first place.

Summary

The best just got better. We'd be lying if we said this was a monumental change but the fact is that the Ford Fiesta is just as good as it ever was. Popular though it is, it's still one of the most desirable cars in the small hatchback market because of its looks, dynamics and good packaging. Ford's efforts to hammer emissions even further are to be commended, too.