Written by CJ Hubbard Updated: 31 August 2022

Overview

As with the rest of the Ford Fiesta range, the Fiesta Active model has been facelifted as part of an update announced in 2021 and finally on sale in the UK in 2022. It’s this facelift that we’re covering in this Ford Fiesta Active review.

As before, the Active adds SUV styling cues to Ford’s popular five-door supermini – specifically black plastic cladding around the wheel arches and bottom edges of the car, jazzed up by a little silver in places to create a kind of pseudo skid-plate effect – as well as raised ride height to cope with rougher terrain. It’s still only front-wheel drive, however, so best not to get too ambitious.

Other features include a black decal around the rear number plate area – which is a Ford Active trademark but one that drew derision from several members of the Parkers team – and an attractive set of seats with blue Active detailing.

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Overall, it’s a smart-looking small car, and one that seems to have its own very definite identity separate to the rest of the Fiesta line-up. This is particularly the case post-facelift, where the enlarged and raised grille plus the introduction of slimmer LED headlights seem to really suit the Active’s demeanour; that grille gets unique vertical strakes for this model, while the lower front bumper gains larger and more upright air vents.

In terms of direct Ford Fiesta Active rivals, try the Dacia Sandero Stepway and Kia Picanto X-Line. Other alternatives are small SUVs. The Fiesta-based Ford Puma, for example, which is outstanding. Or consider the likes of the Skoda Kamiq, Peugeot 2008 and Toyota Yaris Cross.

What’s it like inside?

We’ve already mentioned the Active’s bespoke seats and upholstery, which help lift the Fiesta’s interior beyond the ordinary. This was starting to feel a little old, but range-wide upgrades for the facelift include a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which adds a dash of customisable modernity.

The appearance of this is influenced by your choice of driving mode, which in the Active also includes Trail and Slippery – in addition to the Normal, Sport and Eco settings available in every Fiesta. The extras are intended to make driving in tougher conditions a little easier (see our earlier comment about the Active still being only front-wheel drive).

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There’s also an 8.0-inch infotainment screen in the middle of the dashboard. Though this is limited to the older Ford Sync 3 software, it’s nevertheless easy and straightforward to use, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto included.

Elsewhere we’re less convinced the carbonfibre-look dashboard plastics are really necessary (they don’t even look very at home in the sporty Fiesta ST). And as one of Ford’s cheaper cars it’s perhaps no surprise to learn there are some slightly flimsy plastics in places.

Generally, however, the Fiesta feels well put together. And it’s great to see Ford persevering with touches such as the plastic flaps that wrap around the edges of the doors when you open them, to protect yours and other peoples’ paintwork from accidental car-park access prangs. They do cost extra, however.

Safety

The Fiesta Active comes with plenty of useful standard safety kit. For example, you get cruise control with intelligent speed assist, lane keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, driver fatigue detection, tyre pressure monitors and automatic high-beam for LED headlights. And being a Ford, it’s easy to access the controls for all these items, should you want to adjust them or turn them off.

Safety features available as optional extras include matrix LED headlights for maximum visibility in all conditions, adaptive cruise control and blindspot monitors with rear cross traffic alert and auto braking. The rear auto braking can be a disconcerting if you aren’t expecting it. Similarly, Ford’s front collision warning system can be a touch over-zealous with its warning alerts – but at least you know it’s paying attention.

Comfort

The Fiesta Active’s front seats not only look good, in upgraded Active X specification (as tested and pictured here) they’re also comfortable, providing good support on motorway trips and a reasonable amount of lateral grip so you don’t find yourself sliding all over the place in the corners.

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Things aren’t quite as generous in the back, with a more rudimentary seat base. But there’s lots of adjustability in the head rests and more legroom than you might be expecting. It’s still accommodation that better suits children and younger teenager than full-grown adults.

Wind and road noise aren’t too intrusive, though you’ll definitely notice them more in here than you would in a bigger car. By supermini standards it’s a perfectly pleasant place to cover longer journeys in, even so.

What’s it like to drive?

Ford sells the Fiesta Active with a choice of two engines. Both are 1.0-litre turbocharged EcoBoost three-cylinder petrols, but while the entry level musters a basic 100hp, the more powerful 125hp variant is also assisted by mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV) technology.

This not only saves fuel by acting as a particularly effective stop-start system, it also gives a modest torque boost to help the motor get going, helping make it smoother to drive. Taking things a stage further, with this engine you can also replace the standard six-speed manual gearbox with a seven-speed PowerShift automatic transmission.

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Adding all that does bump the Active’s price up quite a bit, but you get quite a relaxed and mature driving experience in return. The 125hp auto combination is easy going on the motorway but quick to respond if you need some extra get up and go, such as when passing slower traffic.

You are otherwise beholden to Ford’s engineering, team, though, as there are no paddleshifters on the steering wheel to give you manual control. This is mostly fine, but you do get the occasional pause while the gearbox makes its mind up – this despite the newly including ability to shift three gears at once – and can sometimes be swamped with an unwanted burst of power at low speeds.

For some reason, this seemed to happen mostly in reverse – which is something that keeps you focused when parking.

Otherwise, the Active exhibits a typically precise and well-measure set of responses, the kind of deep-seated driving engagement that Ford has become famous for. This Fiesta turns crispy and controls its body movement well, giving you the confidence to drive it quickly if you wish too. It’s good fun, too.

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However, if you’re expecting the raised suspension to give a much softer and more comfortable ride you may be disappointed. The Active’s ground clearance is a minimum of 21mm higher than the regular Fiesta, but we still found it quite stiff around town. This is what helps it feel so controlled in the corners, making it a compromise worth making for the most part.

Ownership costs and maintenance

Ford has a large dealer network, and its services and parts are competitively priced – so it shouldn’t be too much of a hassle keeping the Fiesta Active maintained. The three-year / 60,000-mile warranty seems a little stingy by some rival standards, however. Opt for that Picanto X-Line, for example, and you’ll get up to seven years of cover.

As for fuel economy, Ford claims there’s no difference between Active models and other Fiestas these days, and that all engine variants – including the auto – are capable of at least 50mpg according to the official WLTP results.

We believe a regular Fiesta will be slightly more efficient in real life (thanks to the minor aerodynamic advantages of being closer to the ground), but still found the 125hp automatic Active easily capable of 50mpg in mixed driving. Expect less if you mostly do short trips around town.

What models and trims are available?

We’ve explained the engine options in the driving section above (and you can check out all the Ford Fiesta Active specs on Parkers as well), but it’s worth mentioning that the Active comes in regular or Active X trim levels.

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Both are well equipped, but fancier features fitted to the more expensive Active X include electronic climate control (in place of manual air-conditioning), 18-inch alloy wheels (in place of 17-inch items, which should give you a more compliant ride), a rear-view camera, and LED rear lights.

You also get keyless entry as well as keyless go, a more adjustable passenger seat, upgraded seats with posher upholstery, and heating for both front seats and the steering wheel.

What else should I know?

Like many modern cars, the Ford Fiesta Active can be connected to a smartphone app – in this case FordPass, which relies on the FordPass Connect modem system. Together these allow you to remotely check things like fuel level, oil life and tyre pressures, while also giving you to lock and unlock the car with your phone.

If you’ve opted for the automatic transmission, you can even start it remotely. A function you can use to get the air-conditioning going before you set off but is a little sketchy on environmental grounds.

Click through to our review verdict on the Ford Fiesta Active and find out how we rate it against rivals as well as its best and worst attributes.