Ford Fiesta 1.6 RS Turbo 3d (1995/M) Owner Review
-
Economy
Value
Slightly more expensive than rivals but performance is very good for the money.
Costs
Leave it in standard form and running costs are sensible.
-
On the road
Driving
Superb roadholding and very surefooted round corners. Let down by harsh ride on poor roads and heavy steering at low speed and when parking.
Performance
Great performance for the money - accelerates to 60 mph in under 8 seconds and does 130 mph flat out. Mid-range overtaking response is impressive from around 50 mph in third.
-
Living with it
Reliability
Leave it standard and you should have few problems. Start turning up the boost in search of more power, and reliability and running costs suffer. I know this from experience!
Image
Boy racer image, but who cares! Looks good on standard three-spoke alloys.
Comfort
Standard Recaro seats are the best you'll find in any car. Rear seat is not recommended for longer journeys as passengers get thrown around due to harsh, choppy ride.
-
Security and Service
Security
Standard security is poor. Cat 1 alarm/immobiliser is essemtial due to high theft risk.
Service
Ford dealers are reasonable in terms of overall service but parts departments sometimes have difficulty getting the parts numbers right for this fairly rare model.
-
Problems and Ownership
Problems
Engine
Blown engine due to excessive boost. £2,000 to fix it... Best to keep it standard.
Other
Car is heavy on anti-roll bar bushes, but these are only a few quid to fix.
Ownership
Did you buy the car new?
Used
Would you buy the same model again?
Yes
Did you buy from the same manufacturer again?
Yes