Test drive: Ford Fiesta S1600 1.6 TiVCT Duratec 134PS Stage V

Launched in 2008 and at (or near) the top of the sales charts ever since – with 52,327 sold in the first half of this year, it’s top of the pile – Ford’s Fiesta could be the Justin Bieber of small cars. That’s young and appealing, not small and whiney! But, unlike the pintsize Canadian crooner, the Fiesta is popular with more mature buyers, and not just the young-guns.

So, the sharp-styled Fiesta appeals to downsizers, frugal families and posing pensioners, and with recent new launches including an entry-level car that’s now £500 cheaper than before – the £9,495 Fiesta Studio – and a new extra-efficient ECOnetic diesel model that sips to the tune of a quoted 76.3mpg, Ford are clearly working hard to keep their little nipper high in the hit parade.

Currently, the 1.25-litre petrol-powered Fiestas are the most popular, with 50 per cent of new cars leaving the showrooms trimmed in the mid to high Zetec and Titanium specs. And these are not “cheap” cars; Zetec starts at £12,195 and Titanium at £13,995. Sure, people are downsizing in these times of gold-plated petrol prices, but they also seem happy to splurge a little on the finer things in Fiesta-life. 

We’ve already driven the Fiesta Titanium 1.6-litre TDCi; a powerful 90PS (now 95PS with the revised engine) city-performer that drives as good as it looks, but with lots of new trim, economy and performance tweaks coming to the Fiesta range this September, we thought it only right and proper to sample a fresh - with the upgraded power at least - and the fastest addition to the Fiesta stable - the special edition S1600 1.6 TiVCT Duratec 134PS (132bhp), finished in Frozen White with white 17-inch alloys, and topped off with a full set of go-faster stripes. 



Test drive: Ford Fiesta S1600 134PS

First impressions:
The Fiesta S1600 comes in either this Frozen White or Performance Blue with corresponding opposite-colour body stripes. I wanted to drive the showy white car and my wish was granted. Perhaps it’s the exhibitionist in me?

Yes, I’m a fan of the bold statement this Fiesta makes; white body over big white wheels is just fine with me, but it was actually the “S1600” moniker that initially caught my eye. To me, S1600 speaks of small, light and responsive motors that love some Sunday afternoon twists and turns. 

Either these S1600 styling extras will float your boat or not, but I have to say that this Fiesta received the most compliments of any new car I’ve had on the drive recently. Perhaps it’s the exhibitionist in all of us?

For your £15,900, on the outside you get the obvious paint and graphics combination, a sharper and deeper bodykit and those 17-inch, 5-spoke alloys (only in white); on top of the Fiesta’s already poised and solid-looking lines. Are you feeling it so far?



Into the interior:
Based on the Fiesta Zetec S, which costs - with a current £250 saving - £14,145 and comes with a maximum petrol power output of 120PS, the £15,900 more powerful and better spec’d S1600 starts to add up. 

We’ve got heated full-leather front seats with extra sports supports on base and back, and lots of leather in the back too. There’s also leather on the steering wheel with blue highlight stitching to match the seats, and rubber-studded alloy pedals adding a touch of jazz to the footwell. The standard stereo sounds good enough, and goes loud enough; all the while connecting to whatever portable device deliver your tunes of choice.

The driving position in any Fiesta is excellent. I personally like to sit low – into the car’s chassis – and Fiesta’s basic ergonomics happily allow this. In this higher-spec car I quickly managed to adjust my seats close to the floor and back from the dash, accommodating length of legs, but there was still enough slide and tilt of the steering wheel to put me comfortably in control. I covered 500 miles in a single day in this S1600 so I can definitely vouch for long distance smooth sailing.

Fit and finish is good, and although there is a fair amount of plastic in view, it’s the modern stuff and nicely sculpted and integrated with the rest of the interior space. Obviously, seating position and comfort is the mainline to interior happiness and here the Fiesta excels, but you’ll be pleased to know that the rest of this well-spaced and airy interior fits the price-point bill.



The drive:
This is where I want the Fiesta S1600 to excel; she talks the talk, does she walk the walk?
My preconceptions of this car – inspired by its evocative name – had me dreaming of a quick-responding, naturally-aspirated throttle, a bit of extra slurp ‘n’ burble from up front and behind, and a more fun-focused chassis set-up. 

A dab of the gas pedal does indeed return a hungrier induction slurp from the airbox and that bit of extra burble from the twin-exit tailpipe. Neither sound is overly loud; probably about right to suit most buyers. But I could’ve handled a little more; exhibitionist and all that. 

Rolling out onto the road and the clutch and gearbox are smooth and easy with the 5-speed manual ‘box feeling especially light in throw and positive in each gear-gate. Flooring the gas I get the quick throttle response I want and with “only” five gears and a lusty 7000rpm redline you get good and long in-gear performance that makes the most of the 1.6-litre, 134PS petrol motor; the most powerful you can get for a Fiesta. 

Ford quote a to-60mph time of 8.2secs but I’d say this S1600 felt a little quicker and with a nice little up-step in performance kick as the tacho needle meets and passes 4000rpm. 

Faster than nippy but not as pokey as potent, probably best describes the S1600, and for carefree back lane fun I’d say it’s all about right. Part of the enjoyment in these small, light and “fizzy” motors is keeping everything on the boil, and if you’re boiling in the Fiesta you’ll be getting your quick-kicks. 

On a more sensible note, a mammoth 500 miles covered in one day confirmed that the S1600 can cruise quietly at 70mph or more, and with a smooth and calm motorway character that belies its smaller size.

So far the S1600 package had filled my expectations, but I have to say that I thought the “Sports Suspension” could’ve been firmer – I like it like that – and that there was more brake pedal travel than I would like. 

Don’t get me wrong; once firmly pressed the braking was strong and controlled and S1600’s front-end grip and turn-in are amongst the best in the business, but I was expecting something a little more focused; more hardcore. Maybe with a turbo. We'll see...

I mostly saw just under 40mpg on the dash readout during a week-long road test covering some 800 miles and mixing motorway with commuting and plenty of back-lane-blasting. Ford quote a combined economy of 47.9mpg and CO2 at 139g/km; potentially achievable perhaps mpg-wise, especially without all the twisty fun. 

But this is a fun car to drive with a spirited smile so it might not suit those on a serious economy mission, however there are plenty of other Fiesta eco-engines that will. 



Ten second sum up:
The Ford Fiesta S1600 with its white wheels, body stripes, upbeat soundtrack and fast-for-fun 134PS engine offers all the enjoyment its jazzy styling suggests. All the usual Fiesta high-selling-points of comfort, style and technology are also there which means an easy-going all-rounder for Monday to Friday and, with this sharper-sixteen, something cheeky for the weekend, too. 



Prices and availability:
The Ford Fiesta S1600 is priced at £15,900 and is available now. 

www.ford.co.uk/Cars/Fiesta/S1600







Words & pics: Daniel Anslow

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