Motoring journalist, Tony Yates, recently tested the Ford Fiesta B&O Play Zetec – 1.0T EcoBoost (100PS) 6 speed.

For this week’s road test I had the wonderful new Fiesta ‘B&O Play Zetec’, which to be honest needs no introduction, because it’s simply a wonderful machine. There are literally millions of little Fiesta’s running around out on the open roads, and for good reason. But, me being me, I wanted to see if this ‘new’ version still has some of that old-school charm running through its Ford chassis.

Power and Efficiency:

My test car was powered by a 1.0-litre EcoBoost turbocharged petrol engine with 170Nm of Torque - 100PS of Ford Power, a 0-62 time of around 10.5 seconds and a top speed of around 113 mph. As for fuel economy, out on the open road, I achieved around 55mpg which was pretty good when you think its just a tiny little 1.0-litre engine.

At first, I expected the little Fiesta to sound wheezy because of its 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, but to be honest - I was wrong. When you rev it hard it sounds almost ‘racy’, which means it’s actually a pleasure to listen to and not annoying at all. Of course, you may all be thinking that a small engine equals small power? Well not necessarily so. Then again, the Fiesta won’t break the sound barrier either, but what it will do is move you along at a spirited pace.

Also, out on the city streets, the Fiesta fits right in with the likes of the Fiat 500 and the Kia Picanto when it comes to parking into tight spaces.

On the Road:

As with all of Ford’s small eco-warriors – it changes direction like it’s on rails and it holds the road really well, but it does feel a little bouncy, but in a fun way, which is exactly how it should be. Plus, out on the open road, the Fiesta really is a joy to drive no matter what the road conditions are doing beneath you. The brakes also felt good and firm too. And, as for the suspension - it actually absorbed England’s bumpy roads really well, although as I said earlier - it was a little on the bouncy side, but again in a fun way, which is why it kept me smiling all the way to Hull and back.

Safety and Technology:

Some of the equipment you get on the ‘B&O Play’ model includes; front fog lights (including cornering lights), headlights halogen projector with black bezel and dedicated LED daytime running lights, automatic headlights, automatic wipers, quickclear heated windscreen, Ford MyKey, air conditioning (manual control) steering wheel 3-spoke leather-trimmed, trip/fuel computer, Bohai Bay Mint body colour (also available in chrome copper) B&O PLAY Premium audio system with 360° sound which includes 10 speakers and a subwoofer, Digital Sound Processor (DSP), Ford SYNC 3 Navigation with 8" Touchscreen, Bohai Bay Mint colour theme to key interior areas: meaning you get anodized interior door spears, air vent "Smiley" and instrument panel spear. And, contrast stitching on floor mats and Interior mirror cap cover. Let’s be honest, that’s loads of extras for your money and something that really looks the part without looking ‘flash’.

To Sum Up:

I am going to finish it here, but, I’m going to give the Fiesta five stars in this test, not only because I like how it looks on the outside, but also because I believe it’s worth taking a look at because after all –it’s a Ford Fiesta. What’s not to like about that!

Price from: £16,745