MOTORNETNEWS  ROAD  TEST  -  JANUARY  2008

FORD  FIESTA  XR4

Ford's classy little Fiesta XR4 is a bit of a wolf in sheep's clothing. It looks much the same as the standard little hatch unless you option the wild, wide centre strip that adorned the test car. It comes with huge 17" alloy wheels, high rear spoiler and driving lights and it sits squat and low on its sports suspension. The firm suspension will not be everyone's 'cup of tea' but the XR4 serves its purpose as a hero car to draw the customers into the showroom.

OUTSIDE:

The XR4 looks the part with its body stripes, and the aforementioned wheels, lowered suspension and spoiler plus the mesh grille. The mirrors, bumpers and side mouldings are all body colour and the three-door hatch body has neat and modern styling. The big alloys wheels and low profile Pirelli tyres completely fill the flared guards..

The mesh grille is flanked by the projector style headlamps and the lower mesh air intake has the protruding driving/fog lights at each side. The tall taillight clusters run right up the C pillars and are visible from the sides for safety. The panoramic rear window has a washer/wiper system and has a roof spoiler above it.

The non-insulated bonnet doesn't have a gas strut but is relatively light to open. The engine layout is fairly untidy and access to the various items, such as washer fluid, dipstick and oil filler, is very good and all are are all well marked. 

General fit and finish is very good, paint work and panel fit are well up to European standards and both bumper bars offer good panel protection.

INSIDE:

The sporty exterior is carried over into the interior trim where snug, sports seats keep you firmly in place during enthusiastic driving. The test car was trimmed in black with red and black patterned seat inserts. Around the cabin there were silver highlights to relieve the blackness of the plastics.

Unfortunately the instrument panel hadn't been designed with Australia's bright sunlight in mind and reflections of the cover over the steering column  sometimes made it hard to read the dials. The 3-spoke wheel is height adjustable and trimmed with leather.

Four circular air vents dominate the top of the dashboard and a centre console houses the simple audio and air-conditioning controls. The stubby gear lever is right where your hand drops off the wheel and has a chromed metal knob that gets very hot when the car is left in the sun. There are remote audio system controls on a separate stalk on the steering column but no cruise control! I believe cruise control should now be standard on all cars now that the revenue cameras are literally everywhere.

Storage spaces include a cupholder, good sized glove box, an under dash shelf, door bins with bottle holders, a space in the console and a flip-out bin to the right of the steering column. Access to the rear seats is quite easy but the seats themselves are very flat and really suitable only for children or for adults on shorter trips. Head and leg room are quite generous all round.

LUGGAGE AREA:

Under the rear hatch door there is ample space for cargo and the area has a cover to keep items out of sight. There are no tiedown lugs which are quite necessary in a hatchback but the hatch door does have an interior recess for easier closing. The carpet looks very down market and ill fitting and there is only a temporary spare tyre supplied.

ON THE ROAD:

While the XR4 is no tyre burning sports car it is a very sporty drive. The ride is very firm, probably unnecessarily so as it can be quite tiring on a longer journey. The 2-litre, 11kW engine performs very well and, although the gear box rends to be a bit 'notchy' at times, the clutch is light and positive and there is plenty of steering feedback. The steering seems a bit heavy at slow speeds.

Road grip and handling are very good and provide a confident feel when driving. The handling is backed up by very good brakes, electronic traction control and Dynamic Stability Control as well. The absence of cruise control is a bit disappointing in this age of revenue raising cameras.

PRICE:                $24,990  - 5 speed manual only available - plus on-road costs..

STANDARD:     Dual front, head and side airbags; ABS brakes with Brake Assist System and Electronic Brake Distribution; air-conditioning; alloy wheels 17"; body kit; 6 stack CD player; central remote locking; Dynamic Stability Control; driving/fog lights; engine immobiliser; leather steering wheel; power mirrors, steering and front windows; radio; rear spoiler; front seat belt pre-tensioners; sports seats, sports suspension and Traction Control System.

OPTIONS:            Metallic paint $310.