Ford Fiesta 2017 review: The all-new Ford Fiesta Zetec lands on UK shores delivered with a little he

I’LL answer your most urgent question first.

That turquoise water is actually Dover.

Not the Med. Not the Maldives.

Not the magic of Photoshop.

But Dover, Kent, England. Simply lovely.

As for the car dangling from the crane? That’s also real.

That’s the first all-new Fiesta to land on our shores — delivered with a little help from The Sun.

Expect to see one on every street corner very soon.

Now you should know all about the behemoth-selling Fiesta.

You’ve probably owned one.

Britain’s all-time favourite car, 4.5million sales in 40 years, top dog for eight years straight.

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Why? Because nothing rides as sweetly for the money.

Well, Ford has done it again.

This eighth-generation Fiesta raises the bar in every area — handling, tech, efficiency, quality, safety, value — and will keep Ford No1 for many moons yet.

Prices start at £12,715 — or from £116 a month on finance. Insurance is lower.

And soon there’ll be a family of four to choose from: standard Fiesta (in Style, Zetec, Titanium and ST-Line trims), posh £19,000 Vignale, hot ST and crossover-style Active with raised ride height.

You’ll see the first two in showrooms from July 21 and the ST and Active follow in March.

Now I’ll be straight with you.

If you assess the new Fiesta forensically, the Ibiza might have a gnat’s more legroom, the Fabia could fit an extra biscuit in the boot and the Polo, well, that has a VW badge.

But for sheer driving pleasure, nothing puts a smile on your face like a Fiesta.

The 140hp 1-litre EcoBoost with six-speed manual is a proper B-road bomber.

I drove one very, very sensibly down my favourite back roads and nothing, no one, not even Lewis Hamilton running late, would catch me through the corners.

KEY FACTS

FORD FIESTA ZETEC

• Price: £15,445
• Engine:1-litre petrol turbo (100hp)
• 0-62mph: 10.5 secs
• Top speed: 113mph
• Economy: 65mpg
• CO2: 97g/km
• Out: July 21

Think rat and drainpipe.

Torquey, mega front-end grip, cracking chassis, pulls in every gear.

Just hurry up with that 1.5-litre ST please, Ford. Now.

Of course, there are less fizzy petrol options and high mpg/low CO2 diesels for people who wear sensible shoes.

But I still say you’d be daft not to go for the 1-litre EcoBoost turbo in either 100hp/125hp/140hp outputs.

Other things. Looks. Yes, you are correct.

It’s very similar to the current car — except for those horizontal tail lights, which make it look wider, and there are fewer creases.

But you don’t screw up a winning formula.

The big news is inside, where Fiesta had been left behind by the Corsa.

That’s now sorted.

The interior guy is ex-Audi.

There’s an 8in HD touchscreen reducing the number of buttons by half. Apple CarPlay.

Optional Bang & Olufsen sound system.

Opening panoramic roof.

And, of course, the chance to add your own blob of customisation.

As for tech, there’s more surveillance cameras, radars and sensors than HMS Audacious.

And that means automatic emergency braking, hands-free parking, stop/go cruise control and traffic sign recognition.

The new Fiesta can even detect people in the road at night from 130 metres — and slow.

I’ll finish by sharing this.

The Fiesta has been my lifeboat down the years.

My first new car, my passion wagon, the rally car I chuck around a forest today.

My son drives a Fiesta. And the 2018 ST will be my next road car.

VERDICT: Off the hook.

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