New Fiesta here at end of the month

The seventh generation Ford Fiesta is arriving in Ireland in two weeks' time at a starting price of €16,550, writes Trish Whelan from the international launch in Valladolid in Spain.

Larger and more roomy than the current car, and targeted at a more upmarket buyer profile, it offers a range of engines including 1.1 normal aspirated and 1.0 turbo 3-cylinder petrol engines, and a 1.5 turbo 3 with 200hp.

Two version of a 1.5 diesel are in the powertrain mix. Five- and 6-speed manuals, and a 6-speed automatic are transmission options.

Active cruise control, lane-keeping assist, road sign recognition, and active parking assist are among the technologies available. These include an enhanced Pedestrian Detection system that for the first time can help prevent collisions at night, and the first Ford Active Park Assist system that can deliver brake interventions to prevent low-speed bumps when parking hands-free.

Grades include Zetec and Titanium which will arrive in showrooms before the end of the month. The ST-Line and Vignale versions will arrive at the end of October, and there is a crossover variant called Fiesta Active due in 2018, as will be a new ST performance version.

"We now have a Fiesta option for every driver, with advanced technologies and features that small-car customers could only have dreamed of just a few years ago," says Ciaran McMahon, chairman and MD of Ford Ireland.

Ciaran McMahon, chairman and MD of Ford Ireland, with the new Fiesta in Valladolid.