Ford Fiesta Active Review 2023
Written by Andrew Brady
Quick overview
Pros
- More rugged version of the Ford Fiesta
- Increased ride height means it’s slightly more comfortable
- Better to drive than a ‘proper’ small SUV like the Nissan Juke
Cons
- It doesn’t do a great deal more than the standard Ford Fiesta
- Lacks the high seating position of the Ford EcoSport
- It reminds us of the old Rover Streetwise
Overall verdict on the Ford Fiesta Active
"In this Ford Fiesta Active review we're looking at a possible alternative to a small SUV - particularly if you like the idea of an SUV but don't want to be seen to be buying one. It does everything the Fiesta does just as well, and even rides a little better, but it sits a little higher and has a slightly more rugged appearance. You can't really go off-roading in it, but SUV buyers don't really do that either, so enjoy the comfort and just give off the appearance of 4x4 ability."
The Ford Fiesta has been Britain’s best-selling car for most of the last decade and is something of a brand in its own right. Ford also sells the EcoSport, a dinky small SUV only bought by faithful Ford fans who wouldn't dream of buying anything without a Ford oval on the front.
The Ford Fiesta Active is essentially something in the middle - a car that crosses the Venn diagram of enthusiastic Fiesta buyers and the huge small SUV market. Enter the Fiesta Active, a beefed-up small car with an extra 18mm of ride height and some body cladding.
You can look at the pictures and decide for yourself whether you like the look of the Ford Fiesta Active. It sits marginally higher than a standard Fiesta, while the track's also been widened by 10mm to give it a slightly more imposing stance.
Cosmetically, there's some body cladding which Ford describes as a 'rugged body styling kit' as well as a front grille with a bespoke dark mesh design. The front fog lights also feature a slightly different design and there are silver scuff plates fitted to the front and rear.
This isn’t the first time Ford’s tried to enter the crossover market with a jacked-up Fiesta. Remember the Fusion? A car intended to appeal to young outdoors enthusiasts but actually sold (in small numbers) to a much older demographic? Fortunately, the Ford Fiesta Active has a better grounding than the Fusion did. Not only is the latest Fiesta one of the best hatchbacks you can buy, but there’s also a bigger crossover market than there was when the Fusion was launched in 2002.
If you don't have a problem with the concept of a taller Ford Fiesta, the Active is a perfectly good car. The increase in ride height results in a marginally improved ride quality and could prove useful should you ever feel the need to negotiate a slightly rutted farm track. Perhaps you have a canoe to launch or something.
Looking for a used car for sale? We've got 100s of Ford Approved Used Cars for Sale for you to choose from, including a wide range of Ford Fiesta Active cars for sale. If you're looking for the standard model, you need our Ford Fiesta review.
Is the Ford Fiesta Active right for you?
If a standard Ford Fiesta isn’t quite rugged enough for you but a small SUV is way too macho, then the Ford Fiesta Active will bridge the gap. The Active doesn't cost a great deal more than the regular car and it’s likely to impress your mates at the white water rafting centre.
What’s the best Ford Fiesta Active model/engine to choose?
We’d go for one of the 1.0 EcoBoost petrol engines, particularly the 125PS version that comes with mild hybrid tech. The regular Ford Fiesta Active specification will tick a lot of boxes for a lot of buyers, due to its high levels of standard equipment, which include 17-inch alloy wheels, rugged body kit styling and enhanced rough road suspension. LED headlights, heated windscreen, keyless start and cruise control are also included as standard.
What other cars are similar to the Ford Fiesta Active?
Honda has a beefed-up version of the Jazz called the Jazz Crosstar. Toyota also has the Yaris Cross, while Hyundai briefly experimented with the i20 Active. You could also compare the Fiesta Active to small crossovers like the Suzuki Vitara, Volkswagen T-Cross and Nissan Juke.
Comfort and design: Ford Fiesta Active interior
"The Ford Fiesta Active feels like a typical Fiesta inside: it is well made and logically laid out, with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a few trinkets to make the Active feel different inside."
Ford Fiesta Active models include sports seats with coloured stitching as well as various bits of trim finished in the same hue as the exterior. Ford says it’s designed for muddy boots and soggy passengers, but it’s not really that different to a standard Fiesta.
Quality and finish
The Ford Fiesta Active is quite a bit better than Fiestas of old, and there's some nice flashes of colour and texture to make it feel a little more upmarket. Don't think this is straying into Audi territory though, as some of the surfaces lower down are clearly a little more budget.
It does feel well put together however, and while the ruggedness of the Ford Fiesta Active might be visual it does feel like it will stand up to everyday use.
Infotainment: Touchscreen, USB, nav and stereo in the Ford Fiesta Active
New versions of the Ford Fiesta Active come with an 8-inch touchscreen as standard, which features DAB, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two USB inputs and six speakers.
Adding navigation is another £600, while upgrading to the fancy B&O audio system as well as nav costs £1,025, but unless you're desperate for top quality sounds the regular system is good enough.
The screen is easy to use and to scroll through the various functions for the driver. It’s big enough to read with a quick scan while keeping your attention on the road, too. Another advantage is the Ford Fiesta Active touchscreen does away with many of the small buttons for various functions found in the last Fiesta.
Space and practicality: Ford Fiesta Active boot space
The Ford Fiesta Active is 4068mm long and 1756mm wide, making it a little larger than the regular five-door Fiesta. But this is down to the exterior trim rather than a bigger body, so the room available inside is the same.
The Ford Fiesta Active being five-door only means a clear advantage when it comes to accessing the back seats, which will be a prime consideration for anyone with children. Once in the back there’s a trio of three-point belts and the two outer chairs have ISOFIX kiddy seat mounts. The window line is quite high in the rear of the Fiesta, so younger children may find themselves feeling a bit hemmed in, especially with the standard dark cloth upholstery of most trims.
There’s reasonable space for kids in the back of the Fiesta and it can, at a pinch, take three abreast. For adults, it’s strictly for two and they will find head and leg space at a premium if they are of average or above height.
Turning our attention to load carrying, the Ford Fiesta Active’s boot has up to 311 litres of space in normal use, which puts in the middle ground of this class. It’s deep and uninterrupted by intrusions from the wheel arches, but there is a high load sill to drag heavier bags over.
Extending the load space is simple as the 60/40 split rear seat tips forward when the release leavers are pulled. This frees up as much as 1093-litres of space, but it comes with the caveat that its load floor is not flat and has a marked step where the back seat base meets the floor. Nor does the rear bench fold completely horizontal, which hampers its ability to carry bigger boxes home from the DIY shop or cart rubbish to the dump.
Handling and ride quality: What is the Ford Fiesta Active like to drive?
"Although it would be wrong to say you can really feel the 18mm extra ride height, the Ford Fiesta Active does feel ever-so-slightly more SUV-like. You won’t be looking over hedges any time soon but, bearing in mind that Ford hatchbacks typically have a slightly raised seating position, you do feel like you’re sitting marginally higher than standard."
Ford’s tweaked the electric power steering to smooth out bumps and jolts when driving over rough surfaces. You can feel the difference - we bounced the Ford Fiesta Active off the kerbs at a Milton Keynes kart track (don’t ask) and were surprised by how little the steering jolted in our hands.
It still handles well, with plenty of steering feel and a fun character around town. The beauty of the Ford Fiesta Active over a 'proper' crossover is its compact dimensions - it's just as easy as a Fiesta to park and visibility is pretty good.
What engines and gearboxes are available in the Ford Fiesta Active?
If you're buying new the choice is limited to a 100PS or 125PS 1.0-litre petrol Ecoboost engine, the latter with mild-hybrid tech. Both come with a six-speed manual as standard, with the option of a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic on the 125PS.
We’ve tried the Ford Fiesta Active 125PS EcoBoost - the mainstay of the Fiesta range - and our impressions are just as positive as when we first tried it in the standard car. It's a keen engine and feels more punchy than the numbers would suggest, and the slick six-speed gearbox means driving it can actually be fun if the conditions permit. It's also frugal if you drive with a bit more care.
On older used Ford Fiesta Actives there's a wider engine choice including a 1.5-litre diesel, but in truth the EcoBoost is still the pick of the bunch.
Refinement and noise levels
Small cars tend to be noisier just because there's less sheet metal to play with but the Ford Fiesta Active is respectably quiet for a car with modest dimensions.
The EcoBoost engines play a big part here, being quite restrained even if you start to use the available performance. At a cruise it settles down to the point where you can barely hear it spinning over. There's little in the way of road noise too, potentially helped by the Active's taller suspension.
Where the Ford Fiesta Active falls down a little is wind noise, with distinct rustling coming from around the windscreen and door mirrors. It's a small irritation but it's more obvious because the rest of the experience is pleasingly quiet.
Safety equipment: How safe is the Ford Fiesta Active?
Euro NCAP awarded the regular Ford Fiesta the full five stars when it was tested in 2017, and there's not enough different about the Active to suggest it would get anything other than the same rating.
It's worth bearing in mind that the amount of safety kit offered has increased quite a bit since 2017 - as standard you now get Intelligent Speed Assist, Lane-Keeping Aid with Lane-Keeping Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition , Auto High Beam and Driver Alert even on the basic Active. You can add clever Matrix LED headlights, a Driver Assistance Pack that adds Adaptive Cruise Control and Autonomous Emergency Braking and a Parking Pack too.
MPG and fuel costs: What does a Ford Fiesta Active cost to run?
"The Ford Fiesta Active has an official fuel consumption of 50.4mpg for the 100PS EcoBoost, and while that will take some effort you should see well over 40mpg if you drive sensibly."
The Ford Fiesta Active 125PS EcoBoost has a better WLTP official fuel consumption of 55.4mpg, and as long as you don't expect miracles from your mild hybrid technology it will help you save fuel in urban traffic and you get the extra performance too.
How reliable is the Ford Fiesta Active?
The Ford Fiesta Active has been round now for a couple of years and long term reliability appears to be pretty good, though there have been some issues with Ford's EcoBoost engines and older PowerShift gearboxes, which is something to bear in mind.
Ford meanwhile came in 25th our of 34 manufacturers in the recent HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index, coming in behind the likes of MG and Suzuki.
Insurance groups and costs
The current range is relatively slim compared to when the Ford Fiesta Active was first introduced, so the basic Active with the 100PS engine is in group 13. Move up to the 125PS version and it's group 17, while choosing the Active X specification doesn't affect the insurance grouping.
VED car tax: What is the annual road tax on a Ford Fiesta Active?
There's not much to grumble about here, as even if you go for the highest specification Ford Fiesta Active 125PS EcoBoost with the fancy seven-speed automatic gearbox it's £230 in the first year and £165 in the subsequent years.
How much should you be paying for a Ford Fiesta Active?
The cheapest new Ford Fiesta Active comes in a £21,000, while the fanciest Active X with the 125PS EcoBoost and the automatic gearbox is closer to £26,000.
As for used examples, early cars are now down to around £10,000. We found several 2019 models with mileage between 30,0000 and 40,000 for £10,000 and change, which is good value. A higher-spec 2018 Ford Fiesta Active B&O version with the 125PS EcoBoost was up for £12,000, while at the top end we found a 2022 car with less than 1,000 miles on it for £26,000.
Trim levels and standard equipment
"There's just two trims available for Ford Fiesta Active models, and given how well equipped the regular version is it's hard to make a case for the more expensive Active X."
The Ford Fiesta Active comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlamps, heated windscreen, manual air conditioning, the 8-inch touchscreen, cloth seats, cruise control and the generous standard safety kit.
The Ford Fiesta Active X adds 18-inch alloy wheels, LED rear lights, automatic climate control, higher quality seat fabric, heated front seats and steering wheel and a rear view camera.
Ask the heycar experts: common questions
What's the difference between Fiesta and Fiesta Active?
Is the Ford Fiesta Active a 4x4?
Does the Ford Fiesta Active have heated seats?
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