Why would anyone buy it?? Ive got one as a courtesy car while the garage fixes my Cee'd. Uncomfortable, slow, rolls like a boat, stereo is poor, seats are narrow interior quality is shocking!!!! I want my Cee'd back!!

Yes, it's the best handling car in the class, and while not exactly "roomy", space is decent enough in the front.

Must be quite good as Ford sold 372,977 of them in Europe last year - placed 2nd behind the VW Golf.

Agree they may not be everyone's taste but obviously others do like them!

Mine is a basic model (with aircon) so maybe the higher models are better. I was excited when they told me I had one but now I dont want to drive it. It isnt fun or anything.

Would rather have the Fiesta than a c'eed. In fact I'd drive a KA rather than a c'eed.

I had one as a courtesy car last year and I didn't like it one bit. It felt pretty cheap even compared to the Skoda. It was noisy, the plastics felt quite low grade and I was more than happy to pass it back. Admittedly it was a base spec with a tiny engine, but even so, I preferred the Panda they gave me the time before.

Having said that, they do look good with the right paint job and wheels. I've never driven a Kia, so can't compare the two. Just wondered Tim31, have you had much experience of the Cee'd?

The ceed isnt that bad a car in my opinion,a friend has just got his 2nd one & its a nice car,we are starting to get them at work to replace the astra est's,not a bad drive,feels well built & good spec & a 7 year warrenty.

I came from a Superb and a Vectra and a Volvo. The Cee'd quality is as good as all of those..if not better in places. The ride is as good as a focus or golf IMO as I drove both prior to the Cee'd. The engine is not fantastic but it copes well..Kia is getting there and the new stuff is fab!!

I came from a Superb and a Vectra and a Volvo. The Cee'd quality is as good as all of those..if not better in places. The ride is as good as a focus or golf IMO as I drove both prior to the Cee'd. The engine is not fantastic but it copes well..Kia is getting there and the new stuff is fab!!

I wouldnt admit to owning a vectra! :-) hatefull cars (in my opinion)

My other half has a new 1.4 zetec (ooh err...) and it is a flippin great car. I prefer it to my rattly jerky Fabia vRS anyday. However the Skoda is a little quicker.

My friend had a 03 plate 1.6 zetec, it was one of first of the newer shape and it spent more time in garage and i had a couple of phone calls to go recover him when it broke down again. Engine died at 80k and he got rid not long after.

My sister bought a 1.4 zetec last year and had a problem with battery kept going flat, on the 6th visit and when i finally got involved and kick a fuss up at garage and ford customer services it finally got fixed. I took it for MOT and serviced a while back and loved how it drove, little go kart and seemed to be quiet rev happy compaired to my friends 1.6

I had a look at the Fiesta when it came out first and decided that as the view to the rear was worse than the Corsa (which takes some doing) it would be a bit dangerous to actually drive it. It's not the worst I've ever come accross (try seeing anything behind you in an Insignia) but it aint good.

Then again, I do have a bit of a thing about being able to see what I am doing.

Edited 4 April, 201214 yr by keystonedriving

The new fiesta i like, but with the fords (and other makes) ive alwsys avoided the base model and base entry engine as they tend not to have what i require in a car. I've had several fords over the years and I have to say I never had any trouble with them. Had Mk3 mondeo which was built like s sherman. Over 4 years use chucking stuff in whilst doing the house up, the only thing that failed was the battery which was due to its age. The focus I part ex over a year ago for the fabia I would still have today if it wasn't due to the fact I needed to get a dsg for health reasons. I'm currently on my 2nd skoda within a year as the dealer done a deal that was too good to from a 1.2 tsi dsg to a 2.0 tsi vrs dsg for a few extra quid a month. Would I go for another ford again? Yes I would. Yes I loved the fabia/octavia but once you take away the VAT offer it changes your decision on what cars to go for. At the moment I like the look of the next generation mondeo especially if they did it in a ST model. Also now seen the new Hyundai I40 saloon/coupe at our local dealership where we fill our vans up and I must say it certainly caught my eye. So in 3 years time the new octavia will be here and see what deals are out there. I think it's going to be a hard choice

As for the visibility out the rear, anything better when you drive a van all day

I'm ashamed to say I got dusted by a new Zetec S the other day, even through corners.

I like the looks and interior. Yet to drive one, but the OH loves them. Especially in that weird dark magenta colour!

It's a brilliant car.

The ST will be top of its class I feel.

I suppose I did drive a Billy Basic model with a horrible plasticky steering wheel and handbrake lever and a tiny engine. Part of the percieved quality of a car are the things you touch which make it feel more/less expensive such as leather clad steering wheel, handbrake and gear stick. If I swapped mine in the vRS for the cheapest parts Skoda has to offer, I'd think differently about the quality of my car. I agree with preston334 about avoiding the most basic of models, although I still have a soft spot for the Mk2 Panda as it didn't try to be anything other than a Panda. Cheap 'n' cheerful.

When the Octavia dies, I'd consider anything really as long as it floats my boat. I don't care about the badge on the front at all, I'm too poor to be choosy.

All I need is a massive boot, room for three kids and a bit of poke for when they aren't in the car with me. Oh, and decent economy, reasonable servicing costs, not too expensive insurance, good brakes, compliant handling with a sporty edge, good reliability, not too hideous looks, comfortable on long journeys and different enough from the crowd to have a tiny bit of individualism. Apart from that I'm happy with anything.

edit : And it has to be able to keep up with my mate's ITR - I use it as a benchmark for a car's performance, anything slower is out of the question. As I said, I'm easy to please....

My old dear has a 1.25 Zetec - she bought it new for £10k, which is cracking value for money (she'd always driven Polos previously - £10k would only buy you a poverty-spec Polo - the Fiesta has air con, heated windscreen, alloys). Apart from bits of the interior (which are low rent) I enjoy driving it - the handling is fantastic - although I'll admit when you come off a roundabout and are facing a hill nothing very much happens when you press the accelerator (once you're up to speed it pushes along nicely).

Poverty spec fiesta style 1.25 could be had for about £6.5k in 2006.

You go and find another car that well enough made for the use and costs that little.

If they were so bad, there wouldn't be so many old ones still kicking about.