Used Ford Fiesta buying guide (1995 to present): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Ford Fiesta should you buy?

A manual petrol Mk7 (2008 to 2017) or Mk8 (2017 to 2023) is the Fiesta to buy, because it sidesteps the dry clutch Powershift automatic fitted to 2012 to 2018 cars with the 1.0 EcoBoost or 1.6 petrol. Failing seals let fluid get onto its clutch pack, which then judders, hesitates and eventually loses drive, and it's shown up anywhere from 15,000 to 80,000 miles.

Need an automatic? Go for a Mk8, whose auto is a six-speed torque converter rather than the Powershift. That doesn't clear every Mk8, though. Pre-chain 1.0 EcoBoost engines in 2017 to 2020 cars have a wet cambelt that can degrade and starve the engine of oil between 50,000 and 80,000 miles, well before it's due at 100,000 miles or 6 years, so a low oil pressure warning rules a car out.

On a Mk7, the 1.25 and 1.0 EcoBoost petrols each need a specific check. The 1.25 has burnt out exhaust valves between 35,000 and 50,000 miles, and the 1.0 EcoBoost's nylon degas hose cracks on 2012 to 2017 cars and can lose coolant fast enough to warp the cylinder head. The 2008 to 2013 1.6 TDCI diesel has injector and timing belt failures on record, so it isn't the one to choose.

On a Mk6 (2002 to 2008), skip the 1.4 Durashift automated manual, whose control module and gear actuators fail, and the 1.4 and 1.6 TDCI diesels, with their fuel system and turbo failures. A manual petrol Mk6 or Mk4 / Mk5 (1995 to 2002) is the older Fiesta to look at, but any Zetec S petrol up to 2008 must run on 5W-30 oil or it'll stick valves and wear its cams.

Which Fiesta engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

Manual petrols are the Fiestas to pick, but the 1.25 in 2008 to 2018 cars has burnt out exhaust valves, cylinder 3 especially, between 35,000 and 50,000 miles, with faulty spark plugs or a lean mixture blamed. Plugs should be renewed by 37,500 miles or the third yearly service, whichever arrives first, and one owner's 2012 1.25 that was late for that service had a plug break up and wreck the engine. Its cambelt's due at 100,000 miles or 8 years.

The 1.0 EcoBoost's nylon degas hose goes brittle and snaps on 2012 to 2017 cars, and because the engine holds so little coolant it can empty fast and warp its head, between 40,000 and 70,000 miles. It runs a wet cambelt due at 100,000 miles or 6 years, and pre-chain engines in 2017 to 2020 cars have had that belt degrade and starve the engine of oil between 50,000 and 80,000 miles. The Mk8's 1.1 Ti-VCT also uses a wet belt, due at 100,000 miles or 10 years.

The gearbox to avoid is the Powershift dry clutch automatic on 2012 to 2018 1.0 EcoBoost and 1.6 petrol cars. The Mk6's 1.4 Durashift automated manual isn't a safe alternative: its control module and gear actuators fail after 4 to 5 years, and one owner paid £440 for new motors at 24,000 miles, then saw them fail again at 52,000. The Mk8's auto is a six-speed torque converter, not a Powershift, and the 2013 to 2018 ST's manual has lost clutches and dual mass flywheels from 3,000 miles.

Avoid the 1.4 and 1.6 TDCI diesels. In the Mk6 the 1.4 suffers leaking injector seals and fractured fuel pipes between 50,000 and 100,000 miles, and the 1.6 loses turbos when carbonised oil blocks the feed pipe, which means new oil pipes, a pump and a pick-up as well. On 2008 to 2013 cars the 1.6 TDCI's injectors fail between 60,000 and 100,000 miles and its timing belt has failed between 80,000 and 120,000 miles; that belt's due at 87,000 miles or 10 years.

What should you check when viewing a used Fiesta?

On a 2012 to 2018 Powershift automatic, pull away gently from a standstill, creep along at low speed and select reverse: judder, shudder, hesitant changes or reverse refusing to go in all point to a failing clutch pack. A transmission warning on the dash is another giveaway. Ask for receipts showing the gearbox fluid's been renewed every 3 years, along with any clutch pack or seal work that's been done.

Lift the bonnet on a 1.0 EcoBoost and find the degas pipe running between the turbo and the expansion tank. If it's got a black plastic union, it's the original part that should've been replaced, and while dealers swapped most at servicing, an independently serviced car can still have one. Check the coolant level, keep an eye on the temperature gauge, and near 100,000 miles or 6 years ask for the wet cambelt receipt.

On a manual 1.0 EcoBoost from 2013 to 2018, a stiff clutch pedal or a struggle to find first or reverse points to the slave cylinder, and owners of 2013 to 2016 Fiestas have had reverse jump out of gear. On an ST, feel for slip under hard acceleration and judder as the clutch bites. Ask for proof of the recall on 2013 to 2018 STs for cylinder heads that crack from localised overheating; the work adds a coolant level sensor with a warning.

With a 1.25, listen for a misfire or rough running and ask for the spark plug receipt. A diesel that's slow to start, drops into limp home mode, smells of fuel, growls from the turbo or blows blue or white smoke is showing the injector and turbo faults. On 2008 to 2013 cars, a heater fan that only works on speed 4 needs a new fan motor, since fitting just a resistor risks an electrical fire. Over bumps, a knock through the steering points to worn column joints.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

Is a used Ford Fiesta Mk4 / Mk5 (1995 to 2002) a good buy?

It's a buy only once you've checked the pedals, brakes and oil: the pins holding this generation's pedals can drop out, so you can't brake or use the clutch, and there have been further brake failures. Front discs don't last long, either. A clutch that seems to have died can just be a spring washer behind the pedal that's worked loose, which is a quick job to put right.

The Zetec S 1.25, 1.4 and 1.6 petrols must run on 5W-30 oil. The wrong grade makes valves stick, blocks oilways and wears the cams at any mileage, so listen for tappety noises, look for a smoky exhaust and ask how much oil it's using. There've also been several reports that the 1.25 got noticeably coarser in this version.

Steer clear of the old 1.3 Endura-E pushrod engine. Its cam followers wear between 60,000 and 100,000 miles, bringing a loud tappet rattle on a cold start, and its plugs can seize in the cylinder head or have been done up too tight, so getting them out means removing the head and drilling. A faulty speed sensor on that engine can also make it over-rev when you dip the clutch.

Round the body, pull back the weatherstrip above the drip rail at the A pillar, just inside the front door, and look for rust. Front suspension clonks point to worn bushes. 2002 cars had trouble with the pressure plate and release bearing in the clutch, and a 2002 recall replaced the airbag control unit where the warning light could fail to flag a fault with the crash sensors, so ask for proof that's been done.

What goes wrong on the Ford Fiesta Mk6 (2002 to 2008)?

On the Mk6, the 1.4 Durashift automated manual fails: its control module and gear actuators give out after 4 to 5 years, between 40,000 and 80,000 miles, and the car loses drive. Warning lights and jerky or clunking gear changes are the signs to look for. For an automatic, the 1.6 with the conventional 4-speed torque converter auto doesn't have that problem.

Both diesels carry serious faults. The 1.4 TDCI suffers leaking injector seals and fuel pipes that break between 50,000 and 100,000 miles, showing as a fuel smell, misfires, lost power and limp home mode. The 1.6 TDCI's turbo fails between 50,000 and 100,000 miles when carbonised oil blocks its feed pipe, so listen for a growl or whine and look for blue or white smoke; oil leaks and a plastic thermostat housing that warps have been reported on it too.

Mk6 petrols have their own faults. On 1.25 and 1.4 engines the electronic throttle can fail between 60,000 and 100,000 miles, turning on the engine light and dropping the car into limp home mode, with corroded connectors suspected. Zetec S engines need 5W-30 oil, water getting into the engine bay ruins spark plugs, HT leads and coil packs, and one owner's 2006 1.4 petrol had its main bearings fail at 80,000 miles. Avoid the 1.3 Endura-E pushrod fitted briefly in 2003.

Front coil springs have snapped by just 42 months old, so take a look at them. Check the front door drain holes are clear and the passenger footwell's dry, as poorly fitted pollen filter seals let water in. On 2005 1.25s, ask for proof of the recall for a clutch pedal push rod that can come loose and stop the clutch disengaging, and for the 2003 recall covering a rear axle weld, holding the brake mounting plate, that wasn't up to specification.

Should you buy a used Ford Fiesta Mk7 (2008 to 2017)?

Yes, as a manual petrol with the right paperwork, because the Powershift dry clutch automatic on 2012 to 2017 cars judders, hesitates and loses drive from as early as 15,000 miles. Shudder from a standstill, transmission warning messages and reverse that won't engage are the signs, and some owners have needed a second clutch pack. Owners have also reported the 4-speed torque converter auto failing, one at 54,000 miles on a 2012 car.

The 1.0 EcoBoost needs proof its degas hose has been replaced, because owners of 2013 and 2014 cars have reported coolant loss, failed head gaskets and replacement engines. Its wet cambelt has failed on some cars too, one at 108,000 miles on a 2013 car and another on a 2016 car. The 1.25 burns out exhaust valves, and one owner paid £1,200 when a single valve went at 42,000 miles on a 2012 car.

The 2008 to 2013 1.6 TDCI suffers injector failures between 60,000 and 100,000 miles and timing belt failures between 80,000 and 120,000 miles. One owner paid £1,000 for two injectors on a 2010 car at 60,000 miles, and another 2010 car's belt failed at 101,000 miles and damaged the engine. On the 2013 to 2018 ST, clutches and dual mass flywheels have failed early, and one owner was charged £499 for a clutch plus £350 for a flywheel at 7,400 miles.

Heater fan motors fail on 2008 to 2013 cars between 60,000 and 100,000 miles, leaving only speed 4 working. Rear subframe bushes were turning up as MoT advisories on 2011 cars at 50,000 to 60,000 miles, and several 2013 and 2014 owners reported flat batteries, with the DAB radio blamed. On 2009 to 2013 Fiesta Vans, recalls covered rear suspension bolts that could shear and an exhaust blanking plug that could let fumes in.

What are the weak spots on a used Ford Fiesta Mk8 (2017 to 2023)?

The pre-chain 1.0 EcoBoost is the Mk8 engine to watch: in 2017 to 2020 cars its wet cambelt can degrade and starve the engine of oil between 50,000 and 80,000 miles, with a low oil pressure warning or lost brake servo assistance before the engine fails. That's well short of the belt's due point of 100,000 miles or 6 years, so don't treat a car under that mileage as safe without checking for those warnings.

The Mk8's automatic is a six-speed torque converter rather than the Powershift, so it doesn't carry that gearbox's dry clutch fault. The 1.1 Ti-VCT has a wet belt due at 100,000 miles or 10 years, and the 1.5 TDCI's dry belt is due at 149,000 miles or 10 years. One owner's 2018 1.1 manual wouldn't change gear at 9 months old, and another 2018 1.1 kept losing power for a few seconds at a time with the spanner warning lit.

Flat batteries keep coming up: owners report 2017 cars going flat after standing for 4 days or 2 to 3 weeks, stop-start that rarely cuts in, and a 2021 1.0 mild hybrid whose 12V battery ran low on 100 miles a week. Keys that stop unlocking the car, a sat nav screen that goes blank and a reversing camera that only works now and then have been reported too, and one owner's new 2020 car showed a low oil pressure warning on the drive home.

On 2017 cars with a 4-way adjustable driver's seat, a service bulletin covered height adjuster linkage bolts that can work loose, so the seat rocks or won't adjust, and a detached bolt stops the seat doing its job in a crash; ask for proof it's been checked. A heater fan that only runs on its top setting points to the motor: one 2017 owner had two new resistors fitted before the dealer decided the motor itself needed replacing.

What does a used Ford Fiesta cost to run?

What do Fiesta owners like about them?

The Mk8's ride, refinement and handling stand out, and it's a pleasure to drive whether you're keen on driving or just want to get about. It's easy to thread through town, too. The Mk7 steers with a firm, responsive feel, and its ride is comfortable enough to live with every day.

Inside, the Mk8's cabin is comfortable and well made, and the boot's a reasonable size. The Fiesta Van shares the agile handling, sharp steering and supple ride, and from the driver's seat you'd never guess it's a van: the seats are comfortable and the driving position suits long stints at the wheel. Its load bay's roomy between the wheel arches, too.

• The original Fiesta model is compact, measuring 11 feet 8 inches long by 5 feet 2 inches wide, with a weight between 700kg and 800kg.
• This model offers low insurance groups, making it an inexpensive and straightforward vehicle to own.
• The 'Valencia' pushrod engines are durable if the cars are driven regularly, with readily available and affordable spare parts.
• Engine options included a 957cc unit with 40bhp, an 1,117cc with 53bhp, a 1,298cc with 65bhp, and a 1,598cc ohv XR2 from 1981 to 1983.
• This Fiesta model remains suitable for owners who prefer to carry out their own maintenance and repairs.