The depth and breadth of the Fiesta range means there is a car suited to everyone, from the cost-conscious novice driver seeking an insurance-friendly, stylish runabout to the thrill-seeker buying a one-year-old Fiesta ST.

The Ford Fiesta is superb to drive: it rides comfortably and handles with real panache. It’s stylish inside and out, and thanks to major discounts when sold new and steady depreciation, dealers can employ the Fiesta on their forecourts to target car buyers on a modest budget – a five-year-old used example with average mileage can be offered for as little as £4,500.

Dealers also have plenty of options when it comes to sourcing stock. With strong retail demand, rental supply and fleet usage, the Fiesta has been the biggest-selling new car for the past six years and it currently accounts for about one in every 20 of the UK’s 0-5-year-old cars on the road.

Conscious that the Fiesta will appeal to younger drivers and in order to give parents a little more peace of mind, Ford has offered a programmable ignition key with the car since the end of 2012. This key can be pre-set to control certain parameters, including limiting the top speed of the vehicle, muting the audio until the seat belts are fastened and preventing the ESP system from being disabled.

Some rival superminis may be classier, and some better equipped, but none offer more all-round appeal and value than the Fiesta.

Category sponsor: Car Care Plan

Shortlisted
Audi A1
Audi A3
Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Previous winners
2014 Nissan Qashqai; 2013 Range Rover Evoque; 2012 Fiat 500