Ford Ka Titanium 1.2 3dr Car Review - February 2012

A 68bhp 1.2-litre engine is never going to set the world alight in terms of performance, but it is revvy and fun to drive when pushed, and is ideally suited to city driving. The 1242cc unit propels the Ka from 0-62mph in 13.4 seconds, and has a top speed of 99mph, both of which are competitive with other cars in its class.

Ford have tweaked the suspension and steering on the Fiat 500 derived chassis, and this has resulted in some improvements to the handling. The steering is responsive and it handles well when cornering without being too firm.

The centre console mounted gear lever allows quick, crisp movement through the 5-speed manual gearbox.

The original Ka had quirky styling that wasn't to everyone's taste. The new Ka is more mainstream in the looks department than its predecessor. The design has sharper lines than the original Ka but has a somewhat top heavy look to it, especially towards the rear of the car.

The Ka Titanium 1.2-litre model is one of the more expensive models in the Ka range, but comes with such standard features as alloy wheels, climate control, electric front windows and door mirrors, and CD player.

The Ka is reasonably comfortable to drive despite a slightly high seating position - and a steering wheel which is restricted in terms of adjustment - but the dashboard is a very user friendly, uncomplicated design similar to the Fiat 500.

The Ford Ka has a Euro NCAP occupant safety rating of 4 stars. This is one star lower than the Fiat 500. Disappointingly, the Ka Titanium doesn't have front side airbags as standard, these being a £250 optional extra. This is a standard feature on most cars, even in the Ka Titanium's city car class. In fact, even much cheaper city cars such as the £7,795 Kia Picanto 1 1.0-litre and the £9,195 Peugeot 107 1.0-litre Urban have front side airbags as standard.

The Ka Titanium has a built-to-a-cost feel to it that isn't reflected in the price, and its reputation for reliability is not the most impressive in its class. It projects a cheery enough feel inside, with front passengers amply accommodated, and rear passengers will find the space adequate on all but the longest journeys. Boot capacity is good for its class at 224 litres, much better than the 185 litre boot capacity of the Fiat 500.

At £10,795 the Ford Ka Titanium 1.2-litre is one of the more expensive in the Ka range, and this is reflected in the level of standard equipment over its stablemates.

Its running costs compare favourably with other cars in its class. A combined 57.7mpg is competitive with other city cars such as the Fiat 500 1.2-lite Pop and the Renault Twingo 1.2-litre Dynamique, although its purchase price is slightly higher than those two rivals. It falls into Road Tax Band C as a result of its 115g/km C02 emissions, and the Ka should be cheap to insure.

Ford's brand recognition and extensive dealer network help to make the Ka an attractive car in the used market, and as a result it should see decent residual values.