Our colleagues at autoblog.it had a test drive in Bologna of the new Ford Ka, an essential model for the brand’s 2009 range and a key to surviving the current economic climate, keeping a city car on offer.

It appears that designing this new Ford Ka could have been a difficult task, with a starting point of the Fiat Panda which has created a leap in fantasy in terms of style. The front is where you most notice the design changes.

While the look is generally less chic than the Fiat 500, this city car has its own personality with some crazy colours available (though we recommend avoiding the more bizarre options) and a cutesy look that puts a small on your face.

The driving position has been well designed, and although it’s slightly high, it’s generally comfortable with everything in reach and a steering wheel that allows for excellent vision of the instrument panel and dashboard.

The centre panel of the car shows a strong relationship between the Ford Ka and the Fiat 500 and Panda. Along with all the controls in perfect reach, the transmission is also in a comfortable position, the style is modern and an optional extra is radio controls on the steering wheel.

While the hard plastic used in some finishes in the interior is a little unattractive, the overall impression is one of welcoming comfort and the style is generally fashionable. The Ford Ka also seems larger than the Fiat 500 both in the interior and the boot area, which is a definite plus for this small city car.

On the road the Ka is comfortable to drive, though with a little too much engine noise, especially from the 1.3 litre TDCi which lets you know it’s there - if you like your city car sporty, though, you may not find this disappointing.

The performance is not the favourite terrain for the Ka, but given its clientele, we are definitely above the requirements. The 1.2 lirtre has 70hp and weighs only 940 kg, giving some driving satisfaction.

The 1.3 TDCi at 75hp has more than adequate grunt at higher revs (along with the decibels to match) though both engines have some niggling ‘problems’ in performance at lower revs. However, we would define the acceleration as appropriate for this type of car - after all this is not a TopGear test of the latest Ferrari.

The steering, developed from Fiat Automobiles, has lost the light City program, and now offers a precise and full steering feel for this segment. This is a surprising and welcome aspect to the little car.

We found more discomfort with the transmission, having tested the manual five-speed model. The shift was indecisive and slow, and not up to our experience of the Ford Fiesta transmission. The clutch is light and easy to use.

The final note to make is on the price. 9,750 euros as a starting price is certainly inviting and may prove to be the most attractive aspect as anyone needing a new car in 2009 could be looking for more economical options.

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