By Tony Ng

All car designers should be showered with pomp and riches. Keep them happy with gold-glided bathrooms, nubile servants, the works.

Why, you ask. Why not? It makes sense if you think about it. These are the guys who design the cars you might possibly encounter everyday on the roads. And if you're going to see them everyday, shouldn't they look good at the very least? Granted I cannot promise that happy designers will churn out good-looking cars. But do you think unhappy designers will do the job? We're not talking about poetry here.

Therefore, I've come to the grand conclusion that Ford has kept their designers very happy. Because what I have in front of me is a very pretty Ford Fiesta. There's no denying it. It looks brilliant. Very youthful-looking and absolutely unFord-like - that's Harrison Ford, not the company.

The Fiesta has rather bold styling cues and a somewhat dramatic front with a rakish windscreen.

A very happening dashboard

In a good way, the styling lines let the hatchback stand out among the crowd. But those lines are not so bold that they become overtly masculine. Perhaps it was because Ford's test car came in a warm magenta shade (officially it's called Hot Magenta) but there was a certain elegance about the Fiesta. Certainly it would be fitting to find a beautiful lady in the driver's seat instead of the passenger's.

On another note, the three-door variant looks even better. Unfortunately, we won't be testing that.

The Fiesta possesses characteristics of a great city compact. It retains its predecessor's nifty size while shaving 40kg off its weight. Less weight also means better fuel economy and that is certainly the case with the Fiesta. Its claimed fuel economy stands at 6.5 litres/100km. For a continental, that's impressive.

The exterior exuberance is carried over into the refreshing dual-tone interior. The eye-catching centre dash has a layout that Ford says resembles the latest mobile phone for easy engagement. There're also MP3 functions and an auxiliary socket for the omnipresent iPod.

The electric power steering system is quite blameless. Steering is light at low speeds and weighs up as your speed increases. Which means you get greater control. And also perfect for female drivers who prefer light steering.

The Fiesta is also great to handle around bends, never unwilling to poke its nose deep. And if you've gone too deep, there're safety nets like the anti-lock braking system and electronic brake force distribution to back you up. That the Fiesta also scored a maximum five-star EuroNCAP safety rating should put you at ease as well.

On straights, the Fiesta promises a comfortable ride rather than a sporty ride. The speed is not jaw-dropping - this is a family hatch after all. The 1.4L Duratec puts out 96bhp at 5,750 rpm while the Durashift four-speed automatic does its job without complaints.

To add icing to the cake, Ford has also priced the Fiesta quite competitively here at just below $60,000. Take into account all the continental features that come along with it and what you get is a contender for the best-value hatchback.

tonyng@sph.com.sg