NRMA Car Review - Ford Ka

The dare-to-be-different Ford Ka has met with big success overseas, with over 600,000 sold since its introduction in 1996, but does that automatically spell success in our market?

Australians have traditionally shown a fair degree of disinterest in quirky small cars unless they are super cheap or perhaps super quick, and the Ford Ka is neither.

What the Ka does offer is styling that guarantees you won't go unnoticed, a high degree of fun in the way it handles and steers, and some expensive equipment items as standard.

The choice for Ka buyers is simple; just select a colour. This is because there is only one body style (three door hatch), one 1.3 litre engine and manual transmission only.

The price is $16,500 plus dealer and statutory charges, so unless dealers decide otherwise, it will cost around $18,500 to drive a Ka home.

That's considerably more than the majority of 1.3 litre cars cost, however the Ka does come with air conditioning, dual airbags, a sunroof, power steering and a single disc CD player.

As attractive as these items are, there are omissions. For example, the Ka does not have a tachometer, an adjustable steering wheel, a height adjustable driver's seat, or a remote tailgate release. What's more, you can't order options such as anti-lock brakes, central locking or power-operated windows and mirrors. Virtually the only option is painted bumpers at $400.

Whether you like the styling or not, it's impossible to ignore the Ka because it's like nothing else on our roads. Ford's "New Edge" styling features an abruptly chopped off tail and wheels pushed right out to the body corners.

The bold look extends inside where the layout is totally different to conventional designs, yet on the whole, it works pretty well. Some aspects of the interior, such as the large areas of hard plastic, exposed metal and a thin boot mat just dropped in with no underfelt, look downmarket.

Ford says the Ka was designed with occupant safety a top priority and lists a host of structural features that have enabled the car to exceed all current crash test requirements.

However, some aspects of the frontal design, such as mudguards attached by welding, and vital mechanical components placed very close to the front, could result in higher-than-average low speed accident repair costs, according to preliminary inspection by the NRMA Industry Research department.

Inside, the Ka offers good leg and head room for the driver and front passenger, but with the seats set back, rear leg room is suitable for small children only.

Without a tilt steering wheel or driver's seat height adjustment and pedals offset to the left, it will be very much a case of good luck if the driving position in the Ka suits your physique.

Luggage space is fairly minimal in the Ka, though the rear seat can be folded in a 50/50 arrangement for carrying those longer items.

The Ka's 1.3 litre cast iron overhead valve engine dates at least back to Ford Escorts of the 1970s and though it has been modernised somewhat with a plastic inlet manifold and electronic multi-point fuel injection, it is still well behind more modern engine designs.

By comparison, Toyota's 1.3 litre DOHC multi-valve engine in the Echo produces 63 kW as against 43 kW for the Ka engine. One saving grace for the Ka engine is that it produces its maximum torque at low engine revolutions.

That translates into reasonable performance around town as long you are in the right gear, but the Ka is hardly what you would call a zippy or lively performer.

The Ka rolls along happily enough out on the open road, but hills quickly knock the edge off the performance, necessitating changing down at least one or more gears.

One of the Ka's better attributes is its handling. The wheel-at-each-corner design, together with a well sorted suspension, endow the Ka with capable road manners and responsive handling that at least in part, makes up for the lack-lustre engine performance.

The Ka's brake system sticks to the basics - solid front discs, rear drums and no ABS - and the result is just average braking, though it is satisfactory for the available performance and vehicle mass. However the brake pedal has a rather spongy feel.

Summary

With its fresh styling approach and fun handling characteristics, the Ford Ka hatch potentially has plenty of appeal for the youth market. However a couple of aspects that could hamper its chances are the absence of an automatic version and the comparatively weak power output of its outdated engine.

The Ka is priced above the majority of its 1.3 litre rivals, but compensates with its big-ticket standard equipment items.

Test vehicle supplied by Ford Motor Company of Australia Limited.

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