Ford goes aggressive with Ka+ 22 | 09 | 2016
FORD’S NEW KA+ will start at £8995 when it goes on sale in Scotland next month. And Ford is targeting budget-conscious small car customers who would normally choose second-hand vehicles with its new supermini, which carries a city car price tag.
It’s important to stress immediately the Ka+ bears no relation to the diminutive Ka city car which went before it: the titchy Ka will be killed off as part of a realignment of Ford’s small car strategy.
The Ka+ is certainly an attractive proposition. Almost as large as a Ford Fiesta, it uses many of that car’s components, including Ford’s global small car chassis technology.
The company also stresses it has improved quality and handling to meet the higher expectations of European buyers.
Slightly shorter than the Fiesta, it stands 21mm taller, and the 270-litre bootspace in the Ka+ is just 10-litres shy of it’s ‘bigger’ brother. The space can be increased further by folding down the rear seats, though there is a significant lip to lift items over
Three trim levels will be available on the Ka+, though all are powered by the same 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.
The entry-level Studio gets a 69bhp version of the engine and will hit 62mph from standstill in 15.3secs. Ford says it’ll also return 56.5mpg, with 114g/km CO2.
Next up is the Zetec. Powered by the same engine, but developing 84bhp, it cuts two seconds off the 0-62mph time and emits 114g/km. There’s also an ECO version which boasts different gearing and low-rolling-resistance tyres to further reduce CO2 to just 110g/km.
Five seats are standard, though it’s fair to say it’ll accommodate four adults … so let’s not get silly. And they will travel in relative comfort as there’s plenty of legroom and headroom even for six-footers.
Inside it’s very much Ford styling, but with a mix of hard plastics with reassuringly familiar and solid switchgear on the dashboard. Cleverly, the designers have added foam padding in the door panel where your elbow would normally rest.
There’s no air-conditioning as standard in the Studio, though it is included in the optional pack.
Standard kit includes remote central locking, electric front windows and electrically adjustable door mirrors. The Ka+ also gets MyFord Dock, a storage bin on the top of the dash that can be used to charge and mount smartphones so their navigation systems can be used while on the move.
The Zetec gets manual air-con, plus the first generation of Ford’s SYNC infotainment system, accessed via a small colour display that will be familiar to current Fiesta owners.
Naturally there’s also a host of options, including 15in alloy, a leather steering wheel with cruise control, folding side mirrors, DAB radio, climate control, electric rear windows and heated seats.
Six airbags and electronic stability control. are standard across the Ka+ range.
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Jim McGill