Ford Ka (96-08) - Review

Lengthy journeys can feel a little confined, especially for rear occupants, although the driver and front passenger are given a little more legroom and overall comfort levels aren't too bad. Two small children may fit into the rear seats quite comfortably, but adults will find it a bit of a squeeze. The spongy seats offer sufficient back support, but the trim on basic models is a touch clinical, dour and disappointing, despite the neatly crafted dashboard.

The boot will just about squeeze the weekly shopping in and the back seat folds for extra practicality. The three-door design can be a little awkward to climb in and out of (although small children should not find it so tricky) but this car is designed to be compact, so don't be surprised at the cosy interior. The Ka can handle the occasional lengthy motorway voyage, but it wasn’t designed to clock up ultra-high mileages and is far happier pottering around town.

The driving position is manually adjustable, so a commanding outlook is not too difficult to find and there are no major blind spots that may hinder rear view. The sweeping dashboard and shapely driver-oriented design does a good job of disguising the fact that the materials are cheap and cheerful but there are plenty of exposes metal panels on show. Overall it feels durable and well built - if not particularly sophisticated and all the controls are easy to use. Thankfully the awful glovebox, which has a crude plastic lift-off lid, has been improved in newer models.