FORD KA 1.6i Sportka 3dr (2003)

SportKa Review - Worth getting a better kitted out model

I've heard all sort of bad things from friends and colleagues about the Ford Ka, that it rusts like nobody's business and falls to pieces. Mine has been fine really. It's had a little bit of rust but nothing unusual for a car its age.

I suppose it's lived in a garage and doesn't get used all that much, but anyway it's been fine as far as the body condition is concerned. The other problems I've heard about, to do with the electrics, and leakage in the bodywork and things, haven't happened at all.

I can only assume it's because my Ford Ka is one of the higher end ones. Mind you I don't think I paid that much extra for it since it was second hand, and because of all these problems I suppose Ford Kas just generally have a bad name.

Our kids have all long since flown the nest and we don't tend to have people in the back seats, which is handy as it looks pretty cramped back there. Meanwhile the boot also probably wouldn't handle four people's stuff. It's fine for us though, as we only use it to pootle about locally. The most it ever needs to carry is our suitcases for holidays and it manages that fine.

We got the 'sport' Ford Ka on a bit of an impulse actually, not because we'd thought it through in terms of being better kitted out and more reliable as a result. We just wanted something to amuse us in our old age! And it does that just fine. It's got lots of power to play around with - well, for our meagre tastes at least. And it's still good on petrol. The spoiler on the back is just hilarious on such a dinky looking car, but that's what we wanted.

There are some other nice little things like the height adjustable drivers seat, which is handy for me and himself, as we're quite different heights. Neither of us is all that tall though, and it might be a bit too tight in there for a tall person.

I don't suppose it'll last forever, but my point is that the higher up in the range ones are probably more long lasting than the cheapies. It's just that it's generally seen as a cheap car so it's probably mostly the cheaper ones on the road, hence the bad reputation. Lessons to learn there Mr Ford...