One-owner-since-’99 Fiesta Ghia X (Mk4) for sale

Without wishing to sound like a jilted ex, it’s still hard to get over there not being a Ford Fiesta on sale anymore. It was such a constant in all our lives, with Fiestas new and old serving first drivers, school-run parents and retirees equally well. Not having them factory-fresh in showrooms or available to configure is strange. Of course, plenty of nearly new ones exist, but it’s not the same. Thank goodness for the Focus ST and Mustang still being on sale – make the most of them while you can. 

Anyway, that’s a distraction. There’s really never an inopportune moment to be looking at old Fiestas, but with another Festival of the Unexceptional having taken place over the weekend, it seemed a better time than ever. The demand for cars with XR or RS on their boots remains strong, which means it can be easy to forget that the Mk4 – the car that, with the Mondeo, really kicked off Ford’s 90s revolution – is now approaching 30 years old. It’s the classic Fiesta now, and a really good one as well. 

Because it was so long ago, it can be easy to forget what an impact the 1995 Fiesta had. The previous car wasn’t very good, really, so considerable effort went into making the replacement much better. With some new engines, overhauled underpinnings and a fresh look, the Mk4 was much more the ticket. Cars like this, the Puma and the first Focus forged Ford’s reputation as a maker of great-driving fast Fords. How this chassis never received more power from the factory than the later, 1.6-litre Zetec S will always be a mystery, but it means that even today an old Fiesta should be good fun to drive. 

This one is a real rarity. It’s a top-of-the-range Ghia X for starters, complete with wood trim, which was surely seldom specced given the Fiesta was typically a cheap and cheerful choice. It’s a 1.4-litre five-door, too, so somebody really splashed out. Having been a dealer demo early in its life, this Fiesta was then driven by one lady owner. For 25 years. 

They barely used it, either, covering just 47,000 miles since 1999, so the old thing looks fabulous. There can’t have been many purple Fiestas back in the day, and that only adds to the appeal. The alloys are pristine, the interior smart and the engine bay spotless. There was some rust mentioned in February’s MOT, but when it comes to Fords of this era that discovery is like finding sand at the beach – it’s always going to be there. Probably worth tackling sooner rather than later, though. 

Otherwise, the Ghia X ought to be like a Fiesta always was to run: not very much money to keep, and always a joy to drive. At £5k it’s obviously the most expensive of the era, but once upon a time there had to be low mileage, one-owner Escorts and Cortinas that were more than all the rest. And that turned out pretty well both for those who wanted to drive them and collectors. Might the same be true one day for the Fiesta?