Ford Fiesta Sport Van - Work doesnt have to be hard

In Europe we get all the best cars, including the fun but practical car based Ford Fiesta Van, in this case the Sport Van with its ST like looks but in tiny panel van form.
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @furiousdriving
Proudly sponsored by Diamondbrite - Clean, Protect and care for your car - diamondbrite.c... and get 10% off your order with code FD10
Check out my Amazon store for all the Draper tools used on the channel www.amazon.co....
Theres a Merch store!! Head over to www.furiousdriving.co.uk to find the T shirts, hats, mugs, key rings, badges and more soon on there!
All the other Furious Driving, Rover, Alfa stickers, mugs, T shirts HERE - rdbl.co/3AhvDLL on Redbubble
Hit the Channel Member JOIN button and become a Furious Driver or help support the channel on Patreon here: / furiousdriving
Post me stuff for Junk in the Trunk post bag section!
Furious Driving
PO Box 477
AYLESFORD
ME6 9LE
Check out my new Photography channel 'Click Bait' - bit.ly/2Xek1Y1

[@markc1921]

Our local council charges you if you want to take rubbish to the tip if you were to use this 'commercial vehicle'. It's a rip off on their part as its just a fiesta.

[@emmajacobs5575]

Our local council charges you if you drive a car derived van within the inner ring road, but not an otherwise identical car.

[@Teribus13]

Our local council will even try to charge you for taking a commercial vehicle to the tip if you drive in with a car with any kind of business advertising. A friend of mine ran a Mini (3-door car variant) with his business name down the doors and they wanted to charge him for taking his one bag of home garden waste to the tip.

[@aly369]

I had a MK7 Fiesta Zetec S 1.6 TDCI, same bodykit and wheels as this one. Though mine was bright blue with a blue interior and dashboard! Fully loaded with cruise control and rear parking sensors. Bought it with 125k, ended up selling it at 213k. I absolutely loved driving it, the seating, interior, chassis and suspension was fantastic. It was just unfortunate that the TDCI engine was a bag of shite. It had more parts by triggers broom thrown at it in my 3.5 years ownership. In the end what killed it was it was starting to struggle with lack of oil pressure to the head. But even now after watching your video I could have another. In the end I just grew tired of having to fix it all the time.

[@AdamLeask]

I remember thinking at the time you were in the carpark recovering the van that this would make a great addition to your fleet. There's something endearing about this little Fiesta chassis and even in laid back diesel guise it's still a cracking car!

[@curseup]

My goodness I wish we could buy these in the states. I would love to have one. This type of vehicle would be suitable for most of the people who buy trucks over here!

[@martinevans1256]

I got the latest shape van and it’s brilliant

[@paulwheeldon3487]

I'm on my second as a runabout wagon. Well worth getting. But, gutless until re-mapped. Then, it flies, more than you'd expect. Just a shame that in the UK, it's a 'Car derrived van', but taxed as a van.

[@964tractorboy]

I too find it hard to believe there’s a one in front of the eighty-five on the odometer. Simply staggering condition. Clearly the previous owner couldn’t be prised out of the well-equipped cabin so drove it 24/7! Did they leave a spare pair of pyjamas in the back? It's one of those cars that’s so good it makes you rack your brains thinking of a possible use-case for it, rather than letting it go to waste. And a diesel at that…

[@BungleBare]

As a Building Inspector I’ve got to say you’ve definitely got a point about this van. I’m now off to AutoTrader to check out Fiesta vans ….

[@SinghSingh-q4s]

Just buy a 3door fiesta mk7 diesel and it's about 30quid road tax a year and convert into a van 👍

[@anthony342]

@@SinghSingh-q4s agree mate

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Excellent road test In the Fiesta Sportvan, good to see it again and being used by Chris.

[@furiousdriving]

I rather liked this, if only it was ULEZ Id be thinking of swapping the daily work car for something like that

[@xbaldwin97]

The only thing its missing is the side skirts would complete the van if it had a set

[@wacman]

Surprised they did not fit the side skirts to match the front and rear.

[@lesklower7281]

In Australia particularly N.S.W l can understand why Ford never sold these in Australia because although it is a small van you would not be able to park it in a loading zone because it's still a hatchback they are very strict on loading zones especially in the Sydney CBD which l used a lot infact you need to get a ticket out of machine is free and display on your dash board there only three types of vehicle that can use a loading maybe four a van ute station wagon taxi and any vehicle with a disabled sticker no SUVs no hatchbacks and l could drive my 1997 Toyota Hilux into the city get my ticket park in a loading zone and go for a 15 minute walk come back to my Ute and drive away but having been a courier for over 30 years l will never drive into the city again l still use loading zones around were l live mainly in the shopping centre near were l live the loading zones it the streets because l can

[@Elvis_TheKing]

Do you remember BT using Mk1 KA vans? I presume these were made specifically for BT as I never saw a non-BT branded one!

[@furiousdriving]

No, I dont think I ever saw one of those!

[@giulianomarco]

Maybe you should get Hubnut to drive it. 😋👍

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Tint the rear panels to make them look like windows, handy if going to the tip.

[@sholdfield]

Got rid of my peugeot estate car last year and bought a kangoo van. Best decision I've made in a long time. Not glamorous but for luggin gear, going camping, tking kid to university, even shopping so much more practical. Strongly recommend moving to white van man land....

[@cjmillsnun]

I had a Mk7.5 Fiesta diesel. Not the quickest thing on earth, but it handled like it was on rails. So much fun round the country roads. The little "tray" behind the window switches is a blank for where rear window switches would be on a Titanium X.

[@ReplicantBattyman]

The Disco/Defender commerical vehicles are novel but most of the ones that come through my dealership have had the rear seats fitted aftermarket, so the vehicle is just used as a daily thats been put through the business. Only example I can think of of someone actually needing one is a guy who serviced and repaired farm equipment like combine harvesters which often break down in hard to reach areas, he said the 4x4 capability on the disco he couldnt get with any other van (apart from maybe an iveco but they cost serious money)

[@scrapyardwarriorvlogging]

This makes my heart very full that you’ve saved this Fiesta Van. What a lovely little thing!

[@MrGaryRoberton]

Ford N. America should have offered it, perhaps today their fortunes would be somewhat better, the Fiesta they offered here were disasters as the dual clutch auto transmission, and tolerable as a standard. The coolest I ever saw , were the Chevrolet Sedan Delivery, in the 50's era. Made as commercial vehicles for Business light deliveries, Almost extinct now, as they were driven to pieces. Cheers

[@furiousdriving]

Ive seen a couple of those Chevys here, and a Pontiac one - beautiful things

[@fugawiaus]

(A bit of croc Dundee here from Aussies) “That’s not a Ute” (or utility) (Drags out falcon and commodore v8 utes) “Now that’s a Ute” Ps, we also had falcon and Holden “panel vans” as well. Obviously with v8s. Hehe

[@markturner-smith5309]

No actually MK7 UK (with 2013 onwards ST’s becoming MK7.5) everywhere else it had/was MK6 by type.

[@philmuskett265]

Certainly no van ordinaire!!!

[@MrFlazz99]

As owner of a Zetec-spec Econetic Fiesta (same engine as this van, but fractionally longer gearing and lower ride height for improved economy), my own feelings are less generous. Puny turbo - yep, agree there. Decent roadholding - I'll give it that as well. Good sounds - Ford got that bit right as well. Economy - well, I'm middle-aged and drive gently, so that's a given. However the ride comfort is atrocious - the seat cushion is far too hard and won't go back or high enough to support my thighs (and I'm only averagely tall) and the bumpy ride makes me paranoid that I might have a puncture. However the faecal icing on the cake for me was the DPF (I say WAS) - which had to be (expensively) sorted out with an entire turbo rebuild. The only thing that stops me from getting rid of the car (apart from the zero VED) is that I could not conscionably inflict it upon another owner. Final observation - I could not recommend a Fiesta of this generation to anybody taller than 5'5" and without a well-padded posterior to make up for the bad ride. In other words, it's indisputably a woman's car.

[@cian87]

I had a locally coachbuilt Astra Sporthatch van - not an estate - which was Opel's competitor to this in Ireland; and won out on size and performance. Don't think it would have been saleable in GB, wouldn't be here anymore either.

[@johnedwards3198]

Soup? Every good van driver should live off greasy spoon products, whatever they can get from Greggs or some sandwiches the Mrs made with added oils, grease and muck flavour from their trade!!!

[@davidrix804]

What I can see is a very normal fiesta with back windows painted,and it’s called a van,I have a two door escort,hmmm I will paint the back windows and call it a van🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@marksenior9220]

In the 90’s you could get a fiesta courier van that had a square back. -8 yesterday in Maidstone on my 520 mile round trip. Galactic miles on my 10 year old Mercedes sprinter with 462k on it!!!

[@steve5772]

I need to stop you on the road tax thing. £240 a year isn't cheap, when you consider the car version, with the same engine, same shell and everything will probably be about £30 a year. These are only really a good tax dodge in any sense when they're brand new.

[@pigeonpoo1823]

There's a white one round the corner with a orange lightbar on the roof and an ST badge on the grill. Just imagine how great an ST van would be!

[@mighty_bunny]

If I owned one of those I'd be stuck between naming it "Steven" or "Esteban" the ST Van. Both are just so fun to say!

[@Uni_Iris_1]

I love a car derived van! It's such a shame they're a dying breed. The only new one that I've driven is a 2023 corolla commercial. Fantastically practical and a hybrid if that floats your boat

[@kavyman1066]

I have had two of these Fiesta's and Ford knocked it out of the park with how good they made it, you could drive a fairly busy up a multi-storey car park and and usually count at least two of these on every level they were that popular but alas Ford US have given Ford Europe their orders and now it Is just a succession of bland and hateful crossover's and SUV's now apart from the Mustang and restyled rebadged VW EV's. I really think Ford are going to regret cancelling the Fiesta, considering they want to charge thousands more for that abomination that is the Puma. They no longer have an entry level car and they are the ones that start the brand loyalty now the Focus is facing the chop as well.

[@paultaylor9652]

This Fiesta van must of been very well looked after, as the the MK6/7 did have rust issues especially on suspension components and water leaks into the cabin from under the plastic roof gutters.

[@d.c.Jones70]

You do get stuff stolen out the back of a pick up truck,but the Fiesta is the most stolen car in the country by quite some distance.

[@cme2cau]

The smallest engine would be the lightest so could take more payload for the same overall weight.

[@crusinclassicslucas6218]

10:14 honk!

[@mighty_bunny]

I've always been fascinated by the concept of these van versions of passenger cars. It makes a lot of sense too! We don't get many vehicles like this in Australia. Obviously we had our Utes and still have small car-based vans like the Volkswagen Caddy and Renault Kangoo, but in terms of commercial vans that are just simple specification changes, I can think of the Suzuki Hatch, which is a Suzuki Alto without back seats! It was one of the cheapest vehicles on the market back in the '80s, alongside the Suzuki Mighty Boy (itself a ute version of the Suzuki Cervo.)

[@saippuakivikuappias]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that sees Roland Rat when I'm behind the wheel of one of these. We had some as work vans and they were mighty impressive. Comfy, nippy, well made and reliable. We had the sport versions too and even on the lower profile tyres they rode well. Far nicer in every respect than the vans that replaced them (Caddys).

[@user-ih7gc7dt9l]

Why didn’t we get these in Newzealand? What a great idea!

[@SmashingPistons]

Now THIS looks like it might influence my next project.

[@classics144sportscarschannel]

you seem to like using the loose vally road for ur youtube vids, nice van.

[@Kristiansmith872]

I do play the "where's been today" game on his road tests....

[@MikeBroom]

The "little tray for your polo's" is just a backing plate for where the rear window buttons would be if it was version with rear windows rather than a van...

[@furiousdriving]

so where do 4 door drivers keep their Polos?

[@MitchJackson94]

I have an ST150 in Kent if you want to take it for a drive

[@furiousdriving]

yes please, drop me an email [e-mail]

[@donaljamescaddye3805]

We had a 04 Ford Focus TDDi van - These were brought into Ireland as 3 door Zetec spec hatches and converted at the old Ford of Cork plant - They were really well finished in the loading bay and were the last cars that were produced in Cork ! This fiesta is a natural successor

[@samdawson2715]

Never realised that. A colleague had an 05 one. Was that in the marina?

[@bobfoc901]

Roland Rat superstar yayyyy!!!! 😂

[@Teribus13]

"Spilling your gazpacho soup" OK, Mr Rimmer. BSc SSc

[@furiousdriving]

Not to mention the alphabeti spaghetti

[@JohnMagowan-k4k]

That's not Mk6 it's Mk7

[@furiousdriving]

It's sometimes called a Mk7 in the UK alone as previous gen facelift occasionally gets wrongly counted as a generation

[@billgriffiths1685]

Yipee I'm here finally.

[@mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm420]

Van tax is £320 not £240.

[@rhspek]

I like the concept. In fact, back in the late 80s I had an Alfa 33 1.3S Van, basically the car, including side windows, but with a fixed flat loading area behind the front seats. This was a Dutch tax dodge loophole that was quickly plugged. Much later I had three Berlingo Diesel vans in succession until the road tax on diesels became unbearably expensive if you drove your van as a private person.

[@furiousdriving]

Alfa 33 van? Thats one I didnt know about!

[@rhspek]

@@furiousdriving Probably a Dutch taxdodge special, from the outside the only thing that gave it away was a registration starting with a B (Bedrijfswagen = van, currently that would be a V). On the inside there was a flat carpeted load platform, welded in, from behind the front seats to the rear bulkhead. These conversions were done in NL, so not factory, and I did get the rear seat parts that they had taken out. Over the years they amended the rules to be ever stricter and they also significantly increased road tax for 'vans' owned by private persons so these car based vans became less popular over the years. I believe Denmark and Norway have or had similar schemes: Norwegian cars with green plates and Danish with (half) yellow plates. In NL it was not the colour of the plate but the letter combination that gave it away.

[@alextoft9199]

Love this generation of Fiesta. Driven most apart from the Ecoboast. My favorite was a high spec 1.6 diesel like this but in the 3 door. It drove so well. Very grown up refined driving experience but an absolute blast too! Always put a smile on my face. The diesel gave it a heaviness at the front but pedals and steering perfectly weighted. Reminds me of the 206 D Turbo and sounds quite similar too as it's a PSA unit I think 😊

[@gwengo4167]

lol, I can’t unsee Roland Rat now 😂😂😂👌🏻. I love fords, they are great cars. We currently have a 2016 Ford Kuga and can’t fault it.

[@danielrussell446]

Loved our Mk6 fiestas such great cars so economical easy to drive and comfortable around town and also on the motorway I think the design has aged well and my wife and I had 5 - 4 zetec and 1 titanium - 3 had the facelift front with the ‘Aston Martin’ grille and 2 were the earlier ones like this I can see how the van version would be good around town and I bet the diesel ones were fun to drive with the torque we had 1.25 petrol x4 and 1 x 1.0 ecoboost which pulled like a train! Well done Matt a great review so pleased Chris kept it it’s a great survivor and what a mileage!

[@AndySnap]

Interesting review. I considered a Fiesta van as my only car too, as I rarely carry passengers, and the big boot would be handy for work, but the very occasional need for back seats put me off in the end. It still does look good in your video though! Instead my daily is still a Kia Rio 1.1 diesel now coming up to 178k, possibly the highest mileage Rio in the country...!?

[@andysalter4473]

Our old neighbour had 1.8 non turbo diesel mark2 Fiesta van. It certainly wasn't sporty and was very basic and he had to crank fo r an eternity on a cold morning! He did say though that it was all he needed and never let him down!

[@terryatkinson899]

You could use it as a mobile tool shed 😊👍🇮🇪

[@furiousdriving]

Im sure some have been!

[@patrickh7368]

Funny you should bring that subject up about US, just watched a US couple bought a car that was in no way safe to be on the road and just drove it miles n miles home, over here it would be condemned and scrapped but they call it a “driver” ! 😮

[@Farney-gy1qo]

Mmm, not good if you want to carry 5 people and 1 ton of top soil. I'll keep my old Ranger XLT 😉.

[@furiousdriving]

but the ranger is overkill if you're only taking a clipboard and tape measure

[@Farney-gy1qo]

@@furiousdriving I've had a Fiesta van, not good if you are giving two friends a lift home from work 😅. Although speed humps don't exist 😆, I found the suspension is better than the standard Fiesta. You're welcome to have a Drive in my Ranger anytime. Its an Experience😁.

[@SinghSingh-q4s]

Hey mat it's a mk7 fiesta not mk6. Keep it up lol

[@furiousdriving]

Its only a Mk7 in the UK because we sometimes call a previous facelift a generation, but its not really

[@Phiyedough]

I remember the Vauxhall Coarser van but I don't think I ever saw one of these. I did have a 1998 Courier which had rear seats and side windows. It had been a Postbus in a remote part of Scotland before I got it.

[@marksenior9220]

Good little vans these. That little tray next to the electric windows is handy. Can be used for a few coins 👍

[@Ste2023]

Nice voice . Under rated car vans ....very handy for us men 😜

[@Boating_David]

I owned a Fiesta Zetec S for three years and never noticed Roland Rat. But now i have 😂😂😂

[@DC-dp3hk]

£240 a year tax for a vehicle that size sounds a lot! I would expect more like £35.

[@terryatkinson899]

You obviously don't live in Ireland 😂, we get ripped off by everyone 😢

[@pikachus5m166]

Rear seats and seat belts from a scrapper, re-register as non commercial, and Bob's your uncle.

[@Matty12333]

My fiesta used to be £35 at first, then over the years it kept going up and up now i pay £150

[@terryatkinson899]

@tomjardine100 my 899cc cinquecento is€200 in Ireland 😭 My friend has a MR2 and it's turned 30 years old now. Tax was €710 and as a classic will be €56 this year from now on.... unless they ban old cars 🙄👍🇮🇪

[@Mr330d]

Where’s that big cry baby Lloyd to cry about it being a diesel ?👀

[@Daz_Stap]

I always like a van!

[@furiousdriving]

Vans are fun, you can pretend to be busy!

[@moddenby4525]

I'm sorry but its a mk7 fiesta

[@furiousdriving]

It's sometimes called a Mk7 in the UK only as previous gen facelift occasionally gets (wrongly) counted as a generation

[@moddenby4525]

@@furiousdriving mk6 is the hedge fiesta you done. I have a puma swapped mk5 fiesta and litrally nobody I've ever spoken to calls it a mk4. Its like calling the mk1,2,3,4&5 the same generation as they where all baisicly the same car underneath I've not long had new sills and they would fit the first 5 generations. Google is the only thing that confuses people

[@markdoyle6414]

The Courier suffers horrendous rust.

[@andyarmstrong1493]

That looked really great.

[@888johnmac]

lol , was wondering if that was one of the van's you rescued a while ago

[@furiousdriving]

Indeed it was. I thought it had been sold straight away, but he likes it too. I think it is going to be sold soon though

[@888johnmac]

here's a challenge for Matt .. remember the van based on the rover 25 ( i think )

[@furiousdriving]

@@888johnmac yup, and the MG Express version!

[@emmajacobs5575]

@@furiousdriving MG even made a handful of the full fat 160 VVC version for van based hoonery!

[@furiousdriving]

@@emmajacobs5575 yes, I’d rather like one of those, it would be perfect most on-brand van I could buy!

[@markdoyle6414]

I learned to drive in a Mk1 fiesta van. Fond memories.

[@jimmyquinn9639]

Nice van

[@tonys1636]

Don't quite see you as a 'white van man'

[@furiousdriving]

I could add some copies of the Sun!

[@phil7301]

👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@jimmyjt16]

That’s a mk7 not a 6.

[@furiousdriving]

Thats a whole debate there. In every market except the UK its a Mk6, in the UK alone the Mk5 facelift is sometimes, but not always, referred to as the Mk6, but as far as Ford are concerned its not!

[@chaospxl_]

@@furiousdriving i feel like the whole mix up originated from the mk4 and its facelift, due to being so radically different, when all i see is a drab face being made happy. to avoid confusion i just look at the side profile. Btw i really do love these small vans, i find them clever as all hell, and they are MORE zippy. Imagine an ST-Engine PLUS the weight reduction!

[@jimmyjt16]

@@chaospxl_yes I agree. The mk5 should never have been recognised as new generation.

[@chaospxl_]

@@jimmyjt16 Wait so the mk4s dreary to happy look is considered a Mk5 by ford?

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

​@@chaospxl_yup

[@themancalledx1342]

Covering the back windows doesn’t make it a van😂

[@furiousdriving]

Also take out the back seat and add a bulkhead and voila, van

[@fhwolthuis]

I would put some dark foil on those side "windows"

[@furiousdriving]

Make it look car to trick thieves?

[@fhwolthuis]

@@furiousdriving those grey blinds spoil the design of the car