Ford Fiesta mk1 and mk3: COMPARISON and REVIEW

The Fiesta has been Europe's favourite small car for 47 years. I take a look at the original 1976 design, and see how Ford improved upon it with the first all-new car to carry the Fiesta name: 1989's mk3.
In this video I compare my 1980 Ford Fiesta 1.1L (project code Bobcat) with my 1989 Ford Fiesta 1.0 Popular (project code BE13)

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

My dad's first Ford was a Mark 2 Popular Plus before he moved onto a series of Ford Escorts, later on my Late Grandfather had a Mark 3 Fiesta Equipe Special edition, both great cars with great memories for me, my dad still has the number plate for his fiesta in the garage slightly broken when he drove into the back of a Austin Metro!

[@adammason2541]

My husband had a mk1 950L back in 1993 had it all the way until 1989 when he had his first company car which was a Peugeot 206 but I miss that mk1 fiesta 950 it was a gold colour brilliant litte car that was

[@albertbekassy2709]

I drove my mothers 1987 Fiesta a lot in the early 90's. It was a great little car, and the mileage was very good for the era. That was the best part, since I didn't have all that much money.

[@jamesblake3846]

Best of luck selling your Fiesta! You've got a great fleet. Selling cars is much harder than buying them...I'd happily own any of your cars, if only I sold some of mine to make space haha!

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Thank you: it’s a shame to sell it, but as you say I need the space so I can get some other projects

[@CreRay]

Very interesting comparison, very well presented! From my memory the Mk1 seemed to be everywhere, perhaps also because it had much less competition than the Mk3, plus it was a more remarkable shape, compared to the Mk3 was. And then there's that oh-so typical exhaust note of the Mk1! You know there's a Mk1 coming even with your eyes closed.

[@MorselsAndMotors]

You're so right about that exhaust note!

[@JoeDunlop06]

great to see more content on the fiestas

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Thank you!

[@Koulis_]

I had an early Mk1 in beige back in the day. I was never a Ford person but I enjoyed it's sportiness and pure feel, not so much the buzz box noise that was transmitted to the interior. Thanks for the comparison review.

[@MorselsAndMotors]

My pleasure!

[@julianstechsation]

I have a MK2 Fiesta since this year and like you said I heard a million times “my […] had one when I was a kid” - Make people smile makes me so happy 😊 Btw I am 23

[@simonc858]

Great video, I had two Mk 1 Fiestas and loved them, then I went up to a Volvo 340 that was a totally different step up

[@MorselsAndMotors]

I’ve a Volvo 340 video coming up soon!

[@john1v6]

Learned to drive in a MK2 950 Popular and my mum's MK1 1100 Ghia. Much later on my wife had a MK3 1.4 Ghia. Great cars.

[@BelfastMurf]

My cousin was a rep for Zanussi. She had a Fiat X-19 as her company car. Her next one was a baby blue Ford Fiesta, one of the first in Belfast I think!

[@jonathonbrett-qn1ic]

Fantastic episode Thank you

[@MorselsAndMotors]

🥰

[@NateW-oe9up]

Really good comparison video. So enjoyed it.

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Thank you!

[@badbooks476]

Very well presented comparison video. Quite a development from mk1 to mk3

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Glad you liked it! Yes it was quite a big leap forward, it feels a much more ‘complete’ car

[@bnrynlds]

So many of my school pals had Mk3s as their first car. So many hours spent in them.

[@chrishart8548]

Only my luckiest friends had mk3 fiestas most of us had mk2 my mk2 cost £230 I couldn't find a mk3 for anything less than £2000 that was a F reg 1.1L in blue.

[@alexspinks833]

Love your mk3. If you ever want a mk3.5 to compare it to. I have a lovely lx model. People would be surprised by the differences

[@danielrussell446]

Well done Sion a brilliant comparison of the two I always think of the fiesta as the little car which grew up I always remember my school secretary had a popular plus in silver and you heard the car coming with that exhaust note and Kent engine sound Then my auntie had a B reg mk2 popular plus and she couldn’t drive it over 50 from new as the dash used to shake and sometimes radio came forward I learnt to drive in a mk3 and found it a massive leap forward from the earlier cars in terms of space and refinement and put the fiesta on the map with the nova/uno/205 etc My wife and I then had five mk7 between us which were all outstanding and never failed us once never losing the fiesta attributes of being great round town well packaged in space terms and affordable to run I have enjoyed the series on the fiesta and seen you are selling the mk1 hope it goes to a good home who will care for it as you have thanks again for an excellent video

[@alaxcarig]

Exelent video! i´m looking for a fiesta mk3 and i really like see this videos before i found the perfect one!

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Thank you! Good luck, I'm excited for you as they are lovely cars

[@alaxcarig]

​@@MorselsAndMotors TYSM I will be here wen i got one

[@stevejag7625]

I had a gold 1.1L MK1 for a while in the late eighties. Loved driving that. Then a canary yellow 1.1 Ghia MK2. Loved that car, drove well, was great fun and well specced for the time. Eventually went to a MK3, was disappointed. Did not drive as well. Was a 1.3L I think. Just wanted my MK2 back😢. Great cars and would love a MK1 or 2 again. Great video, thank you 👍

[@russellcooper5826]

Just like music, people preferred cars that were around in their teenage years.

[@MorselsAndMotors]

I hadn’t thought of it this way, but my goodness I think you have nailed it!!! Thank you 😊

[@terryatkinson3182]

When I was that age we drove whatever we could afford based on what we had or could borrow from the bank. You basically bought whatever wasn't falling to bits and whatever you could get parts for in the scrap yard. Information was scarce unlike today and garages and motorfactors weren't that helpful. Add to that most of us were skint 🙄

[@chrishart8548]

​@@terryatkinson3182a lot of old cars falling too bits when I was looking in 1996 I think. Cars had huge rust holes often in the top of the front wings. I really wanted a Y reg white Sierra estate 1.6L but the were all got by 1996. Also liked the Renault 11 the one with the twin square headlights

[@terryatkinson3182]

@chrishart8548 we had no car testing then so you can imagine what was on the roads here then 😁🇮🇪

[@michaelkeen5010]

At the time of the Fiesta launch in 1976 I was running a VW Polo N, that was very basic with no passenger sun visor, but the car was very refined with its 895cc engine and also well built. I looked at a Fiesta but opted to stick with VW, eventually running a further 4 Polos over the next few years, then a couple of Mk1 Golfs.

[@davidminns9799]

I had a mk 1 Supersport (oh I wish I still did) and had 2 mk 3 Fiesta's. Practical cheap motoring in the day. Thinking of buying a mk 3 as a future classic if not a classic now. Great content 👍

[@chrishart8548]

I'm struggling to see anything being a future classic now. I think the world is at war with the motor car.

[@Joe-ug1vu]

I have driven a mk3 fiesta that was converted to lpg gas in the 90s and the mk2 firefly

[@JoeDunlop06]

Just saw your selling the mk1!! Loved the videos on it, sad to see it go

[@MorselsAndMotors]

I know, but sometimes needs must

[@JoeDunlop06]

@@MorselsAndMotors Ah fair enough, looking forward to future projects!

[@maxeluy]

Is definitely better as a car and as transportation, but as a fun classic y prefer de mk1, the pain is part of the charm

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Yup, it’s what most people think!

[@tomfoster9924]

Another great video Sion! The one i was hoping you would make too. My vote goes to the Mk3 all the way, so much more refined and wouldnt look out of place on todays roads with a few mod cons. Had some great adventures in mine going to raves and road trips with friends! Great memories. Keep the videos coming, looking forward to the next video. Btw which fiesta are you selling?, Tom

[@chrishart8548]

Even to have a F reg mk3 fiesta 1.1L in 1999 was an absolute treat. If I remember it had a centre console gear stick surround and a clock. The car didn't really change much until the mk6 in 2002 and everything else got so much better the fiesta really fell behind. The mk7 2008 was another big step when it was better than the competition

[@MorselsAndMotors]

I'm selling the mk1

[@philippeterson4711]

Hi mate, good video, both Fiestas take me back from when I was a teenager, are you going to get a MK2 Fiesta at all?

[@MorselsAndMotors]

I don't think so - I never liked the shape of the mk2 as much as the mk1 or mk3. No idea why!

[@philippeterson4711]

@@MorselsAndMotors did you go to the Lancaster classic car show at the weekend ?

[@astrarepairs7783]

i love your videos but i want to know were do i buy a basic model classic?

[@MorselsAndMotors]

You have to keep a look out on facebook groups, on ebay, and facebook marketplace. The Escort came from Autotrader. When the right car comes along, you will know, as you won't stop thinking about it!

[@Dick-Dastardly]

Another very enjoyable and very well put together video.

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Aww thank you, I appreciate that

[@anticat900]

Has the mk1 got new shocks? I can't remember my mk2 popular being that hard (company car - yes I was definitely at the bottom rung of that company :-) . It would be nice if you could got hold on one of these, to fit in the middle. I liked how in the mk2 they had a porpers dash and the option of a full dash if you were someone important and wealthy (or at least thought they were). I do wonder what your mk1 fiesta would be like in a popular form. Your L has such capitalist luxuries such as sound proofing (apparently), carpets, a door mirror and seat velor etc, all of which we can do without :-)

[@MorselsAndMotors]

Yup, I would in all honesty prefer a base. I suppose the fact that the mk1 is still very noisy despite being slightly plusher has disappointed me a little

[@marklawton5753]

I learnt to drive in a MKI and hated the car, a base model which seemed impossible to drive smoothly. I think the word that sums up that car is crude!

[@volvos60bloke]

both grate car's . now are brexit is did we can go back to these time' s.