The new Fiesta: excellent green credentials

A family car that will give average fuel economy of 76mpg and close to 90mpg on a level motorway is on the way from Ford.

The new Fiesta has been given the Econetic treatment. It is powered by a 1.6-litre diesel engine which puts out 89 brake horsepower.

Fuel economy is helped by a tweaking of the engine management system, the use of low-viscosity engine oil, longer gear ratios and a red warning light on the dashboard to remind the driver when it is time to change gear.

The suspension has been dropped by 20mm to help the wind-cheating design of the sleek new model, and low rolling resistance tyres are used to help with the economy drive. The transmission is a five-speed manual shift.

Ford says the car is pretty lively too, with a top speed of 111mph, and it reaches 100 kilometres per hour in just over 12 seconds.

The green credentials are also excellent, with carbon dioxide emissions at a mere 98g/km, which means the car will qualify for the lowest rate of road tax and VRT.