Having owned a 1.4TDCi from new for a few years, great car , then changing to a 1.6TDCi there is no comparison.

The 1.6 TDCi is so much more economical and soo much quieter on the road and pulls like a train. Forget the 1.4.

Our 1.6TDCi is now 4 years old , trouble free, except fan speed controller and returns 54 ish urban and 60-65mpg on runs.

What can cause excessive engine noise on the Tdci engine is the air intake pipe -- it's in three sections from the front grill, past the fuel filter and behind the air filter -- it can only too easily come just a little bit loose behind the air filter, and by Gum, 'just a little bit loose' = 'very noisy'!

I agree with teecee about the Merc seats. I had an E250 on a 59 plate and the seats were a killer. After 2.5 hrs in the saddle I used to be numb and would have to get out for a break which was a pain on a 6 hour journey, which usually meant 3 stops ! or two plus fuel stop ! Worst car I have ever had for comfort. Over-rated or what !

Mike

Just returned this afternoon from a 300 mile round trip in our Fiesta. I feel fine. I am also over 6ft, if I allow my slef to slide down in the seat yes my right legs aches , but if I sit up correctley as I have done today then no problem at all.

The 1.6 engine should be very very quiet. If its noisy somethings wrong. Its like chalk and cheese between the 1.4 & 1.6TDCi. I have also just returned 63.7 to day over 300 miles and that was brim to brim.

Jamie, my Jag was also great fro long Journeys, but my landrover I can drive all day with seats like arm chairs. I have actually driven 11.5 hrs 860 miles ! non stop towing with my L/R from the Med to calais in a day and stilled cooked tea when I got home !

Landrover beats every car I have ever owned for comfort.

Thanks for the update ID, most helpful. I use to get more mpg on a run in my Focus 1.6 TDCi nothing less than 65mpg on a run often around 70+mpg on A roads etc. but much depends on the traffic and hills en-route so variations can be expected. I suspect I'd get even more with a Fiesta ECOnetic 1.6 TDCi and I like the sound of that engine and also the refinement over rough road surfaces, so a test drive is coming up.

The main concern is how good/poor the brakes are, on previous Fiesta petrol cars I've driven they weren't that solid and braking distances in the AE article show a significant difference in braking distances.

I get around 75mpg on an A/B road run in a Polo 1.2 TDI SE (not BlueMotion) and brim to brim with all sorts of driving 65 mpg is typical on a tank full. The seats are very comfortable in the Polo (an example that Germany cars can be comfortable) and a perfect driving position is easy to obtain.