In-depth reviews

Ford Ka owner reviews

“The Ford Ka is a three-door city car known for its style and fun drive. Its replacement is the Ford Ka+, with extra space for passengers and more power”

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by Richard Ingram

5 Dec 2017

.polaris__post-meta--date { display: none; } .polaris__post-meta--date.no-script { display: block; padding-left: 45px } 5 Dec 2017

Carbuyer Rating

2.7 out of 5

Owners Rating

3.6 out of 5

Reviews

Owner Reviews

5 out of 5
4 out of 5
3 out of 5
2 out of 5
1 out of 5

43%of people would recommend this car to a friend

Common Problems

Brakes, Electrics, Engine, Gearbox / clutch (1 case)
Gearbox / clutch, Other (1 case)
Electrics, Engine, Suspension, Other (1 case)
Other (15 cases)
Suspension (5 cases)
Electrics (2 cases)
Brakes (2 cases)
Gearbox / clutch (2 cases)
Brakes, Gearbox / clutch, Suspension (1 case)
Brakes, Electrics, Engine, Gearbox / clutch, Suspension, Other (1 case)
Electrics, Gearbox / clutch (1 case)

Review 1 of 100

Tell us what you think about your car?

I've had the car for about 4 months and just had problem after problem with it. Initially the brake pads and discs and battery needed replacing. Then the issues became worse - there was a fault that caused the engine to stall when idling, which was obviously a massive issue especially in traffic. Ford themselves could replicate the fault but couldn’t repair it. I’ve now gotten rid of the Ka and went for a Corsa instead, but just before I got rid I noticed the clutch felt really heavy so that was probably on its way out as well. Despite them having a cute look and being fun to drive when they are functioning, I wouldn’t recommend a Ford Ka.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Nice to drive but a bit thirsty. The other problem is the gearbox they seem to last around 20,000 miles from new then the seal goes inside resulting in losing gearbox oil and knackering the gearbox altogether. The thermostat is a common problem too and they seem to give up around 35,000miles from new. Apart from that it's a very reliable car even knowing the engine is from a Fiat 500 ( and it could do with a few more horses too), I rate it a good little car. Ideal for a first car to learn in.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Love the car, comfortable, easy to park, really taken to it, I've only had it 4 months, good on the motorway, excellent sound system. Downside, does stutter a bit and revs on its own when cold, but seems they all do it. Glove box hinge has broken, indicator stem is a little flimsy and gets stuck, it's going in next week to repair them, but other than that, I'm really pleased with it, sticks to the road like glue, and easy gearbox, good brakes, what more could you want?

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Looks great and the interior quality is superb as with any modern Ford but had no end of engine problems! I have owned the car for 3 months now and bought it used with 22,000 miles on the clock and the injection system has gone on the car causing a loss in power and also now the catalytic converter has broken on the car but also the rear suspension has developed a really bad knocking noise very disappointed with the car I have now purchased a new Mini to get rid of the car before anymore problems happen with the engine! If anyone considers buying a small car I would advise to go to the Fiat garage and buy a Fiat 500 instead!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I got this car in August 2013 (PCP deal). It is a good car, however there is not much space for back seat passengers at all, especially for those who are tall. The windows are always steaming up, the glove boxes hinge snapped very easily just one day after I purchased the car. The auto start stop system is a good idea but it makes the car more prone to stalling. The seats upholstery seem to stain very easily, even with water so I bought my own car seat covers. The car does take a while to speed up but that doesn't bother me too much. The mp3 player buttons are very small so I tend to use the controls on the steering wheel. The USB port for mobiles can sometimes cause the music to stop playing. It would be great if the car had central locking and electric windows, my rating would have been higher if it did. There is plenty of boot space, for me anyway. The bluetooth is great for hands-free calls but I rarely use it, I have only used it when the car is stationery.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

It starts!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

small engine economical and sporty

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Since new has never let me down mechanically

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

For such a new car, not starting on one occasion was a big disappointment. When I phoned the garage, I eventually got the number for Ford Assist [it took two calls] and the AA sorted it very quickly.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Since buying the car in 2008 I haven't had any problems with it. It is still running just as the same as when I bought it.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Iloveher

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Nothing has gone wrong

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

no problems with this car which is why I have kept it

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

The ford ka is a good second car but the back footwell at drivers side is saturated with water. I asked arnold clark to check why it constantly steamed up when i took it in for it's first service and they told me they didn't have time to check it. have now found the carpets are soaked and they tell me it is now just over a year old and ford warranty does not cover water ingress after a year. I have had to contact ford and they are investigating the problem and may or may not cover the full cost of the claim. In short don't buy a new ford and certainly do not buy one from arnold clark linwood. In my opinion they were told of a possible problem and didn't check it and it may cost me money now, and seems to be erring on the crooked side.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Car very good. Ford dealer not so good, bad customer care

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I love my car. It might not be perfect, but it meets my needs.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

A waste of money. Not very economical. gets too hot even when the heaters are turned off

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

It's pretty simple i like cars with more features.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Excellant small city car with great handling

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Cheap to run, cheap insurance

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I use my Ka for work and shopping, not long distances - our family car is used for that. My last service cost almost £800, last Ford I will buy.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I got the Ka as a replacement for an old Hyundai Getz about a year ago and it has turned out to be a great car for my use. I mostly drive a relatively short distance in town and, obviously, that's where the Ka comes in very handy. It's short, has a small turning circle and the steering is light enough making it really easy to park and manoeuvre. The thing that sets the Ka apart from most other small cars that I've seen, is that even when you get out of town and onto the motorway, it's actually not that bad. Sure, it's a little noisy, but otherwise it does a really good job. The steering is accurate and responsive, it's not unstable despite its small size, and the suspension is good. It also goes around corners really well. The Titanium model is reasonably well equipped. Stability control would be a nice addition but otherwise I've got everything I need. The heated windshield is great. I know what they say about Fiat's reliability and the Ka is basically a Fiat, but I can't say I've had any problems. There is one slightly annoying "feature" in the petrol engine, which is that on cold winter days it hunts around for a while before settling for a steady idle when you stop. As said, this is evidently just a feature and thereby it's not really a big issue, but it can get a little irritating sometimes. All in all, the Ka is a great, cheap to run car as long as you don't often have to carry four full-sized adults in it. I also think it looks better than most of it's rivals, and the interior feels reasonably well made, too.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

good for 7 year old car

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Not let me down yet

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Had a few minor problems but nothing major

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

no problems yet some rattles etc. also had to replace front wiper motor.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

allways starts first time drives very well cruises easialy at moterway speeds and never had any problems

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Generally no reliability problems

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Although the engine has not yet loosened up (which I'm led to believe is around 10k), I'm satisfied with the performance, if not the mpg. Problems are it seems to stall easily, the dash rattles terribly, the windscreen steams up, the steering makes a racket and the doors leak. Stereo has horrible tiny buttons. Plus points are reasonably comfortable and whilst not packed with gadgets, it does have aircon and elec windows. What else do you need really? I'm glad it's on options, which was a reasonably affordable way to get my first new car at the age of 43. They can have it back in two years, no way would I buy it. I will see if I can settle the finance with a non Ford dealer! I'll go for something from the VW group next time or maybe a Dacia if reports of build and reliability are favourable.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Great little car. High tax though.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Very happy with it

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I love it

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Its ok. does its job

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Absolutely superb alround - so much so that i own three of them!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Cheap car that has a decent power to weight ratio and thus accelerates a lot quicker than the 0-60 stats claim. It has a decent chassis which allows for a fun drive in the corners and bends. It does put other cars to shame and a surprise on many peoples faces as it really is an underrated car due to stereotyping on looks etc. Recommended the mark one ka 1.3 or sportka 1.6. The mark two ka 1.2 petrol and 1.3 diesel which is based on the fiat 500 may have a better build quality but that is where the positives end it is heavier which affects performance and does not handle as well as the mark one.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Disappointing. It's very comfortable to sit in, but not to travel in - the ride seems a bit too hard for a car that isn't designed to be sporty, and there are a lot of speed bumps where i live. The handling doesn't fill me with confidence and the lack of 'oomph' when pulling out a busy junction is worrying

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Very nice, well built and fun to drive. A little smaller than we are used to but fun.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Nice little car but has problems that were rectified in later models esp. electrics

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Excellent small car with brilliant handling

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

The suspension ball joint on steering bar has been replaced within a year under warranty. The same fault has been repaired again in 2013 and again in March 2014 at a cost of over £200 each side.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Amazing car!!!! It's a class little city car its been used a lot since bought. It's great in the city and just as good on the motorway. Everything about this car is great .... handling , practicality, value and mpg. The ride is surprisingly comfy considering how great its handling is. Would defiantly give this car a good look when searching for a small car

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

It runs fine

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Never had any problems with it so far

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

No problems at all in 23k miles and 2 years.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

It has never let me down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

not a great cold starter

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Never broken down or not started.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

BOMB-PROOF

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Not good - unreliable

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

No breakdowns or equipments failures at all

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

No problems so far

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

ALWAYS STARTS WHEN I NEED IT

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I had the old Petrol KA version which was great and I would have sold it but changes at work I needed a desiel car due to mileage can't fault it one bit it i can get 69.1 mpg

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Very practical for short distance daily town use.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I love it but it's aging now

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

It's worth what i paid for it and stunning in looks for a little girlie run around.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Good little runner

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Fun car. Needs a bit more power and not very fuel efficent due to age of engine

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

All round good little, cheap and fun run about

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Na

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

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