Ford Fiesta Vignale Review and Prices

The Ford Fiesta Vignale is a small car that’s about the same size as a Mini 5-Door Hatchback and Audi A1 Sportback, although it costs slightly more.

The Ford Fiesta Vignale was introduced in 2017 as the most expensive model in the Fiesta range. The Vignale badge is Ford’s way of denoting the range-topping versions of the S-Max, Edge, Kuga, Focus and now the humble Fiesta.

Step inside and you’ll soon notice the biggest difference between a Ford Fiesta Vignale and a regular one – a large part of the dashboard is covered in leather. That sounds great, but the leather is in fact man-made and it also accentuates the cheaper plastics elsewhere around the FIesta’s cabin that have been carried over from lesser models.

What’s also been carried over is the infotainment system. You get the top-spec one in the Vignale, called SYNC 3, which has an 8.0-inch screen that’s bright, easy to read and pretty simple to use. However, compared with the infotainment system you get in a Mini, it simply isn’t as easy to use. On the upside, Fiesta Vignales get a powerful Bang & Olufsen stereo with a crisp sound.

It will take you very little time to get a comfortable driving position thanks to a broad range of adjustments to both steering wheel and seat and you can enjoy the Ford Fiesta Vignale’s unique quilted leather seats. A word of warning – all Fiesta Vignales come with a panoramic roof that eats into the rear headroom, that to be truthful, isn’t all that great to begin with.

The Ford Fiesta Vignale’s boot capacity of 292-litres is more than what a Mini 5-Door Hatchback or an Audi A1 Sportback have, but still quite far off more mainstream compact cars such as the Seat Ibiza. It’s still pretty practical and you can opt for a movable boot floor to make sliding bulky suitcases in and out of the boot easier once the seats are folded.

The Fiesta Vignale’s best feature – the way it drives – is also present and correct on cheaper Fiesta models

You can have the Ford Fiesta Vignale with a choice of three petrol engines, or one diesel. All the petrols are 1.0-litre in size, but there are three power outputs – 100, 125 and 140hp. The 1.5-litre diesel, meanwhile, makes 120hp.

Most people will love the 125hp petrol version – it’s lively enough to keep up with traffic, you can average 50mpg on a run and it has a characterful exhaust note. The diesel is capable of better fuel economy but only makes sense if you plan to do lots of miles on a monthly basis.

No matter where you plan to take your Ford Fiesta Vignale, you’ll like how easy it is to drive. It’s not just the light pedals and precise gear shift that give you confidence but also the sharp steering and great grip around corners.

There’s also little wind or road noise at speed and, provided you don’t go for the top-spec 18-inch wheels, the Fiesta Vignale goes over bumps with impressive comfort considering how sporty it feels. You also get auto emergency braking as standard so safety is good too. However, a cheaper Fiesta model is just as safe and as good to drive.

Which all means, the Ford Fiesta Vignale is a decent alternative to a Mini 5-Door Hatchback offering more standard equipment and better practicality. However, it’s hard to ignore the fact that a Fiesta Titanium gets everything that’s good in the Vignale for less money.