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By Steve Walker

Introductionword count: 115

Car manufacturers don't often hit the bull's-eye at the first attempt. The very nature of motorcars is that they're big and complex things, which invariably benefit from the process of incremental improvement that takes place throughout their lifecycles. Sometimes, it takes two or three generations for a vehicle to really mature into the definitive article. Unusually, Ford's original Ka city car looked a nailed-on winner from the moment it left the blocks. That was great for Ford but less of a boon for the second generation Ka we feature here. The weight of expectation was tangible at the time but with the dust long settled, does the Ka mk2 make sense as a used buy?

Modelsword count: 16

Models Covered: 3dr hatch: (1.2 petrol, 1.3 TDCI diesel [Style, Style +, Studio, Edge, Zetec, Titanium)

Historyword count: 244

The original Ford Ka may well be regarded as something of a design classic in years to come but it's important to remember that it had been on sale for twelve years when Ford finally saw fit to knock-up this replacement. The first car was no spring chicken by that stage, more of an octogenarian one with patchy plumage and a prosthetic wing. With the city car market taking off in response to rising environmental concerns and the cost of motoring, Ford needed to bolster its presence and did so late in 2008. The second generation Ka arrived with quite a pedigree. Ford had teamed up with Fiat to share its citycar development costs and the Italian firm looked the perfect partner being a renowned small car manufacturer and purveyor of one of the best compact diesel engines around at the time. The Ka arrived riding on the same platform as the second generation Fiat Panda and the modern day incarnation of the Fiat 500. Both a 1.2-litre petrol engine and that Fiat-sourced 1.3-litre diesel were offered and trim levels ran from Style to Style+ and Zetec. Buyers were also presented with the opportunity to personalise their vehicles with a whole series of styling packs that included exterior graphics and interior colour schemes, not all of them in the best possible taste. The trim level range was realigned in 2010 with Studio taking over as the entry-level option followed by Edge, Zetec and Titanium.

What You Getword count: 318

The original Ka dropped jaws on a regular basis at the time of its launch. More impressive still, its shape endured the passage of time and still looks remarkably fresh today. Perhaps intelligently, Ford elected not to attempt a similar trick with this second generation model. It's a safer and more formulaic creation that employs the Kinetic design themes found across the Ford range in this era including the trademark swept back headlamps and the trapezoidal front air-intake. There are elements carried over from the MK1 Ka around the rear end but from most angles, the effect is of a stunted Fiesta - pretty but with little that broke new ground. Inside, The Ka set the standard for build quality in city cars. The materials and switchgear feel like those of a far more expensive product. Ford also worked hard to create a funky cabin environment and while some elements such as the confusing centre console layout are questionable, most of it has the desired effect. There's an airy feel inside with an abundance of headroom for front seat occupants and limited space for a couple of six footers to occupy the rear on short journeys without doing themselves a mischief. The array of storage options has been very well thought out with useful door pockets, numerous small cubbies and an unpromising glovebox flap that opens to reveal a prodigious area behind. The boot too is of a useful size for a citycar but 224 litres won't go that far after a major supermarket splurge. Fold the rear seats and 747 litres is opened up. All Ka models have an MP3-compatible CD stereo with an AUX input, electric power steering with a wheel that's adjustable for height, ABS brakes and twin front airbags. The Zetec proved a popular choice and adds a raft of other items including 15" alloy wheels, front fog lights and other racy styling enhancements.

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