Ford Ka

Stay Away – Great car if all you care about is saving money on fuel - which is great because you get 550km out of a 35L tank. (Have found it runs better on 95RON fuel... absolutely gutless running on E10.) ...That's about where the savings end. I bought my 2001 Ka2 in August 2009 with 121,000km on the clock and I haven't stopped bringing it into the garage since.

First it was a failed water pump (after it collapsed all over the freeway - $600 repair), then the indicator unit failed ($139 just for parts), cracked and split plastic bumpers ($800 repair), regular service costs (haven't had a service cheaper than $350), new front struts and suspension ($800), major chassis reconstruction after <20km low-speed bingle (would have been $3k + if it weren't for the mechanic owing us a few favours). All door locks have gradually failed - they lock but you can't unlock it again. Air bag light keeps flashing intermittently for no explained reason.

The only reason I haven't bought a new car is because it keeps sucking my savings dry (especially so on a uni students budget)!!

Don't buy one. Fuel Efficient, Great Stereo VERY expensive to fix if something goes wrong - which is often. Ford Australia doesn't make parts for it and laughs in most mechanics faces.

Excellent – The fuel efficiency of the Ford KA is the first thing that comes to mind. Then you find out about all the little extras that come with it. It has duel airbags, which i might add is rare in such a small car, a CD player, fuel injection (which is great), and a sleek body shape that stands out in a crowd. I would recommend the Ford KA to anyone looking for a Luxurious small car. I like the design and the fact that in a world of rising fuel prices, this is the best thing since sliced bread.