ALONG with more than a million other customers - half of them in the UK - my family owned a Ford Ka.

It was almost like a household pet. Great fun, cheeky and cute, it almost begged to be taken out for a spin.

Cheap and cheerful, with an engaging personality, it was something of a milestone, breathing new life into thecompany's small car range and teaching it that stylish, fun-to-drive vehicles can attract customers to the brand.

It achieved the greatest customer loyalty of any Ford car, but after a decade of fab sales to go with those curvy looks, it was time for a change.

The trouble was, the Ka was so good at its job that Ford was reluctant to introduce something new that would genuinely move the game forward.

However, with an increasing number of small cars finding favour with cash and space-conscious buyers, getting ahead of the game once again was the priority.

When deciding how to build affordable new low-volume or niche models, it often makes business sense for a manufacturer to work with a partner, and in this case Ford chose Fiat, with its strong heritage in small vehicles.

But rather than taking the retro route, Ford's designers created what looked like a junior version of the new Fiesta.

A large amount of the Ka is based on the ultra-cool Fiat 500, and the cars share a production line at a factory at Tychy, Poland, but Ford has carried out some fine tuning to give the Ka a more responsive feel.

The end result is that the Ford Ka out-drives the Fiat 500, but loses out on desirability. The Ka was robbed of its own identity.

With the new Ford family "look" firmly with theFocus and Fiesta, it was entirely predictable that Ford's smallest offering would share the same edgy, racy and contemporary design.

The same is true inside the Ka, with the overall ambience one that's a million miles away from the initially cheap and cheerful interior of the original. Second time around, it's a lot more contemporary -better quality upholstery has been combined with high-grade plastics to create a cabin that's more closely aligned with the Mondeo and Focus than some bargain basement runabout.

It's fair to say that it all works well. The interior contains sensibly placed switchgear and clear instruments, and the claim that you can get two adults in the back - this Ka remains a three-door hatch -is largely a genuine one.

What's more, the car's sloping roof doesn't impact on headroom and you get a decent-sized boot for a car of this size, while rear seating either folds as a bench or splits and folds depending on the model selected.

On the downside, the glove box is hopelessly inadequate, and the gap between font passenger's the backrest and seat allows all manner of thin objects to slide through to the floor. Even thinner CD cases will slip out of view.

In the base model, MP3 connection and a six-speaker stereo are fitted as standard, while further up the chain comes Bluetooth connectivity and even two-tone leather.

These days there is only a 1.2 petrol engine on offer, mated to a five-speed manual gearbox as standard, with the shift lever conveniently mounted high up on the fascia.

Historically, city cars have been associated with small-capacity petrol units, and the previously available 1.3-litre diesel just did not find enough buyers.

My test car, a Studio Connect model, has a price ticket of only £9,295. Studio, Edge, Zetec, Titanium, Metal and Grand Prix lll trim levels complete the range, with prices starting at £8,795 and rising to £11,295.

Style Connect versions come with a Connectivity Pack featuring Bluetooth, steering wheel audio controls and USB connection, in addition to a trip computer. But you will have to go further up the range to attract air conditioning and electric windows.

The Ka remains great fun to drive, and although acceleration from standstill is sluggish, once it gets into its stride it shows a turn of pace and agility that puts a smile on your face.

Just like with the original Ka, this chunky second generation model has been styled to attract attention and provoke discussion.

Ford's daring new design language balances an edgy character with the need to be practical.

Call it afresh Ka for the 21st century, if you like. And it is still a gem to drive.

 

At a glance

Ford Ka Studio Connect

Price: £9,295

Engine: 1.2-litre petrol producing 69PS

Transmission: Five-speed manual

Performance: 0 to 62mph in 13.4 seconds; top speed 99mph

Economy: 57.7mpg combined

CO2 emissions: 115g/km