Ford Ka Ka+

The Ford Ka+ (2016–2019) has nothing to do with the charming original Ka. It's a plain, honest budget supermini, built in India on the Figo platform to sit at the very bottom of Ford's range. If you want a cheap, no-nonsense first car or an undemanding daily, you get tough, simple mechanicals with no frills. The 1.2 Ti-VCT is a naturally aspirated four-cylinder with no turbo and no timing-chain drama — low-maintenance, long-lived and cheap to run. That's its strength: little technology, little to break. The biggest warning concerns safety: the Ka+ scored only a weak 3 stars in Euro NCAP, which is below average for cars of this era. If you prioritise maximum occupant protection, you should know that. There's also a recall for fire risk: a problem with the battery monitoring could, in extreme cases, lead to overheating — check before buying whether the recall has been carried out. Typical everyday faults: water ingress into the passenger footwell crops up repeatedly, usually via blocked drains or failing seals — check for a damp carpet and musty smell, otherwise it rots underneath. The interior is made of hard, cheap plastic that scratches and rattles easily; that's a matter of taste rather than a fault. Equipment levels are generally sparse — many cars have neither climate control nor much in the way of extras. Buying advice: you buy the Ka+ for reliability and a low price, not for driving fun or image. The engine is good-natured as long as oil and servicing are kept up. Importantly: confirm the fire-risk recall status, check the passenger footwell for damp, and be realistic — this is a budget runabout, not a premium product. As a cheap, honest used car with modest running costs, though, it does little wrong.