DIESEL power takes less than ten per cent of all Ford Fiesta sales and that is mainly because the petrol options are so good.

The petrol power plants may be more refined and popular but the little diesel will make sense to high mileage owners or company car drivers because of its tax advantages.

I have been sampling the 1.5 EcoBlue diesel in the new entry-levelTrend model which replaced Zetec versions late last year.

Trend trim balances a good level of standard equipment with an affordable asking price and although this may be the base model it certainly does not look it.

There are no steel wheels with plastic trims,instead, you get 16-inch alloys, privacy glass and a chrome grille surround. There's also atouchscreen infotainment system, automatic headlights and lane-keeping assistance.

You also get lots of other equipment including air conditioning, LED headlamps and running lights, LED signature rear lights, fog lamps with cornering lights, a Quickclear heated windscreen,power windows, a Thatcham alarm, selectable drive modes, the Ford SYNC system with DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

An NCAP adds lots of safety equipment, includinglane-keeping aids and hill start assist is another bonus.

For an additional £400 you can purchase a City Pack which will give you rear parking sensors and power-foldable heated door mirrors with puddle lights. Another worthwhile purchase is a proper steel spare wheel at £150.

The 1.5 diesel unit produces 85ps and takes 12.4 seconds to get to 62mph although it does feel quicker. It has a top speed of 108mph and cruises quietly at motorway speeds.

As you would expect it is very economical and capable of returning more than 65mpg with low emissions.

Even in this affordable form the Fiesta is still great fun to drive in town and out on the open road. It provides great grip, has superb steering and turns keenly into corners.

The Fiesta always feels composed and the ride quality is as good as if not better than any of its supermini rivals.

The Fiesta has been the UK's favourite for decades andthe Trend models will make sure it stays at the top of its class powered by petrol or diesel units.