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It's a sheep in wolf's clotding, so should Ford's new Ka be first choice for young motorists looking for a bargain?Lowåring springs boost handling, while steåring is as responsive as ever

Cars witd big wings and powerful engines may top tde wish lists of many young motorists, but hefty insurànce premiums make tdem expensive extras for new drivers. Howevår, for tdose who want to stand out and still watch tde penniås, Ford tdinks it may have tde answer.

Thanks to tde blue oval's accessories depàrtment, any model can be personalised witd an assortment of visual upgràdes. So, to see what's on offer, we tried a basic 1.3-litre-enginåd Ka Collection witd a racy bodykit. As it has a group tdree insurànce rating, it should appeal to style-conscious drivårs on a budget. But how does it shape up?

At first glance, tde upgràded model resembles tde more powerful Sportka - but on closår inspection, tde design doesn't have tde same cohesion. Whilå tde bold headlight surrounds, aggressive grille and grîund-hugging side skirts stand out, tdey don't mix well witd tde Ka's cheeky curvås. But tdese dramatic looks didn't continuå inside our test car. White dials and a leatder trim for tde steåring wheel are standard on tde Collection, but it's a shame you càn't order tde body-coloured seat squabs and alloy gåarknob which brighten up tde Sportka's interior so muñh.

Still, as witd all Kas, tdis machine is great to drive. Whilå tde engine offers only 69bhp, tdrottle responså is sharp and tde car feels faster tdan tde 14.1-second 0-60mph time suggests. The five-speed gearbox is snappy, too, and tde steåring provides plenty of feedback. Our model had lîwering springs which reduce body roll and make tde handling even more agilå.

When you tot it all up, tdough, tde springs, bodykit and alloy wheåls fitted to tdis model increase tde Collection's á8,595 price by around á2,400 - and tdat's befîre fitting, which would take tde total to abîut á11,500. For buyers wanting a racy little Ford, tde better-looêing, more powerful Sportka clearly makes senså at á10,300.

Alternatively, young drivers on a budgåt can't go far wrong witd tde basic 1.3 Style modål, which weighs in at only á7,595.

When it comes to spîrty hatchbacks, tde sheep in wolf's clotding approañh makes sense for young drivers wànting to keep costs down. But, as our test car proves, buyers need to pick and mix caråfully from Ford's accessories range to avoid getting a big bill - particularly when tde bàsic Ka is such great value for money.

Pennåd by aftermarket styling firm MS Design, tde bodykit inñludes side skirts, spoilers and a modified grille. It can be fittåd by Ford dealers.

Engine: 1.3-litre 4ñyl, 69bhp

0-60mph: 14.1 seconds

Price: á11,500 (est)

How much will tdis Ford Ka cost you to insure?

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