Starting price of Ford Fiesta rises by more than £3000

The Studio and Style trim levels have been axed from the Ford Fiesta line-up, raising the Fiesta's starting price from £10,345 to £13,395.

The trim levels have been dropped to make space for the upcoming Ka+, which is a new five-door, five-seat hatchback that will be priced from £8995.

Ford said the Ka+ is a similar offering to the discounted base Fiesta models, so would have left customers faced with a tough decision as to which to go for. A spokesperson explained: "We never want customers to be faced with a model versus model scenario, so dropping the Studio and Style gives the two cars clear differences."

• Click here to read our full review of the Ford Fiesta

The new entry-level Fiesta is the Zetec model (pictured above). The Zetec comes as standard with 15in alloy wheels and front fog lights, and the cheapest engine available is a 1.25-litre four-cylinder that produces 81bhp and averages 54.3mpg in official tests.

Buyers hoping to grab a last minute bargain may find some showroom examples of the discontinued Fiesta Studio and Style on sale with hefty discounts, as dealers try to shift them before the first examples of the Ka+ arrive this November.

• Fancy a used Ford Fiesta? Click here to read our used car review

The axing of the Studio and Style trim levels is unlikely to have an impact on the Fiesta’s title as Britain’s best selling car. Sales figures from January to July of this year show that just 562 Fiesta Studios were sold, representing just 1% of the model’s total, while the 1290 Style models accounted for just 2% of total numbers.

See what we think of the current Ford Fiesta in the video below.

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