Isn’t it strange that when both were new, I’d have chosen the Fiesta without question. But 30+ years alter, I’d go for the 5. What a great piece of design.
That Renault out classes that ageing fiesta by a mile - design / flair / lines / charm and still looks fresh today - the fiesta just looks old - both good cars I owned both but you use the fiesta you cherish the 5 👍👌I also had the 5 GTX 1.7 manual now that was a force to be reckoned with 😮
A relative's Son had the Renault 5 1.4 5 door used for Uni years in Digs ... it was fast, reliable and damn solid. So solid that it survived being flipped onto its roof by a mad Tractor driver ...
I allways wanted the xr2 as a late teen in the early 90s. However the high insurance and low income denied it. Both are great cars from a simpler better time. 👍
I used to occasionally get a lift in a new Renault 5 with a colleague in 1996 and I remember it being way more comfortable and refined than I expected it to be.
I loved it when cars higher up the range were differentiated by having different things like bumpers, dashboards headlamps and grilles. Nowadays, it's hard to tell the difference with trim levels. You just get a fancier (not necessarily bigger) engine and more tech for the extra money.
In 1988 the Fiesta was looking ancient - despite a mild facelift this was essentially the car as launched in n 1976. The Renault 5 looked much sharper at this time even though it was close to the end of its life here. 1989 MK3 Fiesta then blew everything else out of the water.
Whilst I like both, I have always found the 5 a little more chique and interesting. I very nearly bought a MK2 Fiesta as my first car back in 1996 but went for something totally different in the form of a Gazelle Beige Vauxhall Belmont but do have a soft spot and my father had a number of brand new MK3 Fiestas, but I'd probably shoot for that lovely 5 Monaco.
Both brilliant, but I've been fancying a Renault 5 for a while so that is my pick for no better reason than that. However, I'd be perfectly happy with almost any eighties Ford.
If it is a question of style, I think the Renault wins hands down. Not because it's the Monaco but it's just a more coherent design, both inside and out. If you look how the front end is all integrated and how the rear lights seamlessly blend into the shape of the tailgate. The Fiesta did this (and rather cleverly) on their mk3 but not here. The dash and door fittings, centre console of the Renault is so much better imho - it all looks purpose built and not a 'my first car' look of the Ford. I'd still have a R5 today - not so sure about the Fiesta...
This Renault 5 looks so good! I know for sure we had the 1st gen Renault 5 here in Canada, but I have never seen the second gen here. But, if the priority is reliability, I'd take the Ford any day of the week.
The 3rd gauge of the R5 would likely have been the oil level gauge, designed to work before the engine starts. R5 all the way for me, but then I’ve owned a Renault ever since my first at 16 in ‘97! In that case it was the 5’s bigger brother the R11. Currently own its bigger brother - the R21.
Hatchback: The rear makes the style. The R5 unapologetically using the 45° angle from top to bottom is what works (the theme being reused everywhere). Rivals who cut that line to have a vertical boot ending is what kills the design & makes them dated.
Nicole would approve so would Papa. I used to install aftermarkets alarms on these little Renault 5s for a Renault dealer as they did not come standard , they were bothersome as the Renaults used such little electric to operate the central locking that it sometimes never triggered the alarms to activate the sensors in the alarms could not detect the drop in voltage and in some cases the cars could be nicked without the alarm even triggering, had to modify the voltage sensors to the alarms, I really hated Renaults for this reason, I installed lots on Fords but they still got nicked even if the alarms did trigger as their security ignition and door locks was laughably pathetic in the 80s and early 90s, I knew a guy who had his Fiesta XR nicked four times each time it was dumped as it ran out of petrol he learned to only put a small amount of fuel in the tank as a security measure car ran out of fuel and the cars were abandoned at the side of the road, easiest car to steal of its generation.
I went from driving a 1989 Fiat Panda 1000CL and really missed it when we got my 1995 R5 1.4 Campus Prima. The engine just seemed to be like a diesel train. It just wasn’t alive like the Fiat engines were. The Fiats wanted to be driven. My R5 never did. 😩
I had a Fiesta 1.4S in the late '80's. I have to say it was by far the worst car I've ever owned. The engine was rough, unresponsive and leaked oil. But the worst thing was I had to scrap it at 7 years old due to terminal rust in the sills and inner wings. I've never bought A Ford since.
I did have a very early MK2 Fiesta diesel and loved it!. Was a bit rough body wise but I was fine with that. Didn't have much power, 54hp when new (mine had 100k, so possible a few of them had bolted!) but that didn't stop me going from Wigan to Aberdeen in 5 hours (including fuel and toilet stop) back in about 1994!. Also surprisingly good in snow If I could get another diesel, I'd probably take it over the R5 for sentimental reasons, otherwise I'd have the R5
Fiesta for me - I always liked the 1.4S. The Supercinq was a decent car - my first car in fact, but the dreadful interior plastics quality really lets them down, although they are quite good fun to drive.
Those Ford CVH engines were dreadful. I had both a Mk2 1.3 Fiesta Ghia and a Mk4 XR3i. Ford should have continued with the Kent engine as it was better.
We had a couple of Fiestas, one was a cvt. Always a comfortable driving position on Fords, which counts for a lot. Not having experienced the 5, but had the use of a Twingo 2 as a loaner....worst car I've ever driven. Noisy, slow and uncomfortable. Awful in every way, and this comes from someone who isn't particularly demanding. Our current car a 108 is very comfy too.
Fords of the time also had a reputation for good steering and gearboxes Average or worse in most respects but I believe those were things Ford tended to do well. it took until the mondeo cme out before Ford produced a car that could be argued to be the best in it's class
@@mattylamb9194 yet the Mondeo 96 was cited as being the car ot should of been at launch. Ford produced conventional cars that were simple and unremarkable, but they were reasonably reliable and marketed very well. It's a bit like rugby, keep it straightforward and do it right.
My god! The Fiesta look cheap and 20 years older "Than the Renault 5" in all details🤔 I would risk the huge mechanical issues with the Rebault 5. Not that the Ford its mouch better👨🔧 they rust away and the mecanics is in poor quality. As most Fords
Renault 5?🤣😂 Must be mad, we had one and couldn't get rid of it fast enough, death trap, used to feel like you was going to roll over every time you went round the bend. Uncomfortable dingy.
