Used Ford Ka+ cars

The first Ford KA arrived on UK roads in 1996. A capable city car with funky styling and a charismatic attitude, it proved instantly popular with first-time buyers, those living in town and households requiring a second car. The Mk2 arrived in 2008 and was based on the Fiat 500’s underpinnings. When the Mk3 arrived in 2016, it took the celebrated Fiesta as its base, being just 40mm shorter and offering the same sharp styling.

One engine and two trims were available at launch. The KA+ offered space and generous levels of equipment, making it a strong rival to the Volkswagen up!, Peugeot 108, Citroën C1 and Toyota Aygo. The third-generation model promptly picked up several awards, including the 2017 Carbuyer Best Car For Under £10,000.

Like many of its competitors, the Ford KA+ was retired in 2020. A growing demand for compact SUVs meant a decline in sales, and Ford focused on catering to this requirement instead.

Ford KA+ updates and facelifts

The Ford KA+ received a facelift in July 2018. With this update came a new variant – the KA+ Active – which offered plastic cladding and a raised ride height to appeal to those seeking SUV-style city cars. The model range also received some tweaks to the setup, including a faster steering response and improved springs, dampers and suspension. A new 1.5-litre diesel engine was introduced, as well as a 6.5-inch dash display.

Practicality and style of the car

The KA+ is remarkably spacious inside. The raised front seats mean rear passengers can slide their feet beneath them, giving more flexibility on longer journeys. There’s storage space for belonging too. Each door bin is large enough for a drinks bottle, and the glove box has room for small or valuable items. An additional 13 litres are available under the boot floor.

With all seats in place, the Ford KA+ offers a boot space of 270 litres. This includes 13 litres of underfloor storage, which is handy for keeping valuables out of sight. This is slightly more space than is offered by the Volkswagen up! (251 litres) and significantly more than you’ll find in the Peugeot 108 and Citroën C1, which both have 196 litres. When you fold the 60/40 split rear bench down, the luggage compartment expands to 849 litres, which is plenty for a couple of suitcases on the airport run.

Running costs

The appeal of city cars lies in their reasonable running costs. Not only is the Ford KA+ relatively lower cost to purchase, but it’s also one of the best models in terms of running costs too. Primarily occupying groups 1–5 out of 50 for insurance, meaning low premiums. The Peugeot 108 in comparison, starts from insurance group 6. Only one variant – the 1.5-litre 94bhp diesel – sits in group 10, which is still comparatively low.

Road tax costs depend on the model year you choose. Opt for a car registered before April 2017 and you’ll pay £35 per year thanks to the KA+’s low emissions. Models produced thereafter are taxed at a flat rate of £180 per year.

How a used Ford KA+ drives

The Ford KA+ has been designed to excel around town and its engine choices reflect that. The entry-level petrol is a 1.2-litre four-cylinder unit with outputs of either 69bhp or 84bhp. Efficient and clean, they both offer a combined fuel economy of 50–57mpg and CO2 emissions of no higher than 129g/km. The lower-power petrol option accelerates from 0-62mph in 15.3 seconds; the higher-power option cuts this time to 13.3 seconds.

In 2018 an updated version of the 1.2-litre engine was introduced – this time with three cylinders. Like its predecessor, it comes with either 69bhp or 84bhp, but achieves quicker 0-62mph times of 14.6 seconds and 13.5 seconds respectively. Unusually, the higher power engine is the more frugal, achieving 56.5mpg on the combined cycle. The 69bhp returns 55.4mpg. All petrol engines are teamed with a five-speed manual gearbox.

There is also one diesel option available too – a 1.5-litre unit with an output of 94bhp. This is both the swiftest and most economical, making it more suited to motorway driving than the petrol engines. Mated to five-speed manual transmission, it gets from 0-62mph in 11.4 seconds and returns an impressive 76.3mpg on the combined cycle.

Engines and official MPG

Please refer to the table below for a comprehensive list of engines and their official MPG figures.

2016 - 2020

Features you can expect in a Ford Ka+

Interior

The Ford KA+ is designed to make light work of city traffic and tight parking spaces. As such, it measures just four metres in length and has a turning circle of just 10.1 metres. That means manoeuvres are simple to execute and narrow side streets pose no problem.

Despite these compact dimensions, the model is a true five-seater. Its upright stance ensures two adults can fit in the back – and even three can be accommodated on shorter journeys. Thanks to the five-door design, getting youngsters in and out of the back is easy too.

The Ford KA+ takes its dash layout from the Fiesta. As such the controls are intuitive and fall to hand easily. As you’d expect from Ford, the quality of the cabin is good, with plenty of soft-touch surfaces and comfy materials throughout. The KA+ has a relatively high driving position for a city car, meaning you get a more commanding view of the road than in some rivals. Choose the Active trim and the ride height is raised by a further 23mm.

Technology

An AM/FM radio comes as standard on entry-level Studio trim, alongside the MyFord Dock system. This clamps your smartphone to the dashboard and enables you to stream music via Bluetooth. At launch, Zetec trims featured a DAB radio with Ford SYNC. Post-2018 update Zetec and Active trims boast a 6.5-inch touchscreen that runs Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment system. This comes with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration.

The Ford KA+ is a no-fuss option and as such, there’s no unnecessary technology complicating your drive. Daytime running lights provide practical illumination both day and night, enabling you to see clearly in any weather conditions. There’s also the handy Ford EasyFuel system, which prevents you from filling your car with the wrong type of fuel. In terms of driver aids, hill start assist comes as standard to ensure you don’t roll backwards when pulling away on an incline. From 2018, all trims also have air conditioning as standard.

Upgrade to the Zetec trim and you’ll get cruise control to make motorway driving effortless. MyKey is another useful feature. This enables you to programme your spare key(s) to place restrictions on the car’s parameters. For example, you can set a top speed and maximum volume for the stereo. Options on new KA+ models included climate control and heated seats, so you may find variants on the used market with these features.

Safety

Tested in 2017, the Ford KA+ received three stars from Euro NCAP. With a 73% score for adult occupant protection and a 61% score for child occupants, it features front and side airbags and anti-whiplash headrests. Young families are served equally well by the KA+ thanks to ISOFIX mounting points, which enable parents to secure child seats effectively. Active safety measures include a tyre pressure monitoring system and stability control.

Some used Ford KA+ cars for sale may come with the City Pack, which includes rear parking sensors. This was an optional extra for new vehicles.

Trims available on the Ford Ka+

Ford KA+ Studio

The entry-level Studio trim offers 15-inch steel wheels, body-coloured bumpers, chrome accents and electrically operated door mirrors. It also boasts front fog lamps and daytime running lights. Inside is an AM/FM radio with MyFord Dock, Bluetooth connectivity and a USB port. Manual air conditioning is also available on models produced after the 2018 update. Technological equipment includes Ford EasyFuel, hill start assist, stability control and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Ford KA+ Zetec

Step up to Zetec for 15-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, a DAB radio and either a 4.2-inch TFT screen (2016–2018) or a 6.5-inch touchscreen (2018 onwards). From 2018 on, there’s also Apple CarPlay/Android Auto as standard. Other technologies include Ford MyKey, a multi-function steering wheel and cruise control.

Ford KA+ Active

Active trim features the same equipment as the Zetec trim but adds unique exterior styling features. These include a raised ride height, chunkier wheel arches, a unique grille design and silver roof rails. You also get rain-sensitive wipers and Ford’s Quickclear windscreen.

Search our stock of used Ford Ka+ cars for sale.