I was looking at getting a ford fiesta as my first car and I would like it to have a digital speedometer, however I've read on here that the digital speedometers can be wrong. What year fiesta should I get to make sure I have a digital speedometer that actually works?

 

Thanks, 

Mk7.5s (2013-2017) don't have digital speedometers. I'm not sure if the mk8 (2018->)has in the center display. Maybe someone who owns one will comment soon.

the mk8 has a digital speedometer. Mine seems to be 1 or 2 mph off what the needle indicates but its not something that has bothered me enough to do something about.  

saying that, when ive had a courtesy car or anything like that, the digital speedo was spot on with the needle. 

My Mk 8 is the first Fiesta I've had with a digital speedo, though I've had them on other makes. When I've glanced at both at once it tallies exactly (analogue speedos are electrically driven anyway, so presumably operate from the same signal). I find the digital speedo much more "noticeable" so don't bother with the analogue now - it's certainly a feature I look out for on any car I'm considering now.

I would like to add that I have noticed that the digital speedometer is more accurate, while the needle tends to be accurate when the speed increases, more than 60 mph , but before that there is a difference between the needle and the digital one , I think its an inherent flow in all needle speedometers regarding the way they are designed with, I have noticed this also in previous cars I have owned, an old Skoda Felicia, and a Hyundai ix20, when comparing with GPS, I find the needle to tell more accurate readings as you increase speed, but not on slow speeds 🙂 

Most if not all cars speedometers are set to over read the real speed. At an indicated 70mph most cars are doing a true speed of around 66mph.

If you have a speed readout on your sat nav, that's usually much more accurate (within 0.5mph if you have a good signal) 

When I have the occasion to use my cruise control on the motorway, I usually set the speed to 75mph as this equates to a true 70mph according to my sat nav.

Personally I prefer an analogue speedo. Was Digital only on the Citroen I had and I wasn't keen. The MK8 ST-Line X had a digital option but I've never used it.

 

Hi! When I test drove my 2018 Fiesta ST3, it had a digital speedometer but upon purchasing and fiddling with all the menus I seem to have lost it and can’t find it anywhere, or in the owners manual? Can anyone advise how to reinstate it please? Thanks in advance. Mel

15 minutes ago, Melly1cup said:

Hi! When I test drove my 2018 Fiesta ST3, it had a digital speedometer but upon purchasing and fiddling with all the menus I seem to have lost it and can’t find it anywhere, or in the owners manual? Can anyone advise how to reinstate it please? Thanks in advance. Mel

scroll through menu on steering wheel buttons right hand side (if same as st-line)

Topic cropped up a few times before (see above). I managed to "lose" mine after I picked the car up but soon found it again!😀

6 hours ago, st line x 140 driver said:

scroll through menu on steering wheel buttons right hand side (if same as st-line)

I prefer to have the MPG, Range, Trip and Average MPH

I think it's been explained above and in linked thread. But if you go to the menu (right hand steering wheel button) on My view screen you get these options. It's the top one is the digital spedo. "Calm Screen" is just a blank screen.

I use it all the time and rarely look at the analogue dial. I found it strange driving a mk7.5 courtesy car without one. Using a satnav (Waze) I find it under read by 2 mph. ie 72 is real 70, 52 is satnav 50, etc.